Properties of NdBa2Cu3O7-delta thin film prepared by off-axis rf sputtering

Thin films of NdBa2Cu3O7-delta(NdBCO) were fabricated on SrTiO3 substrates by an off-axis rf sputtering. Disk shaped targets of 5 cm in diameter were prepared with stoichiometric composition of NdBCO by sintering at 1273 K in air. The sintered body was single phase and exhibited T-c(R=0)= 92 K The effects of several deposition parameters on the superconducting NdBCO thin films, e.g., gas pressure, substrate temperature, oxygen annealing process, and rf power were studied. The x-ray diffraction pattern showed the deposited thin films were highly c-axis oriented without any impurity phase. Thin films with T-c(R=0)=87 K could be obtained reproducibly at optimized conditions. Critical current density (J(c)) of the patterned thin film was 10(6)-10(7) A/cm(2) at low temperature. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.