Preparation and Growth of Pb2Sr2Y0.5Ca0.5Cu3O8+δ Thin Film Superconductors

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe lead based superconductor Pb2Sr2Y0.5Ca0.5Cu3O8+δ is a most complex material. If any oxygen is present in the PbO-CuOδ-PbO sandwich layer (i.e. if δ>0) the superconductivity deteriorates. This is also a most difficult material to grow not only because of the large number of cation stoichiometries which have to be precisely balanced but also because of the tendency for multiple phases to form. Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) has been applied to prepare thin films of the 2213-phase on MgO (100) single crystal substrates at low temperature (300°C) in low oxidizing atmospheres. A basic set of ex-situ growth conditions has been determined which produce for the first time good quality films of this material as characterized by DC resistivity using the Van der Pauw method, as well as EDX and XRD. The layers are reasonably c-axis oriented and display a superconducting onset transition temperature of 79K and zero resistance at 65K after subsequent annealing in a nitrogen ambient.