Influence of crystalline texture on vortex pinning near the ab -plane in YBa₂Cu₃O₇ thin films and coated conductors

We present a study of the sharp peak that develops near the ab-plane orientation in the angular dependent critical current of YBa₂Cu ₃O₇ (YBCO) films. This peak arises from correlated pinning associated to intrinsic pinning by the layered structure of the YBCO, and from extended planar defects. We measure films produced by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and metal organic deposition (MOD) on ion beam assisted deposition - MgO, and by PLD on single crystalline substrates. We show that the width and height of the peak increases with the out-of-plane mosaic spread of the films. We discuss the implications of the different structures (columnar and laminar respectively) of the PLD and MOD films.