PROPERTIES OF ERBA2CU3O7-X THIN-FILMS FORMED BY IONIZED CLUSTER BEAM DEPOSITION AT LOW-PRESSURE

The influence of chamber pressure on HTS film formation was studied in order to fabricate uniform large-area HTS films for application in co il or tape fabrication. As-deposited ErBa2Cu3O7-x Superconducting thin films were prepared by ionized cluster beam (ICB) deposition in a mix ture of 6 vol.% ozone in oxygen. X-ray diffraction studies showed that films with preferential c-axis orientation normal to the substrate su rface were formed at a total pressure as low as 1 X 10(-4) Torr. The p roperties of films formed at 1 x 10(-4) Torr were almost identical to those of films formed at 4 x 10(-4) Torr. Fabrication at lower pressur e reduced the source consumption significantly. As-deposited films pre pared on a 6 in. sample holder have a composition variation of no more than +/-5% and a zero resistance temperature of 78-80 K.