Characterization of Y-Ba-Cu-O thin films and yttria-stabilized zirconia intermediate layers on metal alloys grown by pulsed laser deposition

The use of an intermediate layer is necessary for the growth of YBaCuO thin films on polycrystalline metallic alloys for tape conductor applications. A pulsed laser deposition process to grow controlled-orientation yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) films as intermediate layers on Haynes Alloy No. 230 was developed and characterized. YBaCuO films deposited on these YSZ-coated substrates are primarily c-axis oriented and superconducting as deposited. The best YBaCuO films grow on (001) oriented YSZ intermediate layers and have Tc (R=0) = 86.0 K and Jc ∼ 3×103 A/cm2 at 77 K.