Solution synthesis and film preparation and characterization

We have employed the CSD method to synthesize GdBCO and GdBCO-Gd2O3 nanocomposite 250-300 nm thin films. For this we have designed a new Low-Fluorine (LF) solution never used before in the synthesis of GdBCO thin films that allow to reduce the HF release by 80% and increasing the reproducibility of the pyrolysis process. The growth of these thin films required the design of a new thermal process what we called “Flash-Heating” in which the heating rate is extremely fast (~600 oC/min). The structure and the superconducting properties of the pristine GdBCO films are excellent showing a (00l) epitaxial orientation of the GdBCO grains and Tc values that reach 92.8 K which means and enhancement of more than 1 K with respect to the standard YBCO films. The calculated Jc inside the grains ( ) present also remarkable values: (5 K) ~ 40 MA/cm and (77 K) ~ 3.3 MA/cm. Finally, the GdBCOGd2O3 nanocomposites films, with a 20% mol of Gd2O3, exhibit superior superconducting properties and pinning performances with respect to the GdBCO pristine films.