Growth of BiSrCaCuO thin films by MOCVD

Thermodynamic analysis of the system Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O-C-H-Ar using the Gibbs e nergy minimization method was performed to propose feasible deposition cond itions for the growth of superconducting Bi-2212 films. The results show th at the films containing Bi-2212 can be prepared at temperatures above 1000 K under reduced pressure with the input ratio Bi:Sr:Ca:Cu close to 2:2:1:2. The growth experiments were carried out in a cold-wall RF-heated quartz re actor at temperatures of 800 and 850 degrees C and a total pressure of 1 kP a. 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionates of Cu, Ca and Sr and triphenylbi smuth were used as metal precursors. The films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, electron microprobe analysis and scanning electron microscopy. The highest critical temperature determined by measuring the AC magnetic r esponse was 71 K. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.