Origin of high critical currents in YBa2Cu3O7−δ superconducting thin films

B. Dam (), J. M. Huijbregtse, F. C. Klaassen, R. C. F. van der Geest, G. Doornbos, J. H. Rector, A. M. Testa, S. Freisem, J. C. Martinez, B. Stäuble-Pümpin and R. Griessen
Additional contact information
B. Dam: Institute COMPAS and Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit
J. M. Huijbregtse: Institute COMPAS and Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit
F. C. Klaassen: Institute COMPAS and Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit
R. C. F. van der Geest: Institute COMPAS and Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit
G. Doornbos: Institute COMPAS and Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit
J. H. Rector: Institute COMPAS and Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit
A. M. Testa: ICMAT, CNR, Area della Ricerca di Montelibretti
S. Freisem: Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University
J. C. Martinez: Institut für Physik, Johannes Gutenberg Universität
B. Stäuble-Pümpin: Faculty of Science, Universidad Nacional de Colombia
R. Griessen: Institute COMPAS and Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit

Nature, 1999, vol. 399, issue 6735, 439-442

Abstract: Abstract Thin films of the high-temperature superconductor YBa2Cu3O7−δ exhibit both a large critical current (the superconducting current density generally lies between 1011 and 1012 A m−2 at 4.2 K in zero magnetic field) and a decrease in such currents with magnetic field that point to the importance of strong vortex pinning along extended defects1,2. But it has hitherto been unclear which types of defect—dislocations, grain boundaries, surface corrugations and anti-phase boundaries—are responsible. Here we make use of a sequential etching technique to address this question. We find that both edge and screw dislocations, which can be mapped quantitatively by this technique, are the linear defects that provide the strong pinning centres responsible for the high critical currents observed in these thin films. Moreover, we find that the superconducting current density is essentially independent of the density of linear defects at low magnetic fields. These natural linear defects, in contrast to artificially generated columnar defects, exhibit self-organized short-range order, suggesting that YBa2Cu3O7−δ thin films offer an attractive system for investigating the properties of vortex matter in a superconductor with a tailored defect structure.

Date: 1999
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DOI: 10.1038/20880

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