A FULLY AUTOMATED PULSED-LASER DEPOSITION SYSTEM FOR HTS MULTILAYER DEVICES

For the fabrication and development of high-temperature superconductin g (HTS) thin film devices, which often require multiple layers, it is essential to have control over all parameters during growth. Until rec ently, the overwhelming majority of film growth was controlled manuall y. We have found this fan often lead to error and irreproducibility. T o overcome these problems we have designed and constructed an automate d multitarget excimer pulsed laser deposition (PLD) system. We identif y key elements of the system that can be utilised to address many of t he problems currently encountered in HTS film growth. Optimisation usi ng Robust Design techniques has also been used in the identification o f principal parameters in growth of films and multilayers.