Abstract: A full solution method has been developed as a low cost process of YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) coated conductor fabrication. In this study, highly biaxially textured SrTiO3 (STO) buffer layers were fabricated on LaAlO3 (LAO) single crystal substrates by sol-gel method using metal alkoxides as the staring precursor materials. High quality YBCO superconducting film was then fabricated on STO-buffered LAO substrate by trifluoroacetic metalorganic deposition (TFA-MOD) method. For the YBCO superconducting film, only (00l) diffraction peaks can be detected by XRD (X-ray diffraction) analysis with no other phases detectable. Especially, In-plane texture of YBCO film is improved compared to that of STO buffer layer from phi scans analysis, which indicates the self-epitaxy phenomenon explained by considering interfacial energy. STO and YBCO films both show c-axis oriented grains growth and have uniform surface microstructure. A critical transition temperature, Tc (R=0) of 89.5 K and a critical current density of 2 mA/cm2 (77 K, self-field) were obtained for a 0.2 μm thick YBCO film on STO-buffered LAO substrate. No reaction between YBCO and STO was detected by XRD analysis. This full solution process may provide a promising low cost fabrication route for YBCO coated conductors on metal tape.

Key words: YBCO coated conductor, Full solution, Epitaxy, Superconductivity