Spatial imaging of the critical current density in epitaxial Y1Ba2Cu3O7 films

13 November 1989

journal article
research article
Published by AIP Publishing in Applied Physics Letters

Vol. 55 (20) , 2132-2134
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.102346

Abstract

We report the first spatially resolved measurement of the critical transport current density of c‐axis oriented epitaxial Y₁Ba₂Cu₃O₇ films on 〈100〉 SrTiO₃ using low‐temperature scanning electron microscopy (LTSEM). The local critical current density, imaged with a spatial resolution of ∼1 μm, has been found to vary considerably in these films. Possible reasons for the observed spatial inhomogeneities are surface imperfections of the substrate and precipitates in the film. The spatial inhomogeneity of the critical current density in epitaxial films might be a reason for differences in the temperature dependences of the critical current density obtained by magnetic and transport measurements.

Keywords

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