High I-c, YBa2Cu3O7-x films grown at very high rates by liquid assisted growth incorporating lightly Au-doped SrTiO3 buffers

摘要

YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) thick films were grown by hybrid liquid phase epitaxy (HLPE) on (001) SrTiO3 (STO) substrates. In the presence of a 100 nm thick, 5 mol% Au-doped STO buffer, self-field critical current densities, J(c)(sf), at 77 K of similar to 2.4 MA cm(-2) and critical currents, I-c(sf), up to 700 A (cm-width)(-1) were achieved. The J(c) value is virtually independent of thickness and the growth rates are very high (similar to 1 mu m min(-1)). From transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Y2O3 nanocloud extended defects (similar to 100 nm in size) were identified as the pinning defects in the films. Enhanced random pinning was induced by the presence of Au in the buffer.