Substrate surface treatment and YSZ buffer layers by IBAD method for coated conductors

In this work, an Ion Beam Assisted Deposition (IBAD) system was utilized to fabricate Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) template films for coated conductors. The surface of the Hastelloy C276 substrate was modified by rolling and electropolishing. The effect of the electropolishing parameters of the substrate on the texture of the YSZ buffer layers was studied. The electropolishing current and time were optimized for short samples of 1 cmx1 cm square shape as 1 A and 60 s, respectively. And the relationship between the roughness of the substrate surface and the texture of the YSZ layer is discussed. Reel-to-reel metal tape moving apparatus was installed and used to produce meter-long buffer layer for coated conductors. The YSZ template film was deposited by IBAD method on meter-long Hastelloy tape with tape shifting speed of 15-20 m/h, and the thickness of the buffer layer was up to about 1.7 μm. The Hastelloy substrate surface was measured by Atomic Force Microscope. The thickness of the YSZ films over length was measured by Thermal Field Emission Scan Electronic Microscopy. X Ray Diffraction Ω-scan and φ-scan measurements were performed in order to examine the out-of-plane and in-plane texture of the YSZ buffer layers, respectively.