Development of coated conductors by inclined substrate deposition

Inclined substrate deposition (ISD) offers the potential for rapid production of high-quality biaxially textured buffer layers suitable for YBa2Cu3O7-delta (YBCO)-coated conductors. We have grown biaxially textured magnesium oxide (MgO) films on Hastelloy C276 (HC) substrates by ISD at deposition rates of 20-100 Angstrom/s. Scanning electron microscopy of the ISD MgO films showed columnar grain structures with a roof-tile-shaped surface. X-ray pole figure analysis revealed that the c-axis of the ISD MgO films is titled at an angle approximate to32degrees from the substrate normal. A small full-width at half maximum of approximate to9degrees was observed for the phi-scan of MgO films. YBCO films were grown on ISD MgO buffered HC substrates by pulsed laser deposition and were determined to be biaxially aligned with the c-axis parallel to the substrate normal. The orientation relationship between the ISD template and the top YBCO film was investigated by X-ray pole figure analysis and transmission electron microscopy. A transport critical current density of J(c) = 5.5 x 10(5) A/cm(2) at 77 K in self-field was measured on a YBCO film that was 0.46-mum thick, 4-mm wide, 10-mm long. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.