Pulsed laser deposition of thick YBa2Cu3O7−δ films with J c≥1 MA/cm2

Using pulsed laser deposition, YBa2Cu3O7−δ (YBCO) films ranging in thickness from 0.065 to 6.4 μm have been deposited on yttria-stabilized zirconia substrates with an intermediate layer of CeO2. The thinnest films have critical current densities of over 5 MA/cm2 at 75 K with zero applied field; as film thickness is increased, Jc decreases asymptotically to 1 MA/cm2. X-ray analysis of a 2.2-μm-thick film shows that the YBCO is predominantly c-axis oriented and textured in-plane, while a Rutherford backscattering spectrometry minimum channeling yield of ≊75% indicates that the film contains disordered material at this thickness.