Silver Buffer Layers for YBCO Thin Films

A simple economical conventional vacuum system was used for evaporation of YBCO thin films on as-deposited unbuffered Ag layers on MgO substrates. The subsequent heat treatment was carried out in low oxygen partial pressure at a relative low temperature and short dwelling time. The films thus obtained were characterized for electrical properties using dc four-probe electrical measurements and inspected for structural properties and chemical composition by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).