Properties of ErNi2B2C superconducting thin films

Magnetic rare-earth (RE) borocarbide superconductors (RE-Ni2B2C) exhibit a wide variety of phenomena due to the interplay between their superconductin g and magnetic properties. Recently, high quality thin films of the 'non-ma gnetic' compound YNi2B2C were successfully obtained. in the present report, the 'in-situ' deposition of ErNi2B2C thin films by planar magnetron sputte ring is presented together with a comprehensive set of characterizations, i ncluding d.c. resistivity, critical current, magnetization, critical fields and quasiparticle density of states by low temperature scanning tunnel mic roscope (STM). Experimental data are compared with currently available resu lts on single crystals. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rig hts reserved.