Abstract
The achievement of high growth rates in YBa2Cu3O7 epitaxial high-temperature superconducting films has become strategic to enable high-throughput manufacturing of long length coated conductors for energy and large magnet applications. We report on a transient liquid assisted growth process capable of achieving ultrafast growth rates (100 nm s−1) and high critical current densities (5 MA cm−2 at 77 K). This is based on the kinetic preference of Ba-Cu-O to form transient liquids prior to crystalline thermodynamic equilibrium phases, and as such is a non-equilibrium approach. The transient liquid-assisted growth process is combined with chemical solution deposition, proposing a scalable method for superconducting tapes manufacturing. Additionally, using colloidal solutions, the growth process is extended towards fabrication of nanocomposite films for enhanced superconducting properties at high magnetic fields. Fast acquisition in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction and high resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) become crucial measurements in disentangling key aspects of the growth process.
Highlights
The achievement of high growth rates in YBa2Cu3O7 epitaxial high-temperature superconducting films has become strategic to enable high-throughput manufacturing of long length coated conductors for energy and large magnet applications
We further prove that TLAG-Chemical solution deposition (CSD) nanocomposite films, with high critical temperatures and current densities, can be grown with the above depicted approach using colloidal solutions of 5 nm-size BaMO3 (M = Zr, Hf) preformed nanoparticles
This is possible because the eutectic reaction between the first two compounds is able to form a transient liquid in the region of the phase diagram where solid YBa2Cu3O7-x is the equilibrium phase
Summary
The achievement of high growth rates in YBa2Cu3O7 epitaxial high-temperature superconducting films has become strategic to enable high-throughput manufacturing of long length coated conductors for energy and large magnet applications. Coated conductors (CCs) revolutionized this area by growing epitaxial REBa2Cu3O7 (REBCO, RE = Rare Earth or Y) layers on top of buffered long length flexible metallic substrates At present, they are the materials with highest current capabilities and the most promising to extend large-scale applications of superconductivity beyond those achieved with lowtemperature superconductors[1,2,3]. We further prove that TLAG-CSD nanocomposite films, with high critical temperatures and current densities, can be grown with the above depicted approach using colloidal solutions of 5 nm-size BaMO3 (M = Zr, Hf) preformed nanoparticles These nanocomposites display relevant nanostructural changes that positively influence vortex pinning at high magnetic fields. TLAG-CSD brings opportunities for simplified reactors and precursors flexibility, it is compliant with a high-throughput method for easier market penetration
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