Stephen R. Foltyn

Texture development in IBAD MgO films as a function of deposition thickness and rate

We have examined the effect of film thickness on in-plane texture for ion-beam assisted deposition (IBAD) of MgO films. Plan-view dark-field transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has revealed that texture develops rapidly, reaching its best value at a critical thickness of/spl sim/10 nm. These results have been confirmed by quantifying the in-plane texture of these samples at each thickness with X-ray diffraction /spl phi/-scans. We have also examined the effects of variable deposition rate on texture formation. X-ray diffraction shows that the optimum in-plane texture is achieved at the critical thickness with a rate of 0.2 nm/s. However, TEM imaging has shown that the distribution of well-aligned grains decreases with an increase in rate. As such, deposition at 0.1 nm/s was found to be sufficient for achieving good in-plane distribution values and good surface coverage for subsequent depositions. By combining the results of both of these experiments, we were then able to optimize our deposition process and apply them to the growth of IBAD MgO on metal substrates.

Reel-to-reel preparation of ion-beam assisted deposition (IBAD)-MgO based coated conductors

We report on our efforts in developing and scaling-up the systems for IBAD-MgO based coated conductor fabrication. The overall fabrication process involves a number of different processes including: electropolishing of the substrates; barrier-layer, seed-layer, and IBAD-MgO deposition by e-beam evaporation; and pulsed laser deposition of buffer and YBCO layers. All processes are realized in reel-to-reel processing systems. Latest results have shown that the IBAD-MgO approach yields coated conductor performance comparable to the best results achieved elsewhere to date.

Ion-beam assisted deposition of bi-axially aligned MgO template films for YBCO coated conductors

We report the results of experiments with ion-beam-assisted deposition (IBAD) of MgO using in-situ monitoring with Reflected High-Energy Electron Diffraction (RHEED). Strips of polished Haynes 242 and Inconel 625 nickel-based super-alloys have been used as substrates for these experiments. The in-plane texture of the MgO, as measured by X-ray /spl phi/ scan, resulted in FWHM values between 11 and 15/spl deg/. Using pulsed-laser deposition, the IBAD MgO template films were then overcoated with buffer layer films and a final superconducting film of YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-/spl delta//. The best superconducting transport properties measured on these YBCO films were: an Ic (75 K, self-field, 1 cm wide) of 41.6 A, and a narrow-bridge J/sub c/ (1.35 /spl mu/m thick film) of 0.46 MA/cm/sup 2/.

Correlation of surface topography and flux pinning in superconducting YBaCuO films

The surface topography of YBa2Cu3O7 thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition is studied by atomic force microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy. The possible contributions from observed structural features to the critical current density Jc are discussed. It is shown that the contribution of the screw dislocations associated with some structures can be either repulsive or attractive, depending on the dominant pinning mechanism. At low magnetic fields (to about 0.25 kOe) these dislocations can account for the observed critical current density values (Jc≳1011 A/m2) while for larger fields the higher‐density steplike growth structures can account for significant values of Jc. It is shown that the pinning strength associated with pinning at steps varies inversely with thickness.

A comparison of buffer layer architectures on continuously processed YBCO coated conductors based on the IBAD YSZ process

The microstructures of continuously processed YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub y/ (YBCO) coated conductors processed with three different architectures are presented. YBCO films were deposited directly on ion-beam-assisted deposition (IBAD) yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) or on intervening layers of Y/sub 2/O/sub 3/ or CeO/sub 2/. Different interfacial reactions were observed in each case. The volume changes that occur with the interfacial reactions were calculated based on the identified reaction products. The calculated volume changes correlate with the observed microstructures and appear to be an important factor in determining an optimal buffer layer system. The interfacial reactions do not preclude the attainment of high I/sub c/ and J/sub c/ values in these coated conductors.

Recent progress in continuously processed IBAD MgO template meters for HTS applications

Abstract We discuss our recent progress using IBAD MgO as a template for subsequent deposition of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7− δ (YBCO) high-temperature superconductors on metallic substrate tapes. We have refined the process by improving substrate preparation and by using reflected high-energy electron diffraction to monitor and improve IBAD MgO films. High quality, continuously processed IBAD MgO (c-IBAD) has been deposited on moving meter-length metal tape. By incorporating these optimized processing parameters, we have been able to deposit biaxially textured MgO on metallic substrates continuously with the best in-plane mosaic spreads near 9°. The subsequent pulsed laser deposition of 1–2 μm thick YBCO films on c-IBAD has resulted in superconducting transport critical current densities>1 MA/cm 2 (75 K, SF) on small area samples. Longer 4.5 cm samples of c-IBAD tape have also been coated with a 1 cm wide sample carrying 93 A (75 K, SF) for a 1.5 μm thick YBCO.

Characterization of the structure of Y-Ba-Cu-O coated conductors

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has been applied to the microstructural investigation of YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-/spl delta// (YBCO) thick films deposited on polycrystalline Ni-based metal substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The films were found to be strongly textured with c-axis oriented grains aligned perpendicular to the substrates. Despite the large average in-plane misorientation (/spl theta//spl sim/14/spl deg/), as was estimated from selected area electron diffraction and X-ray diffraction, TEM inspection reveals colonies of submicron-sized grains with low angle (/spl theta//spl les/7/spl deg/) tilt grain boundaries. The linkage of the colony structures may provide a continuous percolation pathway for the supercurrent transport in YBCO, which may provide the mechanism for the higher than expected critical current density J/sub c/. Periodic arrays of grain boundary dislocations were observed, which may serve as effective flux pinners.

Growth of high-Tc superconducting thin films for microwave applications

High Tc superconducting thin films of YBa2Cu3O7-(delta ) (YBCO) were deposited on sapphire substrates with buffer layers of yttria-stabilized zirconia and cerium oxide by using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. The epitaxial relationship between the substrate and buffer layers as well as the buffer layer and the superconducting film was established. Furthermore, using the same thin film technique, YBCO superconducting thin films were deposited on both sides of substrates of up to 5 cm in diameter. The superconducting properties of the films on both the sapphire with buffer layers and large-area substrates were comparable to the ones of the best YBCO films.

Ion-beam assisted deposition of MgO with in situ RHEED monitoring to control Bi-axial texture

We have studied the growth of magnesium oxide using ion-beam assisted deposition (IBAD) to achieve (100) oriented, bi-axially textured films with low mosaic spread, for film thicknesses of 10 nm on silicon substrates. We have refined the process by using reflected high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) to monitor the growth of IBAD MgO films and found that the diffracted intensity can be used to determine (and ultimately control) final in-plane texture of the film. Here we present results on our work to develop the use of real-time RHEED monitoring to deposit well-oriented IBAD MgO films. The results have been corroborated with extensive grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction (GID). Results of these analyses have allowed us to deposit films on metallic substrates with in-plane mosaic spread less than 7{sup o}.

Study of

Biaxially textured SmxZr1-xOy (SZO) thin films have been grown directly on an ion beam assisted deposited (IBAD) MgO template, without using an intermediate homoepitaxial MgO layer. SZO buffer layers were deposited using reactive magnetron sputtering of a Sm (50 at.%)-Zr (50 at.%) alloy target. The SZO texture is similar to that of the MgO template. Epitaxial YBCO films, ~1mum-thick, grown by pulsed laser deposition on SZO buffered coated conductors have high critical current densities. The in-field measurements indicate that superconducting samples with SZO as buffer are as good as STO/homoepitaxial MgO buffered samples. These results demonstrate that SZO is an appropriate buffer for the fabrication of low cost YBCO/IBAD MgO coated conductors with excellent transport properties.