Structural and superconducting properties of biaxially aligned Yb123 films prepared by chemical solution deposition

We have succeeded in preparing in-plane aligned YbBa2Cu3O7-delta (Yb123) films by chemical solution deposition (CSD) processing. A homogeneous coating solution having a molar ratio of Yb:Ba:Cu = 1:2:3 was prepared by dissolving metal naphthenates in toluene. This solution was spin-coated onto the SrTiO3(100) and MgO(100) substrates. The coated films were calcined at 425 degrees C to decompose their organic components. The precursor films were fired under low oxygen partial pressure (pO(2)). The Yb123 films showed strong (00n) peaks which correspond to c-axis orientation perpendicular to the substrates and their a/b-axis were in-plane aligned. The T-c,T-zero values of the films prepared on SrTiO3(100) were over 89 K, which are comparable to the results on typical YBa2Cu3O7-delta (Y123) films. Typical J(c) values were about 10(5) A/cm(2) at 77 K, 0 T. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.