Superconducting YBa2Cu3O7-delta and YBa2Cu3O7-delta+Ag thick films by dip-coating on YBa2HfO5.5 ceramic substrate

YBa2HfO5.5 has been synthesised and sintered as a single phase polycrystalline material for use as a substrate for YBa2Cu3O7-delta a films. Superconducting YBa2Cu3O7-delta and YBa2Cu3O7-delta+Ag thick films were fabricated by dip-coating the substrate at room temperature into a mixture of the 1-2-3 powder and n-butanol. Zero resistivity superconducting transitions, T-c(0)=92 K, were exhibited for both films after suitable heat treatments. The YBa2Cu3O7-delta and YBa(2)Cu(3)O7-delta+Ag films on YBa2HfO5.5 substrates gave critical current densities of 2x10(4) and 8x10(4) A/cm(2), respectively, at 77 K in zero magnetic field. The YBCO and YBCO-Ag films exhibited excellent adhesion to YBa2HfO5.5 substrates. Dip-coating was found to be one of the easiest methods for obtaining superconducting YBCO thick films of thickness as low as approximate to 2 mu m.