Growth and properties of laser-ablated Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_8+#delta# thin films

Thin films of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+delta have been fabricated by laser ablation on single crystal M(g)O (001), LaAlO3 (001) and NdGaO3 (001) substrates. The superconducting transition temperature T(C0) is above 80 K with critical current densities of 4 x 10(5) A/cm2 at 55 K. The structure and morphology of the films were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, scanning tunnel microscopy and X-ray diffraction.

All films show c-axis orientation with a texture of less than 0.2-degrees. Films deposited on MgO (001) are mostly randomly oriented in the a, b-plane although preferential orientations with rotational angles of 11.5-degrees and 45-degrees were observed close to the substrate/film interface. On LaAlO3 (001) and NdGaO3 (001) substrates the a, b-plane orientation is improved and about half of the film is epitaxially oriented.