Nanoscale Stoichiometric Analysis of a High-Temperature Superconductor by Atom Probe Tomography

The functional properties of the high-temperature superconductor Y1Ba2Cu3O7−δ (Y-123) are closely correlated to the exact stoichiometry and oxygen content. Exceeding the critical value of 1 oxygen vacancy for every five unit cells (δ>0.2, which translates to a 1.5 at% deviation from the nominal o...

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Main Authors: Pedrazzini, S., London, A., Gault, B., Saxey, David, Speller, S., Grovenor, C., Danaie, M., Moody, M., Edmondson, P., Bagot1, P.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Cambridge University Press 2017
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/50728
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author Pedrazzini, S.
London, A.
Gault, B.
Saxey, David
Speller, S.
Grovenor, C.
Danaie, M.
Moody, M.
Edmondson, P.
Bagot1, P.
author_facet Pedrazzini, S.
London, A.
Gault, B.
Saxey, David
Speller, S.
Grovenor, C.
Danaie, M.
Moody, M.
Edmondson, P.
Bagot1, P.
author_sort Pedrazzini, S.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description The functional properties of the high-temperature superconductor Y1Ba2Cu3O7−δ (Y-123) are closely correlated to the exact stoichiometry and oxygen content. Exceeding the critical value of 1 oxygen vacancy for every five unit cells (δ>0.2, which translates to a 1.5 at% deviation from the nominal oxygen stoichiometry of Y7.7Ba15.3Cu23O54−δ) is sufficient to alter the superconducting properties. Stoichiometry at the nanometer scale, particularly of oxygen and other lighter elements, is extremely difficult to quantify in complex functional ceramics by most currently available analytical techniques. The present study is an analysis and optimization of the experimental conditions required to quantify the local nanoscale stoichiometry of single crystal yttrium barium copper oxide (YBCO) samples in three dimensions by atom probe tomography (APT). APT analysis required systematic exploration of a wide range of data acquisition and processing conditions to calibrate the measurements. Laser pulse energy, ion identification, and the choice of range widths were all found to influence composition measurements. The final composition obtained from melt-grown crystals with optimized superconducting properties was Y7.9Ba10.4Cu24.4O57.2.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-507282017-09-13T15:38:02Z Nanoscale Stoichiometric Analysis of a High-Temperature Superconductor by Atom Probe Tomography Pedrazzini, S. London, A. Gault, B. Saxey, David Speller, S. Grovenor, C. Danaie, M. Moody, M. Edmondson, P. Bagot1, P. The functional properties of the high-temperature superconductor Y1Ba2Cu3O7−δ (Y-123) are closely correlated to the exact stoichiometry and oxygen content. Exceeding the critical value of 1 oxygen vacancy for every five unit cells (δ>0.2, which translates to a 1.5 at% deviation from the nominal oxygen stoichiometry of Y7.7Ba15.3Cu23O54−δ) is sufficient to alter the superconducting properties. Stoichiometry at the nanometer scale, particularly of oxygen and other lighter elements, is extremely difficult to quantify in complex functional ceramics by most currently available analytical techniques. The present study is an analysis and optimization of the experimental conditions required to quantify the local nanoscale stoichiometry of single crystal yttrium barium copper oxide (YBCO) samples in three dimensions by atom probe tomography (APT). APT analysis required systematic exploration of a wide range of data acquisition and processing conditions to calibrate the measurements. Laser pulse energy, ion identification, and the choice of range widths were all found to influence composition measurements. The final composition obtained from melt-grown crystals with optimized superconducting properties was Y7.9Ba10.4Cu24.4O57.2. 2017 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/50728 10.1017/S1431927616012757 Cambridge University Press restricted
spellingShingle Pedrazzini, S.
London, A.
Gault, B.
Saxey, David
Speller, S.
Grovenor, C.
Danaie, M.
Moody, M.
Edmondson, P.
Bagot1, P.
Nanoscale Stoichiometric Analysis of a High-Temperature Superconductor by Atom Probe Tomography
title Nanoscale Stoichiometric Analysis of a High-Temperature Superconductor by Atom Probe Tomography
title_full Nanoscale Stoichiometric Analysis of a High-Temperature Superconductor by Atom Probe Tomography
title_fullStr Nanoscale Stoichiometric Analysis of a High-Temperature Superconductor by Atom Probe Tomography
title_full_unstemmed Nanoscale Stoichiometric Analysis of a High-Temperature Superconductor by Atom Probe Tomography
title_short Nanoscale Stoichiometric Analysis of a High-Temperature Superconductor by Atom Probe Tomography
title_sort nanoscale stoichiometric analysis of a high-temperature superconductor by atom probe tomography
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/50728