Microstructure and growth mechanisms of YBa2Cu3Ox films prepared by rf thermal plasma evaporation

Abstract
We prepared YBa2Cu3Ox films on (100) MgO and (100) SrTiO3 substrates by rf thermal plasma evaporation, and investigated microstructure and growth mechanisms of these films by observation of the surfaces using an AFM technique. As a result, 2D nucleation and further coalescence between vicinal grains were observed in the initial stage of growth. In the films prepared for a deposition time of 3 min, the different complex growth modes, including spiral growth, “birth and spread” growth, and 2D growth, were observed, which might be due to high growth rate over 55 nm/min of this process.