Enhanced flux pinning in MOD-YBCO films with co-doping of BaCeO₃ and Y₂O₃ nanoparitcles

Enhancing the critical-current density of YBCO films is essential to gain a deeper understanding of the vortex pinning mechanisms and enable commercial applications of high-temperature superconductivity. Combined BaCeO₃ and Y₂O₃ nanoparticles have been achieved to be co-doped in YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x (YBCO) films by metalorganic deposition using trifluoroacetates (TFA-MOD). The formation of integrated nanoparticles increases the critical current density (J_c) of Y₂O₃/BaCeO₃ doped-YBCO films while keeping the critical transition temperature (T_c) close to that in the pure YBCO films. YBCO film containing BaCeO₃ and Y₂O₃ showed T_c value of 91 K and J_c value of 5 MA/cm² at self-field (0 T, 77 K). The strongly enhanced flux pinning over a wide range of magnetic field may be attributed to the combined BaCeO₃ and Y₂O₃ created by optimized TFA-MOD conditions.