Electrical properties of laser deposited YBa2Cu3O7−δ films on silicon wafers

YBa2Cu3O7−δ (YBCO) thin films were deposited on n-type (100) silicon wafers with yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) buffer layers by a laser ablation technique. The YSZ layer had a thickness of about 60 nm, and was oriented preferentially in the (100) direction. The YBCO films were found to be preferentially (001) oriented, and had a superconducting critical temperature (Tc) above 85 K. Pure gold ohmic contacts were made on both sides of the YBCO/YSZ/Si structure and its I-V characteristics revealed a diode behavior. The turn-on and breakdown voltages are 1.3 and 20.34 V, respectively, at temperatures below the Tc. The ideality factor η had values of 13, 9.5 and 7 at room temperature, 100 and 50 K, respectively. Better superconductivity, lower operation temperature, and thinner buffer layers would result in better rectification.