Fabrication of La₂Zr₂O₇ buffer layers on Ni tapes by reel-to-reel sol-gel technique

In order to investigate the optimal conditions for highly orientated and epitaxial buffer layers on textured Ni tapes, we have deposited perovskite textured La₂Zr₂O₇ (LZO) films on Ni tapes using a reel-to-reel sol-gel process for fabrication of second generation high-T_c superconductors. Of these usual parameters, precursor types, solvents, chelating agents, and annealing conditions were chosen to prepare LZO solutions. This effect on epitaxial growth of LZO of these processing and texturing parameters was evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), environment scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) and orientation imaging microscope (OIM), atomic force microscope (AFM) and X-ray pole figure analysis. Based on the following results, we have found textured, homogenous, dense, crack free and pinhole free, LZO films with a strong c-axis orientation on textured Ni tapes by post-annealing at 1150°C for 10min under 4% H₂-Ar gas flow.