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Excellent buffer layer for growing high-quality Y–Ba–Cu–O thin films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

W. H. Tang*
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
J. Gao
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
C. X. Liu
Affiliation:
Institute of Physics and Center for Condensed Matter Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, People's Republic of China
Z. H. Mai
Affiliation:
Institute of Physics and Center for Condensed Matter Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, People's Republic of China
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author.[email protected]
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Abstract

Eu2CuO4 (ECO) has been used as a buffer layer for growing of Yba2Cu3O7–δ (YBCO) thin films on SrTiO3(100) and Y-stabilized ZrO2(100) substrates. The epitaxy, crystallinity, and surface of YBCO thin films have been significantly improved by using ECO buffer layer as investigated by x-ray diffraction, rocking curves, scanning electron microscope, surface step profiler, and x-ray small-angle reflection. The best value of the full width at half-maximum of the YBCO(005) peak can be greatly reduced down to less than 0.1°. The scanning-electron-microscope photos indicate a very smooth surface for the YBCO thin films. The average roughness is less than 5 nm over a wide scanning region of 2000 mm. The results of x-ray small-angle reflection indicate a very clear and flat interface between YBCO and ECO layers. Meanwhile, the resistivity of ECO is about 20 times higher than that of PrBa2Cu3Oy at the boiling point of liquid nitrogen. Our results suggest that ECO should be a good barrier candidate for fabricating high-Tc superconductor junctions.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2001

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