Self‐Assembly of Nanostructured, Complex, Multication Films via Spontaneous Phase Separation and Strain‐Driven Ordering. (12th November 2012)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wee, Sung Hun; Gao, Yanfei; Zuev, Yuri L.; More, Karren L.; Meng, Jianyong; Zhong, Jianxin; Stocks, George M.; Goyal, Amit
• Is Part Of: Advanced functional materials. Volume 23:Number 15(2013)
• Page Start: 1912
• Page End: 1918
• Publication Date: 2012-11-12
• Subjects: Materials -- Periodicals; Chemical vapor deposition -- Periodicals; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201202101
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1616-301X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Spontaneous self‐assembly of a multication nanophase in another multication matrix phase is a promising bottom‐up approach to fabricate novel, nanocomposite structures for a range of applications. In an effort to understand the mechanisms for such self‐assembly, complimentary experimental and theoretical studies are reported to first understand and then control or guide the self‐assembly of insulating BaZrO<sub>3</sub> (BZO) nanodots within REBa<sub>2</sub>Cu<sub>3</sub>O<sub>7–δ</sub> (RE = rare earth elements including Y, REBCO) superconducting films. The strain field developed around BZO nanodots embedded in the REBCO matrix is a key driving force dictating the self‐assembly of BZO nanodots along REBCO <italic>c</italic>‐axis. The size selection and spatial ordering of BZO self‐assembly are simulated using thermodynamic and kinetic models. The BZO self‐assembly is controllable by tuning the interphase strain field. REBCO superconducting films with BZO defect arrays self‐assembled to align in both vertical (REBCO <italic>c</italic>‐axis) and horizontal (REBCO <italic>ab</italic>‐planes) directions result in the maximized pinning and <italic>J</italic><sub>c</sub> performance for all field angles with smaller angular <italic>J</italic><sub>c</sub> anisotropy. The work has broad implications for the fabrication of controlled self‐assembled nanostructures for a range of applications via strain‐tuning.</p> </abstract>