Effect of CeO2 buffer layer thickness on the structures and properties of YBCO coated conductors

Biaxially textured YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7-x} (YBCO) films were grown on inclined-substrate-deposited (ISD) MgO-textured metal substrates by pulsed laser deposition. CeO{sub 2} was deposited as a buffer layer prior to YBCO growth. CeO{sub 2} layers of different thickness were prepared to evaluate the thickness dependence of the YBCO films. The biaxial alignment features of the films were examined by X-ray diffraction 2{theta}-scans, pole-figure, {phi}-scans and rocking curves of {Omega} angles. The significant influence of the CeO{sub 2} thickness on the structure and properties of the YBCO films were demonstrated and the optimal thickness was found to be about 10 nm. High values of T{sub c} = 91 K and J{sub c} = 5.5 x 10{sup 5} A/cm{sup 2} were obtained on YBCO films with optimal CeO{sub 2} thickness at 77 K in zero field. The possible mechanisms responsible for the dependence of the structure and the properties of the YBCO films on the thickness of the CeO{sub 2} buffer layers are discussed.