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Abstract: Normally, surface of c-axis oriented YBCO films grown by MOCVD are found to be populated by micron-sized outgrowths with elemental compositions such as Ba–Cu–O and Cu–O. For both low and high current applications with the YBCO films, these surface outgrowths should be eliminated. In this study, it is found that by using a simple processing technique of decreasing appropriately the sublimation temperature of the Cu-based precursor, the surface outgrowths can be essentially subdued. At the same time it is qualitatively predictable that J c of these smoother YBCO films will be lowered. However, experimentally, it is found that at appropriate YBCO film growth conditions, the lowered J c value is acceptable for most applications. Actually, a surface outgrowth covered YBCO film made by photo-assisted MOCVD, with film composition Y:Ba:Cu as 1:1.2:1.5, has its J c being 3.4MA/cm2 (0T, 77K). As composition of YBCO film is changed to 1:0.9:1.2 by lowering the sublimation rate of the Cu-based precursor, then there are no more outgrowths on surface, with its J c being 2.6MA/cm2. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: It is well-known that there is a relatively small temperature window for the growth of epitaxial and c-axis oriented YBCO thin films by various methods. In this study, this window was more precisely examined for YBCO film growths by photo-assisted MOCVD. At specified total reactor pressure of 4.6torr, and specified respective partial pressures for the oxidizing agents, O2 and N2O at 1.7torr and 1.1torr, the film growths were tested at several substrate temperature (T s) points from 780°C to 864°C. The film growth time for each test was 3min. As to compositional purity, purity in c-axis orientation, and crystal structural quality of these tested films by using photo-assisted MOCVD technique, it was found that for the growth of purely c-axis oriented YBCO thin films with high crystalline quality, the appropriate growth temperature range (or “T s window”) was from about 800°C to 830°C, at relevant pressures as specified above. T c and J c of a typical YBCO film sample grown within this “T s window”, i.e., 810°C, were found as 90K and 1.32MA/cm2 (77K, 0Oe) respectively by magnetization measurements. It is noticeable that this film, and other purely c-axis oriented YBCO films are all single-crystal like and dense, with no SEM visible grain boundary or void. The causes of precipitates found on top surface of these c-axis oriented YBCO films are also discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Superconducting YBa2Cu3O7− x thin films were deposited on LaAlO3 (100) substrates by a photo-assisted metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) technique. In our experiment, growth temperature, chamber pressure and growth time were all fixed; the only process variable was the susceptor inclination angle (Φ) between the axis of gas inlet and the susceptor surface. It was found that the growth rate of YBCO films increases monotonically as Φ increases, whereas the superconducting critical current density (J c) has a maximum (1.2×106 A/cm2) near Φ =22.5°. The experimental results were found to be well correlated with the three-dimensional simulations of gas flow inside the MOCVD reactor, with Φ being the only process variable. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]