CONDUCTIVE POLYMER HIGH-T-C SUPERCONDUCTOR BILAYER STRUCTURES

Electrochemical techniques are exploited to fabricate conductive polym er/high-T-c superconductor bilayer structures. Scanning electron micro scopy, x-ray fluorescence and electrochemical techniques are utilized to characterize the electrodeposition of polypyrrole layers grown onto oriented YBa2Cu3O7 thin films. In such hybrid polymer/superconductor systems, it is found that when the polymer is oxidized to its conducti ve state, the transition temperature (T-c) and critical current (J(c)) of the underlying superconductor film are suppressed. Here described are new methods for the fabrication of superconductor thin film layers which possess multiple points of weak electrical contact. Such weak l inks are very susceptible to the influence of external forces making t hem well suited for the creation of hybrid polymer/superconductor stru ctures. Moreover, measurements recorded as a function of temperature o f the polymer/superconductor interface resistance show dramatic decrea ses in resistivity at T-c. Collectively, these results are consistent with observations of conductive polymer proximity effects.