Preparation of YBa2Cu3O7−<i>x</i> films and YBa2Cu3O7−<i>x</i>/Y2O3 multilayers using coevaporation and atomic oxygen

Abstract

Thin layers of YBa2Cu3O7−x (YBCO) deposited on LaAlO3 substrates have been prepared in situ by coevaporation of Y, Ba, and Cu. Incorporation of oxygen was accomplished by an atomic oxygen beam source with high cracking efficiency. The total oxygen flow at the substrate could be kept low enough to permit the use of a quadrupole mass spectrometer for evaporation rate monitoring. Films were strongly c-axis oriented with rocking curve full width at half-maximum values of 0.6°. Transport measurements on patterned films yielded critical current densities of 6×106 A/cm2 at 77 K. The deposition method was demonstrated to be feasible for preparation of Y2O3/YBCO heterostructures.