Ion beam patterning of spin-on metallo-organic precursors and formation of High T sub c superconductors.

A new technique using ion beams to produce patterned thin films of the high temperature perovskite superconductor YBa sub 2 Cu sub 3 O sub (7-x) from spin-on metallo-organic precursors is described. Spin-coated precursor films are irradiated through a stencil mask with 2.5 MeV He sup + ions, developed in solvent to remove unexposed material and the remaining patterns pyrolyzed. Black films of YBa sub 2 Cu sub 3 O sub (7-x) with pattern dimensions on the millimeter scale exhibit orientation with the c-axis perpendicular to the film at heat treatments of 990C for 3 minutes. The superconducting behavior of a highly oriented ~0.4micron thick patterned film is characterized by onset of the superconducting transition at 84K and zero resistivity at 68K.