SIMS OF Y1BA2CU3O7-X AND (BI,PB)2SR2CA2CU3O10+DELTA SUPERCONDUCTORS

Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) of Y1Ba2Cu3O7-x and (Bi0.92,Pb0.17)2Sr1.91Ca2.03Cu3.06O10+delta superconducting materials has been studied. It has been found that the variation of secondary ion yield with respect to the bombarding ion energy, in general, shows a broad peak, whose location depends on the ion-target combination. A similar nature was observed earlier for polycrystalline metals. The decline in the secondary ion yield beyond the maximum in the case of these high-T(c) materials is explained as being due to the ion-induced texturing, as already reported for metal targets. Emission of individual ionic species has been explained in the light of crystallographic structures of the high-T(c) materials.