Large critical current densities in YBa2Cu3O7-x thin films formed by plasma-enhanced metalorganic chemical vapor deposition at reduced temperature
YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) superconducting thin films with a critical current density exceeding 1 x 106 A/cm2 at 77.7 K were prepared by a plasma-enhanced metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (PE-MOCVD) process. The thin films (130 nm thick) were formed in-situ on LaAlO3 substrates at a temperature of 670‡ C in 2 Torr partial pressure of activated N2O. Resistivity and magnetic susceptibility measurements of the as-deposited films show a sharp superconducting transition temperature of 89.8 K. Critical current densities were measured by the dc transport method with a patterned bridge of 120 × 40 Μm. Both x-ray diffraction and high resolution electron microscopy measurements indicate that films grew epitaxially with the c-axis perpendicular to the surface of the substrate.