Preparation of La2-xSrxCuO4 single-crystalline films by infrared-heated liquid phase epitaxial technique

We have designed a new liquid phase epitaxial (LPE) technique, infrared hea ted LPE (IR-LPE) technique, using no crucible to avoid a contamination from it. La2-xSrxCuO4 single-crystalline films were grown on the a(tetra)-axis- orientated bulk single crystals, of Zn- or Ni-doped La2CuO4 by the IR-LPE t echnique. La2-xSrxCuO4 single-crystalline films of the thickness 35-250 mum and of Sr content 0.08 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 0. 15 were obtained. The superconducting properties in the La2-xSrxCuO4 films we re improved to T-c,T-onset approximate to 36 K for x = 0.11, which is 10 K higher than that in the La2-xSrxCuO4 bulk single crystals. (C) 2001 Elsevie r Science B.V. All rights reserved.