Electron backscatter diffraction analysis of gold nanoparticles on Y1Ba2Cu3O7−δ

Abstract

It has been shown recently that the incorporation of gold nanoparticles into Y1Ba2Cu3O7−δ enhances the superconducting properties of this material in a significant way. Previous XRD and TEM investigations suggest different crystallographic relations of the gold nanoparticles with respect to the epitaxial Y1Ba2Cu3O7−δ. Here, detailed investigations of the crystal orientations for a large ensemble of gold nanoparticles with electron backscatter diffraction are reported. The average size of the gold nanoparticles is in the range of 60 nm–80 nm. We identified five different types of heteroepitaxial relationships between the gold nanoparticles and the superconductor film, resulting in complex pole figures. The observed different types of crystallographic orientations are discussed based on good lattice matching and the formation of low energy interfaces.