Growth of YBa2Cu3O7−x thin films on Si with a CoSi2 buffer layer

Abstract

By using the pulsed laser deposition technique, high‐temperature superconducting YBa₂Cu₃O_7−x (YBCO) films were grown on Si(001) with a 36 nm single‐crystal 〈001〉 oriented CoSi₂ buffer layer. The films, grown at a substrate temperature of ∼700 °C, have a metallic resistive temperature dependence with zero resistance at 85 K. X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and ion channeling studies show that the YBCO films are polycrystalline but are strongly c‐axis oriented normal to the Si substrate. Diffusion at the interface between the YBCO film and silicide buffer layer was minimized. This is essential to the growth of high‐temperature superconducting films on Si substrates.