SUPERCONDUCTOR FLUX PINNING WITHOUT COLUMNAR DEFECTS
There is a superconducting article that includes a superconducting film comprising a substrate, one or more buffer layers, and a high temperature superconducting (HTS) layer. The superconducting layer may be comprised of the chemical composition REBa 2 Cu 3 O 7−x , where RE is one or more rare earth elements, for example: Y, La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu. The superconductor layer is produced using Photo-Assisted Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (PAMOCVD) and contains non-superconducting nanoparticles. The nanoparticles are substantially provided in the a-b plane and naturally oriented. The non-superconducting nanoparticles provide flux pinning centers that improve the critical current properties of the superconducting film.
1 . A method of forming a high-temperature superconductor, the method comprising
providing a substrate;
depositing a buffer layer upon the substrate;
depositing a high-temperature superconducting layer upon the buffer layer; and
co-depositing a non-superconducting material with the high-temperature superconducting layer, wherein the non-superconducting material is randomly distributed in the a-b plane coplanar with the superconducting layer.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-superconducting material is comprised of RE 2 O 3 where RE includes or more of the following elements: Y, La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb or Lu.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the non-superconducting material is comprised of Y 2 O 3 , and the high-temperature superconducting layer comprises no foreign material.
4 . The method of claim 3 , further wherein the non-superconducting material is formed from an excess of yttria (Y).
5 . The method of claim 4 , further wherein the non-superconducting material is comprised of 20 atomic % excess Yttrium in the end coating.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-superconducting material is comprised of BaMO 3 where M includes one or more of the following elements: Ti, Zr, Al, Hf, Ir, Sn, Nb, Mo, Ta, Ce, and V.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-superconducting material is deposited by introducing an atomic excess of RE during co-deposition with the superconducting layer.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-superconducting material is deposited by introducing an atomic excess of Ba and new element M where M includes one or more of the following elements: Ti, Zr, Al, Hf, Ir, Sn, Nb, Mo, Ta, Ce, and V during co-deposition with the superconducting layer.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the buffer layer, high-temperature superconducting layer, and non-superconducting material are deposited by photo-assisted MOCVD (PAMOCVD).
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the buffer layer, high-temperature superconducting layer, and non-superconducting material are deposited by pulsed laser deposition (PLD).
11 . The method of claim 1 , further wherein the high-temperature superconducting layer growth rate is 1.0 μm/min or greater.
12 . A method of forming a high-temperature superconductor, the method comprising
providing a substrate;
depositing a buffer layer upon the substrate;
depositing a high-temperature superconducting layer upon the buffer layer;
co-depositing a non-superconducting material with the high-temperature superconducting layer, wherein the non-superconducting material is randomly distributed in the a-b plane coplanar with the superconducting layer, and
wherein the high-temperature superconductor comprises a lift factor at 4K, 20 T (Ic (4K, 20 T)/Ic (77K, self-field)) of 2 or greater.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the non-superconducting material is comprised of RE 2 O 3 where RE includes or more of the following elements: Y, La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb or Lu.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the non-superconducting material is comprised of Y 2 O 3 , and the high-temperature superconducting layer comprises no foreign material.
15 . The method of claim 14 , further wherein the non-superconducting material is formed from an excess of yttria (Y).
16 . The method of claim 15 , further wherein the non-superconducting material is comprised of 20 atomic % excess Yttrium in the end coating.
17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the buffer layer, high-temperature superconducting layer, and non-superconducting material are deposited by photo-assisted MOCVD (PAMOCVD).
18 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the buffer layer, high-temperature superconducting layer, and non-superconducting material are deposited by pulsed laser deposition (PLD).
19 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the lift factor is 3 or greater.
20 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the superconductor further comprises a critical current (Ic) of 450 A/cm-width or higher at 4K and 20 T.