Low-resistivity epitaxial YBa2Cu3O7 thin films with improved microstructure and reduced microwave losses

Abstract

Epitaxial thin films of YBa2Cu3O7 have been prepared on SrTiO3 and LaAlO3 substrates by a high-pressure planar dc-sputtering technique. By covering the substrate heater with a frame of polycrystalline YBa2Cu3O7 substantial improvements of the YBa2Cu3O7 film properties were achieved. These are characterized by dc-resistivity values ρ(T) of less than 50 μΩ cm at 100 K and ρ(300 K)/ρ(100 K) values of up to 3.9. Significant deviations from the usual linear ρ(T) behavior were found. Critical temperatures above 90 K, resistive transition widths down to 0.3 K, and critical current densities of about 5 × 106 A/cm2 at 77 K confirm the high quality of the films. As indicated by Rutherford backscattering and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy the films exhibit a microstructure characterized by a reduced density of lattice defects. However, lattice-coherent precipitates with a diameter of about 5–10 nm were observed. As an outstanding feature the films exhibit, besides the initial steep falloff at Tc, a further gradual decrease of the microwave surface resistance at 87 GHz below 50 K by at least one order of magnitude. These results are very promising for millimeter-wave applications of epitaxial YBa2Cu3O7 thin films.