Growth of in-plane textured LuNi2B2C thin films: correlation among structural, morphological and electrical properties

Thin films of the intermetallic superconducting compound LuNi2B2C have been prepared by pulsed laser ablation, and different deposition parameters (su bstrate temperature, target-substrate distance, laser beam energy density a nd thickness) have been the subject of extensive studies to optimize growth . The best samples show electrical properties similar to those of single cr ystals (T-c = 16.4 K, DeltaT(c) = 0.3 K, RRR = 13), are strongly c-axis-ori ented, and present a high density of in-plane-oriented surface structures. This in-plane texturing is found only in films some thousands of angstrom t hick, while if the thickness is reduced below 1000-1500 Angstrom, the sampl es are very flat, but there is no evidence of in-plane texturing.