Pulsed laser deposition of YBCO films on ISD MgO buffered metal tapes

Biaxially textured magnesium oxide (MgO) films deposited by inclined-substrate deposition (ISD) are desirable for rapid production of high-quality template layers for YBCO-coated conductors. High-quality YBCO films were grown on ISD MgO buffered metallic substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Columnar grains with a roof-tile surface structure were observed in the ISD MgO films. X-ray pole figure analysis revealed that the (002) planes of the ISD MgO films are tilted at an angle from the substrate normal. A small full-width at half maximum (FWHM) of ≈9° was observed in the ϕ-scan for ISD MgO films deposited at an inclination angle of 55°. In-plane texture in the ISD MgO films developed in the first ≈0.5 μm from the substrate surface, and then stabilized with further increases in film thickness. Yttria-stabilized zirconia and ceria buffer layers were deposited on the ISD MgO grown on metallic substrates prior to the deposition of YBCO by PLD. YBCO films with the c-axis parallel to the substrate normal have a unique orientation relationship with the ISD MgO films. An orientation relationship of YBCO⟨100⟩∥MgO⟨111⟩ and YBCO⟨010⟩∥MgO⟨110⟩ was measured by x-ray pole figure analyses and confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. A T_c of 91 K with a sharp transition and transport J_c of 5.5 × 10⁵ A cm⁻² at 77 K in self-field were measured on a YBCO film that was 0.46 μm thick, 4 mm wide and 10 mm long.