Enhanced pinning in YBCO films with BaZrO
View Patent ↗A process and composition of matter are provided and involve flux pinning in thin films of high temperature superconductive oxides such as YBCO by inclusion of particles including barium and a group 4 or group 5 metal, such as zirconium, in the thin film.
1. A method of forming a superconductive oxide thin film comprising:
depositing a thin film of a Y 1 Ba 2 Cu 3 O 7−δ high temperature superconductive oxide from materials consisting essentially of (i) precursor materials for said Y 1 Ba 2 Cu 3 O 7−δ high temperature superconductive oxide and (ii) a group 4 metal or group 5 metal containing precursor material whereby said resultant Y 1 Ba 2 Cu 3 O 7−δ superconductive oxide thin film includes particles randomly dispersed therein, said particles consisting of either barium, oxygen and said group 4 metal or group 5 metal or of barium, yttrium, oxygen and said group 4 metal or group 5 metal.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said metal 4 or metal 5 containing precursor material is a zirconium compound.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said deposition is by pulsed laser deposition.
4. The method of claim 2 wherein said particles randomly dispersed therein are comprised of barium and zirconium.
5. The method of claim 2 wherein said Y 1 Ba 2 Cu 3 O 7−δ high temperature superconductive oxide further includes a minor amount of a second rare earth metal.
6. The method of claim 2 wherein said zirconium compound is zirconium oxide.
7. The method of claim 2 wherein said superconductive oxide thin film including said zirconium compound has flux pinning centers such that said superconductive oxide thin film has a higher critical current within a magnetic field than such a superconductive oxide thin film in the absence of said zirconium compound.