BaFe2(As1-xPx)2 (x = 0.22-0.42) thin films grown on practical metal-tape substrates and their critical current densities

Abstract

We optimized the substrate temperature (Ts) and phosphorus concentration (x) of BaFe2(As1-xPx)2 films on practical metal-tape substrates for pulsed laser deposition from the viewpoints of crystallinity, superconductor critical temperature (Tc), and critical current density (Jc). It was found that the optimum Ts and x values are 1050 degree C and x = 0.28, respectively. The optimized film exhibits Tc_onset = 26.6 and Tc_zero = 22.4 K along with a high self-field Jc at 4 K (~1 MA/cm2) and relatively isotropic Jc under magnetic fields up to 9 T. Unexpectedly, we found that lower crystallinity samples, which were grown at a higher Ts of 1250 degree C than the optimized Ts = 1050 degree C, exhibit higher Jc along the ab plane under high magnetic fields than the optimized samples. The presence of horizontal defects that act as strong vortex pinning centers, such as stacking faults, are a possible origin of the high Jc values in the poor crystallinity samples.