The Enhancement of Superconducting ${\rm YBa}_{2}{\rm Cu}_{3}{\rm O}_{7-{\rm x}}$ Thin Films by Electric Field Application During Deposition

The effect of applying a high electric field in-situ during the deposition and growth of YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x (YBCO) thin films is investigated. The YBCO films are deposited from a stoichiometric YBCO target by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on (100) MgO single crystal substrates at 726degC, in an oxygen atmosphere. The electric field is generated by applying an electric potential to a metal electrode placed in close proximity to the surface of the substrate. The substrate and deposition chamber are grounded. Proper insulation of the electrode is extremely important in order to avoid arc discharge in the deposition chamber. The quality of the YBCO thin films grown was enhanced by the application of the electric field. These thin films showed higher superconducting transition temperatures and narrower transition widths. This technique can therefore prove useful for producing high quality thin films needed for junctions and multilayer devices.