Direct measurements of the effects of inhomogeneities on the normal-state transport properties of YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7/minus//ital x// thin films

Journal Article · Thu Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989 · Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.39.12363· OSTI ID:5999154

Kent, A D; Maggio-Aprile, I; Niedermann, P; Fischer, O

We have used a scanning tunneling microscope to measure both the topography and potential distribution in a current-carrying polycrystalline YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7/minus//ital x// thin film. We find steps in the potential indicative of insulating inhomogeneities in the material which occur at boundaries between clusters of grains. These results provide the first direct correlation between the microstructure and the normal-state transport properties in these materials. The implications of these results for models used to explain the nature of superconductivity in polycrystalline high-temperature superconductors are discussed.

• Research Organization: Departement de Physique de la Matiere Condensee, Universite de Geneve, 24 quai Ernest Ansermet, CH-1211 Geneve 4, Switzerland(CH)
• OSTI ID: 5999154
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States), Vol. 39:16
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
BARIUM OXIDES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
COPPER OXIDES
YTTRIUM OXIDES
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
MICROSTRUCTURE
POLYCRYSTALS
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
THIN FILMS
TOPOGRAPHY
TUNNEL EFFECT
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
BARIUM COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
COPPER COMPOUNDS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
CRYSTALS
CURRENTS
DISTRIBUTION
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
FILMS
MICROSCOPY
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
YTTRIUM COMPOUNDS
360204* - Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories- Physical Properties