Enhancement of flux pinning in Y1-xSmxBa1.5Cu3Oy coated conductors with nanoparticles

We introduced artificial pinning centers for trifluoroacetates (TFA)-metal organic deposition (MOD) Y1-xSmxBa1.5Cu3Oy coated conductors to enhance critical current density (J(c)) under magnetic fields and to improve the magnetic field angular dependence of J(c)(J(c)-B-theta). The coated conductors showed high J(c) values and isotropic J(c)-B-theta property with the ratio J(c,min)/J(c,max) of 0.91 (77K, B = 1 T). From a microstructural observation, BaZrO3 (and/or ZrO2) nanoparticles were uniformity dispersed in the films. The uniform dispersion of nanoparticles was maintained not only along the lateral direction but also in the thickness one. It could be considered that the nanoparticles in the TFA-MOD REBCO coated conductors may act as pinning centers to enhance the J(c) in all field orientations. (c) 2008 The Japan Society of Applied Physics.