The nucleation and growth mechanism of the electrodeposition ofTl2Ba2Ca2Cu3O10 superconducting thin films on Al-substrate

Abstract

The present study demonstrates the nucleation and growth mechanism of theTl2Ba2Ca2Cu3O10 (Tl-2223) superconductor by the electrodeposition technique on low cost aluminumcoated glass (ALCG)-substrate at low processing temperature and short synthesistime, which is one of the most important aspects demanded of superconductingmaterials in practical applications. Superconducting thin films of Tl-2223 have beenfabricated by the electrodeposition process on crystalline ALCG-substrate forthe first time. The electrodeposition potential was optimized by studying theelectrochemical behavior of the precursors by cyclic voltammetry (CV). All theprecursor components, including Tl, were deposited at an optimized potential of−3 V with respect to a saturated calomel electrode (SCE) for 5 min followed by the heat treatment at700 °C for 2 h in flowing oxygen atmosphere. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies confirmed thepresence of the Tl-2223 phase with marked preferential orientation along thec-axis. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images show uniform and compact morphology with growthof rod-like grains (50–100 nm width) of Tl-2223 along the plane parallel to the ALCG-substrate.The transport measurement for Tl-2223 film showed a superconducting transition temperatureTc of 125 K and acritical current Jc of 0.31 × 106 A cm−2 at 77 K.