Effect of Nano-Size Magnetic Additions on Low Temperature Flux Pinning of Y-Ba-Cu-O Thin Films

Manufacturing of coated conductors can be tailored for future use operating parameters, such as high temperature and low field, mid temperature and mid field and low temperature and high field. Different methods of flux pinning are being tested world-wide to enhance critical currents of high temperature superconductor yttrium barium copper oxide coated conductors for these various operating conditions. Magnetic materials are interesting to consider as flux pinning additions because of their potential for very strong pinning strength. This research describes the study of different magnetic phase additions to superconducting thin films, including: BaFe12O19, La0.67Ca0.33MnO3, Y3Fe5O12, and SrRu3. Nano-size additions with volume percent ranging from 0.5% to 5% were incorporated by utilizing pulsed laser deposition to form alternating layers of magnetic dopants and yttrium barium copper oxide to minimize degradation of T-c. Experimental critical current density (J(cm) (H,T)) results for mid temperature (30 K-65 K) / mid field (1 T-5 T) and low temperature (<30 K) / high field (>5 T) and microstructural TEM are presented. Results illustrate the benefits and interplay of combining magnetic flux pinning and core pinning by the magnetic additions and associated film defects, and suggest applications suitable for each system studied.