Atomically layered heteroepitaxial growth of single-crystal films of superconducting Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox.

Atomic layering of high-temperature superconducting compounds has been employed to grow films of Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox, in situ, on SrTiO3 substrates. Atomic monolayers of the constituent atoms were sequentially deposited by shuttering the fluxes from thermal effusion cells, and oxidation of the film was accomplished using a beam of ozone. The films were superconducting as-grown, with complete resistive transitions as high as 86 K. Moreover, reflection high-energy electron diffraction patterns observed during growth, as well as post-growth analysis by x-ray diffraction and high-resolution scanning electron micrography, indicate the films to be single crystal and heteroepitaxial, with in-plane a-b twinning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]