A low-oxygen-pressure annealing process which enables fluorine to be removed from YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub x/ thin films prepared by sequential deposition of BaF/sub 2/, Cu, and Y constituents onto MgO single-crystal substrates has been examined. The annealing process is performed in the absence of water vapor. X-ray diffraction and Auger electron spectroscopy analyses of films obtained at various steps during the annealing have shown that the reduction of fluorine starts during the first stages of annealing. Possible chemical reactions characterizing this process are discussed.<
Published in:
Applied Superconductivity, IEEE Transactions on
(Volume:3
,
Issue:
1
)
Date of Publication: March 1993