La2Zr2O7 and Ce-Gd-O buffer layers for YBCO coated conductors using chemical solution deposition

Biaxially textured La2Zr2O7 (LZO) and Ce-Gd-O (CGO) buffer layers were grown on Ni-RABiTS (rolling-assisted biaxially textured substrates) to obtain suitable buffer layer architectures for YBa2Cu3O7−x (YBCO) coated conductors. Both buffer systems were prepared using newly developed precursor solutions containing a simple carboxylic acid as solvent. Reproducible highly textured LZO buffer layers were obtained at annealing temperatures as low as 900 °C. CGO buffer layers were grown on top of LZO at annealing temperatures of 1000 °C. Both layers revealed a very good in-plane alignment and are textured up to the surfaces. These results, obtained using new precursor solutions, which are simple in preparation, are very promising for further development of low cost buffer layer architectures for YBCO coated conductors.