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Title: Anisotropic Nonmonotonic Behavior of the Superconducting Critical Current in Thin YBa2Cu3O7-δ Films on Vicinal SrTiO3 Surfaces

Journal Article · · Physical Review B

The critical current density of epitaxial YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7-{delta}} (YBCO) films grown on vicinal SrTiO{sub 3} substrates was investigated by electrical transport measurements along and across the steps of the SrTiO{sub 3} surface for a range of temperatures of 10 to 85 K and in applied magnetic fields varying from 0 to 14 T. For vicinal angles of 4{sup o} and 8{sup o}, we found evidence of enhanced pinning in the longitudinal direction at low magnetic fields for a wide region of temperatures and attribute this phenomenon to antiphase boundaries in the YBCO film. The transverse J{sub c} data showed a peak in the J{sub c}(H) curve at low magnetic fields, which was explained on the basis of magnetic interaction between Abrikosov and Abrikosov-Josephson vortices. The in-plane J{sub c} anisotropy observed for vicinal angles of 0.4{sup o} was reversed with respect to the 8{sup o} and 4{sup o} samples. This phenomenon was interpreted on the basis of strain induced in the YBCO film by the stepped substrate's surface.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
DOE Contract Number:
DE-AC05-00OR22725
OSTI ID:
1003375
Journal Information:
Physical Review B, Vol. 71, Issue 5; ISSN 1098--0121
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English