Abstract
Abstract—The main objective of this research is to find a
suitable alternate solution based seed layer for the standard
RABiTS three-layer architecture of physical vapor deposited
CeOô€€€ cap/YSZ barrier/Yô€€€O seed on Ni-5%W metal tape. In the
present work, we have identified CeOô€€€ buffer layer as a potential
replacement for Yô€€€O seeds. Using a metal-organic deposition
(MOD) process, we have grown smooth, crack-free, epitaxial thin
films of CeOô€€€ (pure and Zr, Cu and Gd-doped) directly on biaxially
textured Ni-5W substrates in short lengths. Detailed XRD
studies indicate that a single epitaxial CeOô€€€ phase with slightly
improved out-of-plane texture compared to the texture of the underlying
Ni-W substrates can be achieved in pure, undoped CeOô€€€
samples. We have also demonstrated the growth of YSZ barrier
layers on pure CeOô€€€ seeds using sputtering. Both sputtered CeOô€€€
cap layers and MOD-YBCO films were grown epitaxially on these
YSZ-buffered MOD-CeOô€€€/Ni-5W substrates. High critical currents
per unit width, of 264 A/cm (critical current density,
of 3.3 MA/cmô€€€) at 77 K and 0.01 T was achieved for 0.8 m thick
MOD-YBCO films grown on MOD-CeOô€€€ seeds. These results indicate
that CeOô€€€ films can be grown directly on Ni-5W substrates
and still support high performance YBCO coated conductors.
This work holds promise for a route for producing low-cost buffer
architecture for RABiTS based YBCO coated conductors.
