Evidence for strong flux pinning by small, dense nanoprecipitates in a Sm-doped YBa_2Cu_30_(7-δ) coated conductor

摘要

About 17 vol. % of ～10 nm sized (Y,Sm)_2O_3 precipitates have been developed in a metal-organic chemical vapor deposition grown Sm-doped YBa_2Cu_3O_(7-δ) coated conductor. The precipitate spacing of ～15 nm suggests strong vortex-precipitate pinning interactions, which are evidenced by a shift in the peak in the flux pinning force curve, an enhanced irreversibility field exceeding 8 T at 77 K, and a lack of temperature scaling of the flux pinning force over the temperature range of 65-82 K.