The density of stacking faults in epitaxial YBa2Cu3O7–x films, consisting of extra CuO planes, was measured by fitting X-ray diffraction patterns using a random stacking model. The stacking fault density was 0.068/nm in films grown by metal-organic deposition onto textured templates. The presence of stacking faults was correlated with the pinning of a magnetic field applied in the ab-plane. The stacking faults could be almost eliminated by high-temperature annealing, or by adding excess Dy.

Stacking Faults in YBa2Cu3O7–x - Measurement using X-ray Diffraction and Effects on Critical Current. E.D.Specht, A.Goyal, J.Li, P.M.Martin, X.Li, M.W.Rupich: Applied Physics Letters, 2006, 89[16], 162510 (3pp)