Low AC loss structures in YBCO coated conductors with filamentary current sharing

Architectural design improvements, such as filamentation, to YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x (YBCO) coated conductors can result in a more ac-tolerant version of the conductor. However, finely made striations in the conductor make filament breakage more probable. In this case, weakly linking the filaments can enable current sharing among the filaments of striated coated conductors while maintaining reduced hysteretic losses. Data is presented for a YBCO sample divided into superconducting filaments separated such that the transverse critical current density of the striation is significantly less than the longitudinal critical current density along the filaments. A LAO substrate was physically scribed with parallel incisions to adversely affect the subsequent epitaxial growth of the YBCO layer between the striations. Vibrating sample magnetometry measurements verified a reduction in hysteretic loss compared to a control sample of epitaxially grown YBCO on an unscribed LAO substrate. Since filamentation requires a twist in the conductor for practical applications, a discussion is also given outlining an alternate means of accomplishing this by placing a twist in the coated conductor architecture itself.