Growth of RE123 films from NiO-saturated solution by liquid phase epitaxy

We tried to apply NiO as a buffer layer to liquid phase epitaxy coated cond uctors on the Ni substrate. The Nio addition to the solution decreased the peritectic temperature of the Y123 and increased the crystallization temper ature of the Ba-Cu-Ni-O compound. This makes it difficult to grow the Y123 single phase from the NiO-saturated solution. Instead of Y123, we selected Sm123 or Nd123 that has a higher peritectic temperature than Y123, and conf irmed that Sm123 or Nd123 could be grown stably from the NiO-saturated solu tion. Because of its low T-c value of Sm123 or Nd123 grown from the NiO-sat urated solution, the (Y,Yb)123 layer should be epitaxially grown as the sup erconductive layer on it. Finally we succeeded in growing a Sm123 layer on a Ni substrate from the NiO-saturated solution, and confirmed the structure of NiO buffered system. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved .