A simple one-step heat treatment process for preparing biaxially textured buffer layers on rolled Ni tape for high T_c coated conductors' application

Fabrication of YBCO films on metal tapes by a full solution method is a promising technique for industrial application. For this process, the fabrication of suitably textured buffer layers is very important. In this paper, we report a new simple one-step heat treatment process, namely by the simultaneous texture (STEX) technique, for formation of textured buffer layers on cold rolled Ni tape by a sol-gel method. CeO₂ and Ba _0.5Sr_0.5TiO₃ (BST) buffer layers have been prepared using this new process. X-ray diffraction analyses show that the buffer layers are highly c-axis oriented. The FWHM values for ω and φ scans of the CeO₂ films are 4.09° (Ni: 4.77°) and 6.04° (Ni: 5.63°). The FWHM values for ω and φ scans of BST films are 8.01° (Ni: 7.78°) and 8.55° (Ni: 7.16°). A {100} 〈001〉-cube texture was also formed in the rolled Ni substrate during the STEX process, indicating cube-on-cube texture formation by only a one-step annealing treatment. The possible mechanisms relating to cube-on-cube texture formation by a one-step annealing treatment are discussed.