Chemical solution techniques for epitaxial growth of oxide buffer and YBa2Cu3O7 films

Chemical solution techniques have been investigated for the growth of both, oxide buffer layers suitable for coated conductors and YBa2Cu3O7 thin films, on single crystal substrates. Growth conditions have been optimised for CeO2 and BaZrO3 buffer layers, leading to high quality epitaxial films (misorientation spread typically below 1°). YBa2Cu3O7 films (thickness: 250 nm) have been grown from trifluoroacetate precursors. The kinetic hindrances for the formation of single phases have been investigated by means of Raman spectroscopy and fluorine analysis. After optimisation of the deposition and growth conditions very high critical currents have been achieved (Jcab=3.2×106 A/cm2 at 77 K and 2.7×107A/cm2 at 5 K).