Synthesis of superconductors from metal neodecanoates

Abstract

Metal-organic precursors can facilitate the production of superconducting thin films on large area substrates for microelectronic device applications. This paper describes the chemistry that occurs during the thermal processing of yttrium-, barium-, and copper-neodecanoate mixtures into a superconducting material, YBa2Cu3O7−x. Intermediates such as metal carbonates and oxides are identified by combining thermogravimetry with infrared spectral and x-ray diffraction analysis. Changing from argon to oxygen atmospheres increased decomposition rates and metal oxide formation. We found that (1) a low temperature (500–600 °C) decomposition in an oxygen-poor atmosphere, (2) a high temperature (>925 °C) annealing step in an oxygen-rich atmosphere, and (3) slow cooling to 50 °C are all required to produce uniform superconducting films.