Recent progress in the fabrication of high-J(c) tapes by epitaxial deposition of YBCO on RABiTS

Progress made in the fabrication of rolling assisted biaxially textured sub strates (RABiTS) and epitaxial deposition or formation of HTS on such subst rates is reported. Significant progress has been made in understanding the role of meso-scale defects such as grain boundaries on long-range current f low of HTS conductors made using the RABiTS approach. Both experimental and theoretical calculations suggest that in well-textured samples these commo nly present defects do not provide an intrinsic barrier to current flow in long-length conductors. Significant progress has also been made in the reel -to-reel deposition of oxide buffer layers and in the fabrication of long-l ength superconductors using the ex situ BaF, technique. Finally, non-magnet ic, mechanically strengthened, biaxially textured metal templates have been fabricated with high quality oxide buffer layers. Epitaxial formation of Y BCO on such substrates yields critical current densities over 1 MA/cm(2) at 77 K, 0 T. Published by Elsevier Science B.V.