NUCLEATION AND GROWTH OF C-PARALLEL GRAINS IN COEVAPORATED SMBA2CU3OYFILMS

Co-evaporated SmBa(2)Cu(3)Oy thin films were investigated by means of Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy (STM), x-ray diffraction and Transmissi on Electron Microscopy (TEM). All films were predominantly oriented wi th their c-axis perpendicular (c perpendicular to) to the substrate, w ith small fractions of c parallel to grains. Although certain films se em to display a full coverage with c parallel to material when imaged by STM, our study does not support the existence of a critical thickne ss at which c perpendicular to growth switches to c parallel to growth . Furthermore, it was found that the volume fraction of c parallel to to c perpendicular to material increases with increasing supersaturati on, indicating that kinetic factors are important to understand the nu cleation and growth of c parallel to grains.