Enhancement of critical current in YBCO coated conductors in association with c-axis correlated artificial pinning centers

We have investigated the improvement of critical current in YBCO coated conductors in association with c-axis correlated artificial pinning centers (APCs). Current carrying property has been measured in detail at various conditions of temperature, T: 65-83 K, magnetic field, B: self-field to 17 T, and field's angles, theta. The APCs were introduced by pulse laser deposition process using 2 vol% YSZ doped target. The enhancement of J(c) in parallel field along the c-axis direction was observed experimentally over wide range T, B, and theta. Moreover, improvements of transition field and pinning force density in B parallel to c were also evaluated by pinning analysis based on percolation model. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.