Properties of NdBa2Cu3O7−δ thin film prepared by off-axis rf sputtering

Abstract

Thin films of NdBa2Cu3O7−δ(NdBCO) were fabricated on SrTiO3 substrates by an off-axis rf sputtering. Disk shaped targets of 5 cm in diameter were prepared with stoichiometric composition of NdBCO by sintering at 1273 K in air. The sintered body was single phase and exhibited Tc(R=0)=92 K. The effects of several deposition parameters on the superconducting NdBCO thin films, e.g., gas pressure, substrate temperature, oxygen annealing process, and rf power were studied. The x-ray diffraction pattern showed the deposited thin films were highly c-axis oriented without any impurity phase. Thin films with Tc(R=0)=87 K could be obtained reproducibly at optimized conditions. Critical current density (Jc) of the patterned thin film was 106–107 A/cm2 at low temperature.