In situ single chamber laser processing of YBa2Cu3O7−δ superconducting thin films on Si (100) with yttria-stabilized zirconia buffer layers

Abstract

In situ pulsed excimer laser processing of high T_c YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ films on Si (100) substrates with yttria‐stabilized zirconia (YSZ) buffer layers, has been carried out for the first time using a multitarget deposition system. Both YSZ and YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ layers were deposited sequentially using a KrF excimer laser (λ=248 nm) at substrate temperature of 650 °C. The morphology and structure of the buffer layers and YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ films were determined using x‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy techniques. The superconducting transition temperature T_c (onset) of 90 K and T_c0 (zero resistance) of 82 K were achieved for YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ thin films on Si with YSZ buffer layers. An interesting result of this study was that good quality, highly textured YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ films with the c axis perpendicular to the substrate could be grown on single crystal as well as polycrystalline textured YSZ layers deposited on silicon substrates.