Enhancement of Flux Pinning and Critical Currents in YBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ Films by Nano-Scale Iridium Pretreatment of Substrate Surfaces

Journal Article · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2005 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2138370· OSTI ID:978024

Aytug, Tolga ^[1]; Paranthaman, Mariappan Parans ^[1]; Gapud, Albert Agcaoili ^[1]; Kang, Sukill ^[1]; Christen, Hans M ^[1]; Leonard, Keith J ^[1]; Martin, Patrick M ^[1]; Thompson, James R ^[1]; Christen, David K ^[1]; Meng, R. ^[2]; Rusakova, I. ^[2]; Chu, C. W. ^[2]; Johansen, T. H. ^[3]

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1. ORNL
2. University of Houston, Houston
3. University of Oslo, Norway

We have acquired positive results in a controlled study to investigate the effects of substrate surface modification on the growth-induced flux-pinning nanostructures in YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7-{delta}} (YBCO) films. Nanoscale iridium (Ir) particles were applied to single-crystal SrTiO{sub 3} substrate surfaces using dc-magnetron sputtering. Superconducting properties of YBCO films grown on the Ir-modified substrates, measured by transport and magneto-optical imaging, have shown substantial improvement in the critical current densities (J{sub c}) at 77 K over those on untreated, control substrates. Results also show a nearly uniform enhancement of J{sub c} over all orientations of magnetic field. Present results are found to be consistent with cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy investigations. Ultimately, the objective of this approach is to produce enhancements in the properties of coated conductors by a simple pretreatment of the substrate surface.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: OE USDOE - Office of Electric Transmission and Distribution; USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: DE-AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 978024
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 98, Issue 11; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CRITICAL CURRENT
IRIDIUM
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC FLUX
MODIFICATIONS
NANOSTRUCTURES
SPUTTERING
SUBSTRATES
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
TRANSPORT