Preparation of Epitaxial YBa2Cu3O7-y/CeO2 Multilayer Films on Yttria-stabilized Zirconia (100) by All-Coating-Pyrolysis Process

Abstract

Epitaxial YBa2Cu3O7-y (Y123)/CeO2 multilayer films were prepared on yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) (100) by the all-coating-pyrolysis (All-CP) process, i.e., both an epitaxial Y123 film and a CeO2 buffer layer were fabricated by a coating-pyrolysis process without using any high vacuum apparatus. A CeO2 buffer layer with smooth surface morphology and excellent in-plane alignment was successfully prepared on YSZ(100) by the CP process through pyrolysis at 500°C and crystallization at 1200°C in air. Subsequently, heteroepitaxial growth of Y123 on the CeO2-buffered YSZ(100) with an in-plane alignment relationship, Y123[100]∥CeO2[011]∥YSZ[011], was also achieved by CP process through a two-step [low-p(O2) of 10-4 atm/pure O2] annealing at 740°C. The dc-resistance of the epitaxial Y123/CeO2 film on YSZ(100) showed metallic behavior in the normal state and exhibited Tc,zero of 89.5 K by the conventional four probe method.