Raman study of CeO2 texture as a buffer layer in the CeO2/La2Zr2O7/Ni architecture for coated conductors.

The CeO(2)/La(2)Zr(2)O(7)/Ni piled-up structure is a very promising architecture for YBa(2)Cu(3)O(7) (YBCO) coated conductors. We have grown YBCO/CeO(2)/LZO/Ni epitaxial structures by metalorganic decomposition (MOD) and metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) methods. The crystallographic quality of the CeO(2) layer is not well determined by conventional X-ray diffraction (XRD) due to the superposition of LZO and CeO(2) reflections. An alternative simple Raman spectroscopy analysis of the crystalline quality of the CeO(2) films is proposed. The F(2g) Raman mode of CeO(2) can be quantified either by using two polarization configurations (crossed or parallel) or at two different rotation angles around the normal axis (0 degrees and 45 degrees ) to obtain information about the sample texture. The sample texture can be determined via a quality factor (referred to as the Raman intensity ratio, RIR) consisting of calculating the ratio of the integrated intensity of the CeO(2) F(2g) mode at 0 degrees and 45 degrees in parallel polarization. This factor correlates with superconducting performance and the technique can be used as an on-line nondestructive characterization method.