PHOTOINDUCED SUPERCONDUCTING NANOWIRES IN GDBA2CU3O6.5 FILMS

We report the fabrication of high-T-c superconducting wires by photodo ping a GdBa2Cu3O6.5 thin film. An optical near-field probe was used to locally excite carriers in the system at room temperature. Trapping o f the photogenerated electrons define a confining potential for the co nducting holes in the CuO planes. Spatially resolved reflectance measu rements show the photogenerated nanowires to be similar to 250 nm wide . Electron diffusion, before electron capture, is believed to be respo nsible for the observed width of the wires. (C) 1998 American Institut e of Physics.