A vapor deposition reactor apparatus, systems and methods for deposition of thin films, particularly high-temperature superconducting (HTS) coated conductors, utilize multi-sided susceptors and susceptor pairs for increased production throughput. The reactors may also be configured in multi-stack arrangements of the susceptors within a single reactor chamber for additional throughput gains.

A susceptor used in a deposition reactor provides heat input and controls the build-up of errant deposition. The susceptor heats a substrate tape within the reactor upon which one or more thin films are deposited, particularly high temperature superconductor (HTS) thin films produced in a MOCVD reactor.

A superconducting article includes a substrate and a superconducting metal oxide film formed on the substrate. The metal oxide film including ions of an alkali metal, ions of a transition metal, and ions of an alkaline earth metal or a rare earth metal. For instance, the metal oxide film can include Rb ions, La ions, and Cu ions. The superconducting metal oxide film can have a critical temperature for onset of superconductivity of greater than 250 K, e.g., greater than room temperature.

A method of forming a kilometer(s)-length high temperature superconductor tape by feeding a textured tape from roll-to-roll through a reactor chamber, flowing high temperature superconductor precursors from an elongated precursor showerhead positioned in the chamber the elongation in a direction along the tape; flowing gas from first and second elongated gas curtain shower heads on either side of the precursor showerhead; and illuminating the upper surface of the tape with illumination from sources on opposing sides of the reactor, the illumination sources positioned so as to allow illumination to pass under a respective one of the curtain shower heads and under the precursor showerhead to the upper surface of the tape.

There is a superconducting article that includes a superconducting film comprising a substrate, one or more buffer layers, and a high temperature superconducting (HTS) layer. The superconducting layer may be comprised of the chemical composition REBa.sub.2Cu.sub.3O.sub.7−x, where RE is one or more rare earth elements, for example: Y, La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu. The superconductor layer is produced using Photo-Assisted Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (PAMOCVD) and contains non-superconducting nanoparticles. The nanoparticles are substantially provided in the a-b plane and naturally oriented. The non-superconducting nanoparticles provide flux pinning centers that improve the critical current properties of the superconducting film.

An MOCVD system fabricates high quality superconductor tapes with variable thicknesses. The MOCVD system can include a gas flow chamber between two parallel channels in a housing. A substrate tape is heated and then passed through the MOCVD housing such that the gas flow is perpendicular to the tape's surface. Precursors are injected into the gas flow for deposition on the substrate tape. In this way, superconductor tapes can be fabricated with variable thicknesses, uniform precursor deposition, and high critical current densities.

A superconductor tape and method for manufacturing, measuring, monitoring, and controlling same are disclosed. Embodiments are directed to a superconductor tape which includes a superconductor film overlying a buffer layer which overlies a substrate. In one embodiment, the superconductor film is defined as having a c-axis lattice constant higher than 11.74 Angstroms. In another embodiment, the superconductor film comprises BaMO.sub.3, where M=Zr, Sn, Ta, Nb, Hf, or Ce, and which has a (101) peak of BaMO.sub.3 elongated along an axis that is between 60° to 90° from an axis of the (001) peaks of the superconductor film. These and other embodiments achieve well-aligned nanocolumnar defects and thus a high lift factor, which can result in superior critical current performance of the tape in, for example, high magnetic fields.

A superconducting article includes a substrate and a superconducting metal oxide film formed on the substrate. The metal oxide film including ions of an alkali metal, ions of a transition metal, and ions of an alkaline earth metal or a rare earth metal. For instance, the metal oxide film can include Rb ions, La ions, and Cu ions. The superconducting metal oxide film can have a critical temperature for onset of superconductivity of greater than 250 K, e.g., greater than room temperature.

A superconductor tape and method for manufacturing, measuring, monitoring, and controlling same are disclosed. Embodiments are directed to a superconductor tape which includes a superconductor film overlying a buffer layer which overlies a substrate. In one embodiment, the superconductor film is defined as having a c-axis lattice constant higher than 11.74 Angstroms. In another embodiment, the superconductor film comprises BaMO.sub.3, where M=Zr, Sn, Ta, Nb, Hf, or Ce, and which has a (101) peak of BaMO.sub.3 elongated along an axis that is between 60° to 90° from an axis of the (001) peaks of the superconductor film. These and other embodiments achieve well-aligned nanocolumnar defects and thus a high lift factor, which can result in superior critical current performance of the tape in, for example, high magnetic fields.

An MOCVD system fabricates high quality superconductor tapes with variable thicknesses. The MOCVD system can include a gas flow chamber between two parallel channels in a housing. A substrate tape is heated and then passed through the MOCVD housing such that the gas flow is perpendicular to the tape's surface. Precursors are injected into the gas flow for deposition on the substrate tape. In this way, superconductor tapes can be fabricated with variable thicknesses, uniform precursor deposition, and high critical current densities.