Three-dimensional characterization of BaZrO₃ precipitates in Y_1-xGd_xBa₂Cu₃O_7-y prepared by TFA-MOD using STEM-tomography

Y_1-xGd_xBa₂Cu₃O_7-y film with BaZrO₃ was fabricated on CeO₂ buffered LaMnO₃/ion beam assisted deposition MgO/Gd₂Zr₂O₇/Hastelloy C276TM substrates by the trifluoroacetates metal organic deposition process, whose microstructural and elemental analyses were performed by transmission electron microscopy. Y_1-xGd_xBa₂Cu₃O_7-y film with the thickness about 700 nm was found composed of c-axis oriented grains and large numbers of randomly oriented precipitates, such as (Y,Gd)₂Cu₂O₅, CuO and BaZrO₃. (Y,Gd)₂Cu₂O₅ and CuO precipitates were heterogeneously dispersed in the Y_1-xGd_xBa₂Cu₃O_7-y matrix with their sizes ranging between 100 and 200 nm, and BaZrO₃ precipitates were uniformly dispersed with their sizes ranging between 10 and 20 nm. Electron tomography with elemental information was performed further to reveal the threedimensional information of BaZrO₃ precipitates.