Growth mechanism of YBa2Cu3O7-delta thin films and precipitates on planar and vicinal SrTiO3 substrates

Effects of the vicinal angle, film thickness, and temperature on the growth modes, microstructures, and electrical properties of YBa2Cu3O7-delta on Sr TiO3 were studied. Island growth transition between the initial nucleation and the later coalescence stages was observed with film thickness on a plan ar SrTiO3, while no islands were observed at the later stage due to the ste p-flow mode. As the growth temperature increased, a-axis precipitates were transformed to c-axis precipitates (islands), while no islands formed on vi cinal SrTiO3. The supercurrent critical temperature was strongly related to the substrate vicinal angle due to the step-flow mode.