Microstructural characterization of TFA-MOD processed Y_1-xGd_xBa₂Cu₃O_7-y with BaZrO₃

Y_1-xGd_xBa₂Cu₃O_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-xGd_xBa₂Cu₃O_7-y with BaZrO₃ film was found approximately 700nm and the film was composed of c-axis oriented Y_1-xGd_xBa₂Cu₃O_7-y grains. Several types of particles, (Y,Gd)₂Cu₂O₅, CuO and BaZrO₃, were formed within the Y_1-xGd_xBa₂Cu₃O_7-y film, whose sizes were about 100-200nm for (Y,Gd)₂Cu₂O₅ and CuO particles, and about 10-20nm for BaZrO₃ particles, respectively. In the Y_1-xGd_xBa₂Cu₃O_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.