Superconducting Y-Ba-Cu-O thin films by spray pyrolysis

Abstract

Crystallographically textured superconducting YBa2Cu3O7−δ thin films 2–10 μm in thickness have been grown on (100) MgO substrates by a spray pyrolysis method. The structure, morphology, and composition of the films have been demonstrated by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive spectroscopy, respectively, to show strong texturing and a composition close to that expected for the bulk ceramic. The onset of the superconducting transition is at 82 K and zero resistance is achieved at 76 K with a critical current density of 3700 A/cm2 at 30 K.

Aerosol Processing of Materials

“…Some of the advantages of this process include: simplicity and low cost (only substrate heater and atomizer needed, atmo- (Chamberlin and Skarman, 1966;Gupta and Agnihotri, 1977;Ma and Bube, 1977;Cumberbatch et al, 1987;Eboth6 et al, 1987); SnO, (Garcia et al, 1982;Gonzalez-Oliver, 1986;Mulla et al, 1986;Orban de Xivry et al, 1987;Omar et al, 1990;Afify et al, 1991); ZnO (Aranovich et a]., 1979;Major et al, 1983Major et al, , 1985; YBa,Cu,O,_, (Kawai et al, 1987;Chu et al, 1988a, b;Henry et al, 1988;Saxena et a]., 1988;Langlet et al, 1989;Derraa and Sayer, 1990;Golden et al, 1990;Peng et al, 1991); and Pb-BiSr-Ca-Cu-0 (Cooper et al, 1988;Henry et al, 1989;Hsu et al, 1989;Koo et al, 1990). Applications of the technique are for solar cells, oxide superconductor films, photochemical cell electrodes, gas sensing elements, antireflection coatings, and thermal coatings (Tomar and Garcia, 1981;Kodas 1989).…”