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 language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 168-176 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Physica C: Superconductivity and its applications |
Volume | 469 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2009 Feb 15 |
Externally published | Yes |
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