Application of the ionless tripod polisher to the preparation of YBCO superconducting multilayer and bulk ceramics thin films

The standard method of polishing using ion milling for cross-section preparation induces atomic diffusion which can be avoided by using an ionless polisher. The present paper gives the details of the method as applied to superconducting YBa2Cu3O7 melt-textured ceramics and multilayer thin films. The structure and chemistry of interfaces in this complex system are known to be influenced by changes in the chemical composition. Because of non-stoichiometry related growth of secondary phases, many secondary phases form. We present a technique, which allows preparation of electron-transparent TEM samples, that can be used for HREM and chemical characterizations.