Accurate microwave technique of surface resistance measurement of large-area HTS films using sapphire quasi-optical resonator

We have developed a surface resistance (R/sub s/) measurement technique for large-area high-temperature superconducting (HTS) films using quasioptical dielectric resonators (QDR) with HTS endplates (quasioptical Hakki-Coleman resonators). In this technique, the highest Q modes, namely whispering-gallery modes, in sapphire disk sandwiched between HTS films or between one HTS film and one Cu endplate are excited at K-band frequencies. The authors report on measurement results of surface resistance of 52 mm diameter high-quality YBCO thin films. The measurement results revealed that the technique is feasible for accurate R/sub s/-measurements of large-area thin films. The method is appropriate for standard measurement of R/sub s/ at millimeter wave frequencies by analogy with classic DR-based microwave technique, although QDR-based technique has some fundamental differences.