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Ion beam analysis of laser-deposited high Tc YBa sub 2 Cu sub 3 O sub 7 superconducting thin films

Journal Article · · Journal of Materials Research; (USA)
;  [1]
  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC (USA)

We have performed Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry, non-Rutherford proton elastic scattering and axial ion channeling analysis to determine the composition, the crystallinity and the epitaxial quality of YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7} superconducting thin films on (100) SrTiO{sub 3} and (100) Yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) substrates. YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7} superconducting thin films were fabricated both by high and low temperature laser ablation technique. The former method requires high temperature annealing in oxygen to recover the superconducting properties, whereas in the latter method as-deposited {ital in}-{ital situ} superconducting thin films are formed at low processing temperatures (500 {degree}C--650 {degree}C). Helium ions in the energy range of 2.0--2.5 MeV were used to determine the relative stoichiometries of the heavier atomic number elements (Y, Ba, Cu) in the film but are not sensitive enough to determine the relative amount of oxygen in the superconducting phase. The detection sensitivities to oxygen can be greatly enhanced by using the proton elastic scattering ({sup 16}O({ital p},{ital p}){sup 16}O) reaction which was found to increase the scattering cross-section by a factor of 3 to 5 relative to the Rutherford scattering cross-section. The ion-channeling of YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7} superconducting thin films on (100) SrTiO{sub 3} substrates showed excellent minimum channeling yields corresponding to epitaxial growth, but presence of defects increased the channeling yields for films deposited on (100) YSZ substrates. The ion channeling yields are compared with the microstructure of the films obtained from transmission electron microscopy.

OSTI ID:
6446779
Journal Information:
Journal of Materials Research; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Materials Research; (USA) Vol. 5:9; ISSN JMREE; ISSN 0884-2914
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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