Surface resistance measurements of HTS thin films using SLAO dielectric resonator

Surface resistance of HTS films is typically measured using sapphire dielectric rod resonators enclosed in a copper cavity. In this paper we present surface resistance measurements of YBa₂Cu₃O₇ films using strontium lanthanum aluminate (SLAO) at a resonant frequency of 18.2 GHz. We have performed the error analysis of the cavity loaded with SLAO dielectric rod and also verification measurements using two sapphire (Al₂O₃) rod resonators operating at resonant frequencies of 24.6 GHz and 10 GHz respectively. Good agreement between the values of R_s of two sets of YBCO films measured using the SLAO and the sapphire dielectrics has been obtained after a frequency scaling of R_s was applied. Using different dielectric rods of the same size in the same cavity for measurements of R_s of HTS films it is feasible to do microwave characterization of the same films at differing frequencies.