TEXTURING OF (RE)BACUO THICK-FILMS BY GEOMETRICAL ARRANGEMENT OF REACTIVE PRECURSORS

Texturing of (RE)Ba2Cu3O7-x superconductors is essential to achieve hi gh critical current densities. For coatings or coated conductors the s ymmetry-anisotropy of the substrate has a major impact on the formatio n of a biaxial texture. The substrate symmetry is broken for example b y a rolling texture in the RABiTS process or by anisotropic damage in the IBAD process. However, anisotropy can also be introduced by using multiphase substrates, providing an anisotropic but regular arrangemen t of the individual phases. Such an arrangement leads to anisotropic g rowth conditions owing to the different properties of the phases invol ved. Moreover, nucleation is probably influenced by the aligned bounda ries between the substrate phases. As a preliminary result obtained fr om infiltration of regularly arranged fibres, preferred growth along t he fibre directions is observed.