Inductive analysis of magnetic granularity effects in YBCO IBAD and RABiTS coated conductors

We present a noninvasive inductive analysis of YBa₂Cu₃O₇ (YBCO) IBAD (ion beam assisted deposition) and RABiTS (rolling assisted biaxial textured substrates) coated conductors that enable us to analyze the electromagnetic granularity effects. We distinguish flux penetration through grain boundaries and grains and determine the inductive intergranular critical current density. The signature of reverse flux at low angle grain boundaries has been clearly identified by the appearance of a peak in the return branch of the irreversible magnetization. The present analysis evidence that IBAD and RABiTS coated conductors may exhibit comparable inter-grain critical current densities with the determining factor being the average in-plane grain misorientation.