Growth of high T c superconducting thin films using molecular beam epitaxy techniques

Abstract
Thin films of the high‐temperature superconductor DyBa2Cu3O7−x have been grown on SrTiO3 substrates using molecular beam epitaxy techniques. Reflection high‐energy electron diffraction patterns observed during deposition indicate incomplete oxidation of copper and growth of oriented metallic copper microcrystals in a matrix of amorphous barium and dysprosium oxides. After post‐growth anneal the films exhibited sharp superconducting transitions with zero resistance observed as high as 89 K and critical current densities of 4.8×105 A/cm2 at 4.2 K and 3.9×104 A/cm2 at 77 K.