Superconducting Properties of Films Deposited From Micro-, Nanocrystalline and Optimally BZO-Doped YBCO Targets

Thin YBa₂Cu₃O_6+x (YBCO) films are prepared by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) from pure micro- (mu) and nanocrystalline (n) targets and a n-target optimally doped with 3.9 wt% BaZrO₃ (BZO). Effects of target grain size and doping on superconducting (SC) properties of the films are investigated using a SQUID magnetometer up to 5 T and transport measurements in pulsed magnetic fiefds up to 30 T. In comparison with mu-films, clearly increased values of j_c are observed in n-films. Optimal doping with BZO still increases this difference in high magnetic field range and lengthens the low-field plateau of j_c(B) and increases the accommodation field B* which are typically around 110 mT, 160 mT and 500 mT at 5 K in mu-, n- and BZO-doped films, respectiveiy. Transport measurements at T > 65 K show significant improvement of irreversibiiity line (IRL) and j_c(B) in films prepared from n-target and BZO-doped target. These improvements of the superconducting properties in high magnetic fiefds make pure and BZO-doped n-films attractive for high field applications.