Flux pinning in MOD YBCO films by chemical doping

A novel nanomaterial synthesis technique has been developed to introduce 0D (particles), 1D (columnar defects) and 3D (domains) nanoscale pinning centres in MOD Y1Ba2Cu3O7 (YBCO) coated conductors. We have succeeded in introducing nanoscale Y enriched particles, nanoscale 90° rotated Y1/3Sm2/3Ba2Cu3O7 domains and nanoscale Zr enriched columnar defects into YBCO layers by different chemical doping. The pinning force density in Y2O3-doped YBCO film is found to be larger than that of pure YBCO film at all fields. Also it was found that YBCO films with Sm substituting for Y have yielded improved critical current density characteristics over a wide range of magnetic fields. Maximum pinning force densities exceeding 7 and 8 GN m−3 are obtained in 5% BZO-doped and Sm substituted YBCO films, respectively. Additionally, TEM studies revealed nanoscale Zr enriched columnar defects distributing in the matrix of the c-oriented YBCO film throughout the whole cross section. This indicates that chemical doping is a promising fabrication technique to create specific pinning landscapes in YBCO coated conductors.