Control of the growth mode of epitaxial c-axis YBa2Cu3O7-delta thin films by vicinal (001) SrTiO3 substrates

C-axis YBa2Cu3O7-delta (YBCO) thin films have been grown epitaxially in the step-flow mode with the increase of vicinal angle of the SrTiO3 substrates by pulsed laser deposition. However surface hollows/cracks occurred with i ncreasing angle, which disrupted the smoothness of the film surfaces. B red ucing the oxygenate pressure during the tetragonal-orthogonal structural ph ase transition, the YBCO films with smooth surface was formed, but the film s are superconducting at 60 K. These films have good metallic property henc e they can be employed as electrodes for ferroelectric hetero structures. ( C) 2001 Elsevier Science BN. All rights reserved.