A Versatile new Metallo-Organic Spin-on Process for Preparing Superconducting Thin films

ABSTRACTA new metallo-organic spin-on technique is described for producing thin films of the high temperature perovskite superconductors, LnBa2Cu3O7−x, where Ln represents a rare earth element. Pyrolysis of the spin-coated films leads to black films up to several microns thick whose degree of orientation is a function of the processing temperature and duration. Representative films of YBa2Cu3O7−x on MgO begin to exhibit orientation with the c-axis perpendicular to the film at heat treatments above 900 'C. The superconducting behavior of a highly oriented film produced at 990 ° C is characterized by Tc (onset) = 89 K, Tc (R=0) = 77 K and Jc = 104 amp cm-2 at 65 K.