SBIR-STTR Award

This SBIR Phase-1 project will develop much needed alternatives and improvements for oruebted-buffer layers with high-critical-current YBCO films on metal-tape substrates. At present YBCO films on metal tapes are limited in superconducting quality largely due to unsatisfactory crystal structural quality caused by imperfections in the metal surface and buffer-film crystallinestructure and surfaces. Buffers of yttria-stabilized zirconia in combination with ceria have been successfully used by this P.I. in a collaboration with the subcontractor to demonstrate good-quality YBCO films on their biaxially-oriented nickel tape. The proposed program will leverage this skill of the principals and the considerable commercial advantages of an independent route to substrate fabrication and teaming with a major manufacturer of superconducting wire and devices. The program will utilize improved technology for very large-area pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) of films and novel ion-beam methods for surface smoothing prior to film deposition. New buffer-film materials and multilayer combinations will be explored, including certain possibilities for fabricating conducting buffers that would have considerable advantage in the targeted applications area

This SBIR Phase II project will develop equipment to manufacture oriented buffer layers and high critical current YBCO films on metal tape substrates by the method of pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Buffers of yttria stabilized zirconia with ceria on small biaxially oriented nickel samples were used in the Phase I work to demonstrate promising quality YBCO films fabricated in a large area PLD system. Gas cluster ion beam methods were found to be successful for smoothing the nickel tape and will be evaluated further by comparison with tapes smoothed by mechanical and electropolishing. Most existing PLD systems are designed for circular substrates and in Phase II a PLD test stand will be developed toward manufacture of YBCO on tape. Various oriented metal tapes and ion beam assisted deposition coated tapes will be evaluated for suitability in the PLD system. The goals are to reach 1 meter of YBCO in Phase II using PLD and 10 meters in Phase III. Epion will continue to team with a major manufacturer of superconducting wire and devices for the Phases II and III. The Phase III goal for Epion is to arrive at a PLD prototype for deposition onto tape that can be marketed to YBCO tape OEMs