Excimer laser patterning of high-T/sub c/ superconducting thin films of YBCO

The patterning by excimer laser ablative etching of thin superconducting films of YBCO on MgO and fused silica substrates which were fabricated by laser sputtering is discussed. The etch rate as a function of laser fluence, wavelength, and number of pulses has been investigated. Although etched film surfaces were found to be considerably smoother than annealed films, the laser etching itself was found not to be a totally thermal process.<
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