Effect of Intermission in Layer-by-Layer Growth of Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+δ Thin Films on Nd:YAlO3(001)

Abstract
The intermission-time dependence of crystal structures and superconductivity has been investigated for Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+δ thin films. To stimulate surface migration of Cu atoms, an intermission has been inserted just after the deposition of Cu. The effect of the intermission appears in the low-angle X-ray diffraction and the transition temperature. It is found that the intermission improves the quality of the films, but a too-long intermission is bad for their superconductivity. The film prepared with the 30-s intermission shows an untwinned structure on the Nd:YAlO3(001) substrate and has the transition temperature at 82 K.