PULSED-LASER DEPOSITION - A VERSATILE TECHNIQUE ONLY FOR HIGH-TEMPERATURE SUPERCONDUCTOR THIN-FILM DEPOSITION

One of the most stringent prerequisites for the successful deposition of high-temperature superconductor (HTS) thin films of high quality is the stoichiometry control. This prerequisite will be met easily using the pulsed laser deposition technique (PLD) by the nature of the proc ess. This paper highlights the principles of the preparation of Y-base d and Bi-based HTS thin films by PID, giving some emphasis to the stud y of the in-plane epitaxy of c-axis oriented films by X-ray techniques and Raman scattering. In particular, new results will be reviewed con cerning the fabrication and properties of Pr-substituted Y-Ba-Cu-O thi n films and Pr-Ba-Cu-O/Y-Ba-Cu-O superlattices with different periodic ity. Focussing on the more methodological aspects of these efforts, so me possibilities will be explored to prepare new complex materials of technological interest with the pulsed laser deposition technique.