Effects of deposition conditions on the superconducting properties of r.f. and d.c. magnetron sputter-deposited YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x films

Thin films of YBa2Cu3O7-x were r.f. and d.c. magnetron sputter deposited onto silicon, Al2O3, MgO, BaTiO3 and SrTiO3 substrates at up to 700°C from a stoichiometric oxide target in an argon and O2 mixture. Stoichiometric films were obtained using a substrate-to-target configuration so that bombardment of the growing film by energetic particles is minimized. These films show an ending Tc of about 87 K when deposited on SrTiO3(100) at 300°C and after annealing in flowing O2 at 900°C for about 1 min, or an ending Tc of 76 K when deposited on Si(100) at 650°C without further high temperature treatments. The effects of substrate, deposition temperature, and substrate bias on the superconducting properties of these films are presented. © 1988.