Publication Date

2007

Document Type

Thesis

Committee Members

Sharmila Mukhopadhyay (Advisor)

Degree Name

Master of Science in Engineering (MSEgr)

Abstract

The goal of this thesis is to compare the chemical and compositional profiles, grain structure and critical current densities of superconducting Yttrium Barium Copper Oxide(Y1Ba2Cu3O7-x or YBCO) layers grown by different competing techniques on a variety of substrates and buffer layers. The idea is to check if there can be variation of cationic ratios, impurities, possible diffusion of substrate/buffer layer atoms into the YBCO for different processing methods and microstructures. Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD), Metal Organic Deposition (MOD) and Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) films on Ion Beam Assisted Deposited (IBAD)-textured buffer layers and, Rolling Assisted Biaxial textured substrate (RABiTS) combinations have been compared. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) has been used in conjunction with ion beam sputtering as well as gentle chemical etching to obtain composition and chemistry information at different depths into the film. Correlation with Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS) has been obtained as needed. Top view as well as cross section Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was performed for microstructure analysis. Using the gentle chemical etching method, depth profiling of composition and microstructure of the films has been achieved. It is seen that variations in microstructure occur along the depth of the superconducting layer even when the composition is uniform. The density and the micro-structural uniformity vary significantly from one deposition technique to other. The durability and stability of these films, microstructure, depth profiling have been compared and will be presented. This thesis provides important information on variations of the YBCO films from one deposition technique to another.

Page Count

84

Department or Program

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering

Year Degree Awarded

2007


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