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Fabrication of thick YBa2Cu3Oy (YBCO) films with high critical current densities (Jc) has remained one of the major challenges in the coated conductor development process. In this work, we report successful fabrication of several multi-layer YBCO films with thicknesses ranging from 0.1 micrometers to 1.2 micrometers. The films were deposited on a single crystal substrate by using a multi-layer TFA-MOD technique. The effect of variation in the thickness of an individual layer in a multi-layer film on the overall properties of the film was studied by processing multi-layer films with individual layers of 0.1 micrometers, 0.2 micrometers and 0.5 micrometers. The Jc, value for the 0.1 micrometers thick single-layer film was as high as 7 MA/cm2, and the Jc for 6-layer 1.2 micrometers thick film was 1 MA/cm2 at 77 K and self field. XRD, SEM and TEM were used to study the dependence of Jc on the orientation, texture and microstructure of the film. It was found that the texture, connections between the two successive layers, porosity, and the crack formation affect the Jc of the film. In addition, we report a multi layer fabrication route with a shorter duration of the pyrolysis reaction according to the number of coats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many efforts have been made to improve the current carrying capability of Y1Ba2Cu3O7 (YBCO) films by introducing pinning centers using a variety of techniques. In this study, we have succeeded in producing Y2O3, BaZrO3 and Sm doped YBCO films for the development of coated conductors by a metal-organic deposition method using trifluoroacetates (TFA-MOD). Jc exceeding 5 MA/cm2 at 77 K and self field was obtained in Y2O3 doped YBCO film. Also it was found that YBCO films with Sm substituting for Y have shown an improved critical current density characteristic over a wide range of magnetic fields. A Jc of 0.25 MA/cm2 at 3 T and 77 K was obtained which is more than 10% of the zero-field Jc. Similar results were obtained in BaZrO3 doped YBCO films. Additionally, TEM analysis was performed to study the microstructures and the pinning mechanisms. The results indicate that significant enhancement of self-field and in-field Jc of Y2O3, BaZrO3 and Sm doped YBCO films may be due to introducing nano-scaled Y203particles, nano-scaled 90° rotated Y1/3Sm2/3Ba2Cu3O7 domains and BaZrO3 nanodots by different chemical doping, respectively. This indicates that chemical doping is a promising approach for enhancement of current carrying capability of YBCO coated conductors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]