Observation of nanostripes and -clusters in (Nd, EuGd)Ba2Cu3Ox superconductors

M. R. Koblischka, M. Winter, P. Das, A. Koblischka-Veneva, M. Muralidhar, T. Wolf, N. Hari Babu, S. Turner, G. van Tendeloo, U. Hartmann

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Nanostripes are observed in melt-textured and single-crystalline samples of the ternary light rare earth (LRE)-compound (Nd0.33Eu0.33Gd0.33)Ba2Cu3Ox (NEG) by means of atomic force microscopy, scanning tunnelling microscopy at ambient conditions, combined with transmission electron microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction. This enables the observation of several important features: The nanostripes are formed by chains of nanoclusters, representing the LRE/Ba substitution. The dimensions of the nanostripes are similar for both types of NEG samples. The periodicity of the nanostripes is found to range between 40 and 60 nm; the shape of the nanoclusters is elliptic with a major axis length between 300 and 500 nm and a minor axis length of about 30-150 nm. The stripes are filling effectively the space in between the twin boundaries. Concerning the flux pinning, the nanoclusters are the important pinning sites, not the nanostripes themselves.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)168-176
Number of pages9
JournalPhysica C: Superconductivity and its applications
Volume469
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2009 Feb 15
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • AFM
  • Composition modulation
  • High-T superconductors
  • Nanostripes
  • Oxides
  • STM

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Energy Engineering and Power Technology
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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