Yttrium-barium-copper-oxygen nanorods synthesized by laser ablation

Nanorods of yttrium-barium-copper-oxygen (YBCO) compound have been synthesi zed by laser ablation of a high T-c superconductor YBa2Cu3O7 in an oxygen a tmosphere. The YBCO nanorods were straight and with a uniform diameter. The diameters of the YBCO nanorods distributed between 18 and 96 nm with lengt hs up to several micrometers. Transmission electron microscopy showed that individual YBCO nanorods were single crystals with an orthorhombic lattice (a = 6.23, b = 9.62, c = 7.02 Angstrom) and their axis was along the [001] direction. The growth mechanism of YBCO nanorods is suggested to be similar to the oxide-assisted growth of Si nanowires. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B. V. All rights reserved.