<i>I</i> <i>n</i> <i>s</i> <i>i</i> <i>t</i> <i>u</i> laser deposition of Y1Ba2Cu3O7−<i>x</i> high <i>T</i> <i>c</i> superconducting thin films with SrTiO3 underlayers

Abstract

Thin films of Y1Ba2Cu3O7−x (YBCO) with and without underlayers of SrTiO3 (STO) were deposited via pulsed laser deposition onto substrates of sapphire and silicon-on-sapphire (SOS) in a single vacuum step. The YBCO films with STO underlayers displayed better superconducting transitions than the YBCO films without underlayers, with zero-resistance temperatures of 86.5 and 75 K for films with underlayers on sapphire and SOS substrates, respectively. X-ray diffraction and secondary-ion mass spectroscopy have been used to explore the role played by the STO underlayer in improving film quality.