Transport and structural properties of Pr[sub 1[minus][ital x]]Ca[sub [ital x]]Ba[sub 2]Cu[sub 3]O[sub 7[minus][delta]] thin films grown by pulsed-laser deposition

Journal Article · Tue Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.49.4182· OSTI ID:5291734

Norton, D P; Lowndes, D H; Sales, B C; Budai, J D; Jones, E C; Chakoumakos, B C ^[1]

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1. Solid State Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6056 (United States)

We have studied the transport and structural properties of Pr[sub 1[minus][ital x]]Ca[sub [ital x]]Ba[sub 2]Cu[sub 3]O[sub 7[minus][delta]] thin films grown by pulsed-laser deposition, focusing on Ca substitution levels [ital x][ge]0.3 for which the bulk material is metastable. Films with 0.4[le][ital x][le]0.5 exhibit a superconducting transition due to divalent cation doping on the rare-earth site. Pr[sub 0.5]Ca[sub 0.5]Ba[sub 2]Cu[sub 3]O[sub 7[minus][delta]] epitaxial thin films exhibit a superconducting onset temperature as high as 47 K with [ital T][sub [ital c]]([ital R]=0)=35 K. X-ray-diffraction and electrical-transport data suggest that Ca doping levels greater than [ital x]=0.5 are possible, although disorder is introduced as the divalent to trivalent cation ratio becomes large. This work demonstrates that 1:2:3-phase superconductivity can be achieved by substituting Ca for Pr, without the presence in the alloy of Y or any other rare-earth element, [ital R], for which [ital R]Ba[sub 2]Cu[sub 3]O[sub 7[minus][delta]] is superconducting. This result supports the view that hole localization, due to hybridization of the Pr 4[ital f] electronic levels with the O 2[ital p] orbitals, contributes substantially to the suppression of superconductivity by Pr in PrBa[sub 2]Cu[sub 3]O[sub 7[minus][delta]], and demonstrates that this suppression can be partially compensated by appropriate hole doping with Ca.

• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 5291734
• Journal Information: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States), Journal Name: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States) Vol. 49:6; ISSN PRBMDO; ISSN 0163-1829
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360202 -- Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories-- Structure & Phase Studies
360207* -- Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories-- Superconducting Properties-- (1992-)
ABLATION
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
BARIUM COMPOUNDS
BARIUM OXIDES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
COPPER
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE
ELEMENTS
FILMS
HIGH-TC SUPERCONDUCTORS
LASER RADIATION
METALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PRASEODYMIUM COMPOUNDS
PRASEODYMIUM OXIDES
RADIATIONS
RARE EARTH COMPOUNDS
SUPERCONDUCTING FILMS
SUPERCONDUCTORS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS