Effect of electric fields on the amorphous state double right arrow crystal transition in BiPbSrCaCuO (2223) films

Results of studying the influence of electric fields on the structure and e lectrical properties of BiPbSrCaCuO (2223) films undergoing the transition from the amorphous to a crystalline state are discussed. It is shown that p assing a current through the samples during high-temperature annealing subs tantially increases the growth anisotropy, improves the quality of the text ure, and increases the electrical conductivity of the films by between one and five orders of magnitude compared with control samples. It is concluded that the mechanism is attributable to carrier transport in (001) type plan es, which facilitates changes in the atomic order. Unlike in the control sa mples, this family of planes plays a leading role in structural transformat ions. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S1063-7850(99)02901-8].