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Interface between gold and superconducting YBa2Cu3O7−x

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 March 2011

Siu-Wai Chan
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Engineering, Materials Science and Mining Engineering, Henry Krumb School of Mines. Columbia University, New York, New York 10027
Lie Zhao
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Engineering, Materials Science and Mining Engineering, Henry Krumb School of Mines. Columbia University, New York, New York 10027
C. Chen
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Engineering, Materials Science and Mining Engineering, Henry Krumb School of Mines. Columbia University, New York, New York 10027
Qi Li
Affiliation:
AFR, Inc., East Hariford, Connecticut 06108
D.B. Fenner
Affiliation:
AFR, Inc., East Hariford, Connecticut 06108
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Abstract

Gold (Au) and silver (Ag) are known to be important contact metals on YBa2Cu3O7−x (YBCO). Both metals have been used as additives in fabricating tapes of YBCO and Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 (BSCCO) materials, and have favorable results in improving not only the flexibility but also the weighted critical currents of the resulting composites. Previous results on superconductor/normal metal/superconductor junctions made using YBCO/Au/YBCO and YBCO/Au/Nb demonstrated that a supercurrent can be induced in the normal metal layers through the proximity effect. Our transmission electron microscopy study of the Au/YBCO interfaces shows a well-bonded interface with no extraneous phases present. Lattice fringes of the (001) plane in YBCO terminated at the interface abruptly. This observation supports previous results of contact resistance of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Both (001) integral steps and multiples of 1/3 (001) steps were observed at the Au/YBCO interface. When the top gold layer was absent locally, surface degradation was observed as the (001) lattice fringes stopped short from the surface by 10 nm. Our results support that Au is a desirable contact metal and a dependable surface passivation material for YBCO.

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Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1995

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