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The role of the substrate surface morphology in enhancing the MgB2 superconducting temperature

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Abstract

We hereby report on the role of the surface morphology of various substrates in the enhancement of the superconducting critical temperature of MgB2. MgB2 thin layers were grown by hybrid physical–chemical vapour deposition on silicon carbide SiC substrates/fibers and several other substrates, characterized by diverse surface morphologies. By investigating the structural, morphological and transport properties of MgB2 thin layers, the presented data show that the superconducting critical temperature T c exceeds the bulk value only when the MgB2 films are grown on atomically flat (0001) SiC single crystals and on MgB2 bottom layers. These results further confirm the interpretation of the coalescence-driven tensile strain mechanism behind the enhancement of superconducting properties in MgB2 thin films.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by ONR under Grant No. N00014-00-1-0294. P.O’s research activity has received funding from the European Community Seventh Framework Programme 2007–2011 under Collaborative Project ‘Integrated Ground and on-Board system for Support of the Aircraft Safe Take-off and Landing-GABRIEL’ Grant agreement No. 284884 and under Grant agreement No. 283141 IRONSEA. R.C’s research activity has received funding from the European Community Seventh Framework Programme 2007–2011 under Grant agreement No. 212348 NFFA and Progetto strategico NFFA (fondi MIUR 2012–2013). The authors wish to acknowledge V. Ferrando and R. Vaglio for stimulating scientific discussion and fruitful collaboration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CNR-SPIN, UOS Salerno, 84084, Fisciano, SA, Italy

    Pasquale Orgiani

  2. Department of Information Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Applied Mathematics, University of Salerno, 84084, Fisciano, SA, Italy

    Pasquale Orgiani

  3. CNR-IOM TASC, Area Science Park Basovizza, 34136, Trieste, Italy

    Regina Ciancio

  4. Department of Physics, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA

    Matthäus A. Wolak & Xiao Xing Xi

  5. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

    Xiao Xing Xi

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  1. Pasquale Orgiani
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  2. Regina Ciancio
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  3. Matthäus A. Wolak
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  4. Xiao Xing Xi
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Correspondence to Pasquale Orgiani.

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Orgiani, P., Ciancio, R., Wolak, M.A. et al. The role of the substrate surface morphology in enhancing the MgB2 superconducting temperature. J Mater Sci 49, 4108–4114 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-014-8104-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-014-8104-8

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