Strongly enhanced flux pining of GdBCO coated conductors with BaSnO3 nanorods by pulsed laser deposition

We report the effects of BSO addition on the crystallinity, texture, and the field dependency of critical current density (Jc) of GdBCO coated conductors (CCs) prepared by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Undoped and BSO-doped GdBCO films showed only c-axis oriented growth, and the incorporated BSO nanorods exhibited epitaxial relationship with the GdBCO matrix. In comparison with undoped film, BSO-doped GdBCO film exhibited greatly enhanced Jc and higher pinning force densities in the entire field region of 0–5 T (H//c) at 77 and 65 K. The BSO-doped GdBCO film showed the maximum pinning force densities (Fp) of 6.5 GN/m3 (77 K, H//c) and 32.5 GN/m3 (65 K, H//c), ∼2.8 times higher than those of the undoped sample. Cross-sectional TEM analyses exhibited nano-structured BSO nanorods roughly aligned along the c-axis of the GdBCO film, which are believed effective flux pinning centers responsible for strongly improved critical current densities in magnetic fields.

► We report the effects of BSO addition on the crystallinity, texture, and the field dependency of Jc of GdBCO CCs prepared by PLD.
► The incorporated BSO nanorods exhibited epitaxial relationship with the GdBCO matrix.
► BSO-doped GdBCO film exhibited greatly enhanced Jc and higher pinning force densities in the entire field region of 0–5 T (H//c) at 77 and 65 K.
► Cross-sectional TEM analyses revealed that nano-structured BSO nanorods roughly aligned along the c-axis of the GdBCO film.