Superconductor film growth on LaGaO3 substrates by liquid phase epitaxy

Abstract
Growth conditions and solubility relations were investigated for controlled crystallization of YBa2Cu3O7−x and Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x films from KCl solutions. Applications were made to film growth by liquid phase epitaxy using the dipping process. Epipolished substrates of LaGaO3 with (001) orientations were employed. The micrometer thick films were identified by x ray to be of the correct phases. Furthermore, the polycrystalline films showed a highly preferred orientation with (001) of the films parallel to (001) of LaGaO3. The Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 film composition was superconducting as‐grown with a zero resistance Tc of 78 K and a ΔTc of 7 K, while the YBa2Cu3O7−x films required an oxidation for optimum properties.