STRUCTURAL-PROPERTIES OF C-AXIS ORIENTED EPITAXIAL YBA2CU3O7-DELTA THIN-FILMS

C-axis oriented epitaxial YBa2Cu3O7-delta thin films (T-c of 88 K and J(c) of 10(7) A/cm(2) at 77K) were deposited on (100) MgO and SrTiO3 s ubstrates using magnetron sputtering. Their structural properties, stu died by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, Rutherford backscattering, and transmission electron micro scopy, will be reported. The TEM study indicates a high density of nan ometer-sized Y2O3 precipitates in these films, which can act as effect ive pinning centers and lead to the very large critical current densit ies observed in these films. (C) 1997 Academic Press Limited.