PREPARATION OF Y1BA2CU3O7 SUPERCONDUCTING THIN-FILMS BY RF MAGNETRON SPUTTERING

Y1Ba2Cu3O7 superconducting thin films have been prepared by radio frequency magnetron sputtering of a stoichiometric target using a two step process: deposition of an amorphous film followed by a thermal treatment at high temperature ( > 800-degrees-C). This paper describes the difficulties associated with this technique an the solutions which can be used to overcome them. Using a special configuration of the electrodes, near stoichiometric thin films have been grown over large areas. After crystallisation, thin films on YSZ, MgO and SrTiO3 substrates are superconducting with transitions widths less than 2 K. The best results have been obtained on SrTiO3 with a critical current density more than 10(6) A/cm2 at 77 K.