Suppression of superconductivity at the nanoscale in chemical solution derived YBa2Cu3O7−δ thin films with defective Y2Ba4Cu8O16 intergrowths

Ziliang Li, Mariona Coll, Bernat Mundet, Anna Palau, Teresa Puig and Xavier Obradors,
Nanoscale Advances 2, 3384-3393 (2020).
DOI: 10.1039/D0NA00456A

The analysis of the microstructure and superconducting behavior of chemical solution deposited epitaxial YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ films, with thickness going down to 5 nm has been carried out with the purpose to disclose the behavior of the most common intergrowth in these films, the Y₂Ba₄Cu₈O₁₆. The analysis of ultrathin films is a unique opportunity to investigate the superconducting behavior of these nanoscale defects because of the high concentration created as a consequence of the elastic energy associated to the misfit strain. Magnetic susceptibility and X-ray diffraction measurements evidence a strong decrease of the superconducting volume correlated with an increase of the intergrowth volume fraction. We demonstrate that these intergrowths are non-superconducting nanoscale regions where Cooper pair formation is disrupted, in agreement with their key role as artificial pinning centers for vortices in YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ films and coated conductors.