Deposition, characterization, and laser ablation patterning of YBCO thin films

• Published in: Applied surface science 1990-12, Vol.46 (1), p.61-66
• Main Authors: Vase, Per, Yueqiang, Shen, Freltoft, Torsten
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Exact sciences and technology; Physics; Solid surfaces and solid-solid interfaces; Surface and interface dynamics and vibrations; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film structure and morphology
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/0169-4332(90)90120-O

High quality epitaxial thin films of YBa 2Cu 3O 7 have been deposited on single-crystal MgO(001) substrates by 355 nm Nd:YAG laser ablation. Through a systematic optimization of the deposition parameters, it was found that for a target-substrate distance of 30 mm, the optimal laser intensity, substrate temperature, and deposition oxygen pressure were 300 MW/cm 2, 750 ° C, and 0.5–1.0 mbar, respectively. Microstrips with dimensions down to 10 μm across were fabricated using both a photoresist technique and laser ablation through a metal mask. The superconducting transition takes place over 1 K, and the critical temperature is reproducible within ±1.5 K, the best result being T c,0 = 90 K. The highest critical current density measured on a 10 X 0.15 μm 2 strips was 4 X 10 6 A/cm 2 at 77 K . Film patterning using laser ablation through a metal mask was studied in detail to investigate the applicability of this method. Etch rates as a function of laser intensity were measured, and the process was followed in situ by on-line monitoring of the film resistivity.