Enhanced Flux Pinning in YBCO+YSZ Composite Films Grown by TFA-MOD Method

More attention was paid to the fact that columnar defects generated by introducing nano-particles into YBCO films can improve the in-field superconducting properties of YBCO as pinning centers. Epitaxial YBCO films with self-assembled Yttrium-stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) nano-particles have been successfully prepared by TFA-MOD based on different solutions and the effect of nano-particle dopants on the field properties of YBCO films was investigated by analyzing the results obtained by PPMS according to the Bean Model. The critical current densities (J
_c
) of YBCO films with YSZ nano-particle were found to be improved with respect to pure YBCO films in range of 0-5 T. The J
_c
value of YBCO film with YSZ dopant was 0.2 MA/cm
²
at 50 K and 4 T field, which is 4 times higher than that of pure YBCO film. Furthermore, an optimized property was observed for YBCO films doped by 6 mol.% YSZ nano-particle shown by the dependence relationship between J
_c
value and field for YBCO films with different amount of YSZ dopants.