Enhanced Flux Pinning in YBCO+YSZ Composite Films Grown by TFA-MOD Method

Abstract

More attention was paid to the fact that columnar defects generated by introducing nano-particles into YBCO films can improve the in-field superconducting properties of YBCO as pinning centers. Epitaxial YBCO films with self-assembled Yttrium-stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) nano-particles have been successfully prepared by TFA-MOD based on different solutions and the effect of nano-particle dopants on the field properties of YBCO films was investigated by analyzing the results obtained by PPMS according to the Bean Model. The critical current densities (Jc) of YBCO films with YSZ nano-particle were found to be improved with respect to pure YBCO films in range of 0-5 T. The Jc value of YBCO film with YSZ dopant was 0.2 MA/cm2 at 50 K and 4 T field, which is 4 times higher than that of pure YBCO film. Furthermore, an optimized property was observed for YBCO films doped by 6 mol.% YSZ nano-particle shown by the dependence relationship between Jc value and field for YBCO films with different amount of YSZ dopants.