Growth of lanthanum manganate buffer layers for coated conductors via a metal-organic decomposition process

LaMnO3 (LMO) was identified as a possible buffer material for YBa2Cu3O7-x conductors due to its diffusion barrier properties and close lattice match with YBa2Cu 3O7-x. Growth of LMO films via a metal-organic decomposition (MOD) process on Ni, Ni-5at.%W (Ni-5W), and single crystal SrTiO3 substrates was investigated. Phase-pure LMO was grown via MOD on Ni and SrTiO 3 substrates at temperatures and oxygen pressures within a thermodynamic "process window" wherein LMO, Ni, Ni-5W, and SrTiO3 are all stable components. LMO could not be grown on Ni-5W in the "process window" because tungsten diffused from the substrate into the overlying film, where it reacted to form La and Mn tungstates. The kinetics of tungstate formation and crystallization of phase-pure LMO from the La and Mn acetate precursors are competitive in the temperature range explored (850--1100°C). Temperatures <850°C might mitigate tungsten diffusion from the substrate to the film sufficiently to obviate tungstate formation, but LMO films deposited via MOD require temperatures ≥850°C for nucleation and grain growth. Using a Y2O3 seed layer on Ni-5W to block tungsten from diffusing into the LMO film was explored; however, Y2O3 reacts with tungsten in the "process window" at 850--1100°C. Tungsten diffusion into Y2O3 can be blocked if epitaxial, crack-free NiWO4 and NiO layers are formed at the interface between Ni-5W and Y2O3. NiWO 4 only grows epitaxially if the overlying NiO and buffer layers are thick enough to mechanically suppress (011)-oriented NiWO4 grain growth. This is not the case when a bare 75 nm-thick Y2O3 film on Ni-5W is processed at 850°C. These studies show that the Ni-5W substrate must be at a low temperature to prevent tungsten diffusion, whereas the LMO precursor film must be at elevated temperature to crystallize. An excimer laser-assisted MOD process was used where a Y2O 3-coated Ni-5W substrate was held at 500°C in air and the pulsed laser photo-thermally heated the Y2O3 and LMO precursor films. This resulted in a textured, phase-pure LMO film.