Control of meandering grain boundary configurations in YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub {ital y}} bicrystal thin films based on deposition rate
- Materials Science Division and Science and Technology Center for Superconductivity, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439 (United States)
- Westinghouse Science and Technology Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15235 (United States)
Changing the film deposition rate is shown to be one way to influence the meandering configurations of grain boundaries (GB{close_quote}s) formed in YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub {ital y}} (YBCO) bicrystal thin films. The magnitude and wavelength of the meander in YBCO films deposited at two different rates have been characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and statistically quantified. It has been found that the meander becomes more uniform and considerably less rough in films deposited at lower rates compared to that observed in films deposited at higher rates. A mechanism for the formation of the meandering GB{close_quote}s is proposed based on heterogeneous nucleation and three-dimensional (3D) island growth together with overgrowth of the YBCO films across the substrate grain boundary. The different island sizes and tendency for overgrowth induced by changing the film deposition rate are believed to play important roles in controlling the meandering GB configuration. The possible effects of meandering configurations on transport properties are discussed. {copyright} {ital 1996 Materials Research Society.}
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 389280
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Materials Research, Journal Name: Journal of Materials Research Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 11; ISSN JMREEE; ISSN 0884-2914
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
From meandering to straight grain boundaries: Improving the structures of artificially-induced grain boundaries in superconducting YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub y} bicrystals
Suppression of Vortex Channeling in Meandered YBa2Cu3O7-δ Grain Boundaries