Microstructural characterization of TFA-MOD processed Y(₁-x)Gd(x)Ba₂Cu₃O(₇-y) with BaZrO₃

Y(₁-x)Gd(x)Ba₂Cu₃O(₇-y) with BaZrO₃ film was fabricated on CeO₂ buffered LaMnO₃/ion beam assisted deposition-MgO/Gd₂Zr₂O₇/Hastelloy C276TM substrates by the metal organic deposition process using trifluoroacetates. Both microstructural and analytical characterizations were performed by transmission electron microscopy with selected area electron diffraction method and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The thickness of Y(₁-x)Gd(x)Ba₂Cu₃O(₇-y) with BaZrO₃ film was found approximately 700 nm and the film was composed of c-axis oriented Y(₁-x)Gd(x)Ba₂Cu₃O(₇-y) grains. Several types of particles, (Y,Gd)₂Cu₂O₅, CuO and BaZrO₃, were formed within the Y(₁-x)Gd(x)Ba₂Cu₃O(₇-y) film, whose sizes were about 100-200 nm for (Y,Gd)₂Cu₂O₅ and CuO particles, and about 10-20 nm for BaZrO₃ particles, respectively. In the Y(₁-x)Gd(x)Ba₂Cu₃O(₇-y) film, (Y,Gd)₂Cu₂O₅ and CuO particles were dispersed heterogeneously, whereas BaZrO₃ nanoparticles were found dispersed homogeneously with random orientation. In addition, electron tomographic observation was carried out to attain the three-dimensional information of polyhedral BaZrO₃ nanoparticles.