DEPENDENCE OF THE CRITICAL-TEMPERATURE ON N IN (BACUO2)(2) (CACUO2)(N) SUPERLATTICES/

(BaCuO2)(2)/(CaCuO2)(n) superconducting superlattices have been grown by pulsed laser deposition for n ranging from 1 to 6. The critical tem perature was found to depend strongly on the growth conditions. A maxi mum T-c value of about 80 K (zero resistance temperature) was found fo r superlattices grown at high oxygen pressure (P-O2 similar or equal t o 0.8 mbar) and relatively high temperature (T-g similar or equal to 6 00 degrees C). The dependence of T-c on the number n of CaCuO2 layers (for superlattices grown exactly in the same conditions) was investiga ted. T-c versus n showed the expected behavior with a maximum T-c valu e of 80 K for n = 2-3. However, such value is somewhat lower than that expected for a cuprate structure containing 3-4 CuO2 planes and havin g an optimum carrier concentration. Two possible explanations for this effect can be envisaged. The first one deals with the chemistry of th e ''charge reservoir'' block, the second one with the special role of interelectron interaction in these highly disordered artificial struct ures. Finally, it is shown that, taking into account the degree of dis order, a shift of T-c of about 20 K relative to the bulk value T-c0, c onsistent with the microscopic parameters of these materials, can be f oreseen. [S0163-1829(98)51334-3].