Effect of BaCeO3 and BaSnO3 additives on microstructural development and critical current density of melt textured YBa2Cu3O7-x

Improvement of superconducting properties, such as critical current density J_c and trapped magnetic field, of melt textured YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x (Y123) require introducing of effective pinning sites, e.g., nonsuperconducting inclusions, twin boundaries and other defects. It has been shown that addition of small quantities of BaCeO₃ (<0.5 wt%) into Y123 results in an increase of the J_c. However, higher cerium concentrations affect the solidification process and inhibit the growth of melt textured Y123 single crystals. In this study, the effect of BaCeO₃ additions on the growth and microstructural development of melt textured Y123 single crystals were investigated. The relationship between the solidification kinetics, microstructural development and superconducting properties of Y123 melt textured single crystals with cerium additives is discussed.