LARGE AREA PLASMA SPRAY DEPOSITED SUPERCONDUCTING YBa₂Cu₃O₇ THICK FILMS

Abstract

This work demonstrates the feasibility of depositing superconducting YBa2Cu3O7, thick films over large areas. Films of thickness ranging from 10 μm to 250 μm, were deposited by the plasma spray process using ceramic YBa2Cu3O7 powder as the source material. The deposition conditions such as plasma parameters and substrate temperature, as well as post‐deposition treatment of films were varied in order to obtain the superconducting oxide phase. A variety of substrate materials of various shapes were successfully coated and the crystalline structure, morphology and the electron transport characteristics in the films are reported. The phases present in the source powders, and the as deposited and annealed films was examined by x‐ray diffraction. Coatings on copper substrates show a superconducting transition with the onset at 94 K, mid‐point at 91 K, and completion at 84 K. 1987 The American Ceramic Society