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Reports on the preparation of platinum-silicon (Pt/Si) alloys over a wide composition range by reactive magnetron sputtering of platinum in a SiH[sub4] plasma. Technique used to measure the stoichiometry of the alloy deposits; Variation of Si/Pt ratio in the film as a function of flow rate of silane for cathode voltages; X-ray diffraction patterns of the films deposited at room temperature containing several amounts of Pt.

The low-pressure activated reactive evaporation process was used successfully to grow superconducting thin films that were uniform in thickness, free of cracks, voids, spits, and other source-related defects, and with mirror-like surface smoothness. These are important considerations for the practical use of these materials in thin-film form. No post-deposition annealing was carried out. Tc (0) for films on yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) substrates is close to 80 K, and the (001) preferred orientation was observed with higher deposition temperatures in the range 550–650 °C. Films on silicon and sapphire substrates were adversely affected by interdiffusion, showing a Tc (0) of 56 and 72 K, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]