Interaction between solution derived BaZrO3 nanodot interfacial templates and YBa2Cu3O7 films leading to enhanced critical currents

To elucidate the effect of a BaZrO3 nanodot template on the microstructure and critical current density of YBa2Cu3O7 films the nanostructured interface is thoroughly investigated by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The nanodots appear fully relaxed relative to the substrate, while exhibiting a high coherence with their embedding film with continuous BaO atomic layers across the YBa2Cu3O7 and BaZrO3 interface. The present results demonstrate that the template-film interaction does not involve dislocation emission but is accompanied by the generation of short-range and long-range strains. The topological distribution of perturbed regions within the superconducting films qualitatively explains the overall enhancement of the critical current density, which becomes particularly high when the magnetic field is aligned with the c(YBCO)-axis. These findings demonstrate for the first time the feasibility of an all solution approach to the preparation of defect engineered YBa2Cu3O7 films on surface decorated substrates. (c) 2010 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.