Pulsed-laser deposition of smooth high-<i>T</i> <i>c</i> superconducting films using a synchronous velocity filter

Abstract

Pulsed-laser deposition of smooth high-Tc superconducting films almost free from droplets and precipitates with the use of velocity filtration of plasma particles is reported. We have removed droplets from laser-induced plasma by using a shutter technique; a reduction of the droplet density by a factor of 105 has been achieved. We have applied the technique to the preparation of high quality YBa2Cu3O7−δ films on (100)-oriented SrTiO3, MgO, Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2 (YSZ) substrates and, furthermore, on (11̄02)-oriented sapphire covered with (100) sublayers of Si and (100) YSZ buffer layers.