Flux pinning improvement of ybco superconducting films with BaZrO ₃ nanoparticles prepared by chemical solution deposition method

The aim of this study is to introduce artificial pinning centres into the YBCO structure and to investigate the dependence of the critical current on applied magnetic fields. Chemical solution deposition technique is appearing as a very promising method to achieve thin films at low cost. YBCO films with Zr doping have been prepared successfully by the trifluoroacetate metal-organic deposition (TFA-MOD) method through dissolving different amounts of Zr (IV)-2,4-pentanedionate into the precursor solution. The optimum BaZrO ₃ concentration for J_c improvement in magnetic fields was investigated. The surface morphology of the films was observed by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Phase analysis of the doped and undoped samples was performed by XRD, critical transition temperature (T_c) and critical current densities (J_c) were reported as a function of dopant concentration. The correlation of optimum dopant concentration with microstructure, pinning and superconducting properties was investigated.