Abstract: A superconductor article includes a substrate and a first buffer film disposed on the substrate. The first buffer film has a uniaxial crystal texture characterized (i) texture in a first crystallographic direction that extends out-of-plane of the first buffer film with no significant texture in a second direction that extends in-plane of the first buffer film, or (ii) texture in a first crystallographic direction that extends in-plane of the first buffer film with no significant texture in a second direction that extends out-of-plane of the first buffer film. A second buffer film is disposed on the first buffer film, the second buffer film having a biaxial crystal texture. A superconductor layer can be disposed on the second buffer film. Ion-beam assisted deposition (IBAD) can be used to deposit the second buffer film.

Abstract: A superconductor article includes a substrate and a first buffer film disposed on the substrate. The first buffer film has a uniaxial crystal texture characterized (i) texture in a first crystallographic direction that extends out-of-plane of the first buffer film with no significant texture in a second direction that extends in-plane of the first buffer film, or (ii) texture in a first crystallographic direction that extends in-plane of the first buffer film with no significant texture in a second direction that extends out-of-plane of the first buffer film. A second buffer film is disposed on the first buffer film, the second buffer film having a biaxial crystal texture. A superconductor layer can be disposed on the second buffer film. Ion-beam assisted deposition (IBAD) can be used to deposit the second buffer film.

Abstract: The invention relates to an article with an improved buffer layer architecture comprising a substrate having a metal surface, and an epitaxial buffer layer on the surface of the substrate. The epitaxial buffer layer comprises at least one of the group consisting of ZrO2, HfO2, and compounds having at least one of Ca and a rare earth element stabilizing cubic phases of ZrO2 and/or HfO2. The article can also include a superconducting layer deposited on the epitaxial buffer layer. The article can also include an epitaxial capping layer between the epitaxial buffer layer and the superconducting layer. A method for preparing an epitaxial article comprises providing a substrate with a metal surface, depositing on the metal surface an epitaxial buffer layer comprising at least one material selected from the group consisting of ZrO2, HfO2, and compounds having at least one of Ca and a rare earth element stabilizing cubic phases of at least one of ZrO2 and HfO2.

Abstract: The invention relates to an article with an improved buffer layer architecture comprising a substrate having a metal surface, and an epitaxial buffer layer on the surface of the substrate. The epitaxial buffer layer comprises at least one of the group consisting of ZrO2, HfO2, and compounds having at least one of Ca and a rare earth element stabilizing cubic phases of ZrO2 and/or HfO2. The article can also include a superconducting layer deposited on the epitaxial buffer layer. The article can also include an epitaxial capping layer between the epitaxial buffer layer and the superconducting layer. A method for preparing an epitaxial article comprises providing a substrate with a metal surface, depositing on the metal surface an epitaxial buffer layer comprising at least one material selected from the group consisting of ZrO2, HfO2, and compounds having at least one of Ca and a rare earth element stabilizing cubic phases of at least one of ZrO2 and HfO2.

Abstract: The invention relates to an article with an improved buffer layer architecture comprising a substrate having a metal surface, and an epitaxial buffer layer on the surface of the substrate. The epitaxial buffer layer comprises at least one of the group consisting of ZrO2, HfO2, and compounds having at least one of Ca and a rare earth element stabilizing cubic phases of ZrO2 and/or HfO2. The article can also include a superconducting layer deposited on the epitaxial buffer layer. The article can also include an epitaxial capping layer between the epitaxial buffer layer and the superconducting layer. A method for preparing an epitaxial article comprises providing a substrate with a metal surface, depositing on the metal surface an epitaxial buffer layer comprising at least one material selected from the group consisting of ZrO2, HfO2, and compounds having at least one of Ca and a rare earth element stabilizing cubic phases of at least one of ZrO2 and HfO2.

Abstract: A laminate article consists of a substrate and a biaxially textured protective layer over the substrate. The substrate can be biaxially textured and also have reduced magnetism over the magnetism of Ni. The substrate can be selected from the group consisting of nickel, copper, iron, aluminum, silver and alloys containing any of the foregoing. The protective layer can be selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, platinum, palladium, and nickel and alloys containing any of the foregoing. The protective layer is also non-oxidizable under conditions employed to deposit a desired, subsequent oxide buffer layer. Layers of YBCO, CeO2, YSZ, LaAlO3, SrTiO3, Y2O3, RE2O3, SrRuO3, LaNiO3 and La2ZrO3 can be deposited over the protective layer. A method of forming the laminate article is also disclosed.

Abstract: A process for growing a metal oxide thin film upon a semiconductor surface with a physical vapor deposition technique in a high-vacuum environment and a structure formed with the process involves the steps of heating the semiconductor surface and introducing hydrogen gas into the high-vacuum environment to develop conditions at the semiconductor surface which are favorable for growing the desired metal oxide upon the semiconductor surface yet is unfavorable for the formation of any native oxides upon the semiconductor. More specifically, the temperature of the semiconductor surface and the ratio of hydrogen partial pressure to water pressure within the vacuum environment are high enough to render the formation of native oxides on the semiconductor surface thermodynamically unstable yet are not so high that the formation of the desired metal oxide on the semiconductor surface is thermodynamically unstable.

Abstract: A superconducting article includes a biaxially-textured Ni substrate, and epitaxial buffer layers of Pd (optional), CeO.sub.2 and YSZ, and a top layer of in-plane aligned, c-axis oriented YBCO having a critical current density (J.sub.c) in the range of at least 100,000 A/cm.sup.2 at 77 K.

Abstract: A biaxially textured alloy article includes a rolled and annealed biaxially textured base metal substrate characterized by an x-ray diffraction phi scan peak of no more than 20.degree. FWHM; and a biaxially textured layer of an alloy or another material on a surface thereof. The article further includes at least one of an electromagnetic device or an electro-optical device epitaxially joined to the alloy.

Abstract: A biaxially textured article includes a rolled and annealed, biaxially textured substrate of a metal having a face-centered cubic, body-centered cubic, or hexagonal close-packed crystalline structure; and an epitaxial superconductor or other device epitaxially deposited thereon.

Abstract: A biaxially textured article includes a rolled and annealed, biaxially textured substrate of a metal having a face-centered cubic, body-centered cubic, or hexagonal close-packed crystalline structure; and an epitaxial superconductor or other device epitaxially deposited thereon.

Abstract: A biaxially textured article includes a rolled and annealed, biaxially textured substrate of a metal having a face-centered cubic, body-centered cubic, or hexagonal close-packed crystalline structure; and an epitaxial superconductor or other device epitaxially deposited thereon.