Submicron-size fabrication of BSCCO thin films by using patterned substrates

Submicron-size Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O, (BSCC-0) structures of mesa patterns with dimensions of 0.3 μm x 0.3 μ and line patterns of 0.3 μm width were fabricated on patterned SrTiO₃ (001) substrates. These submicron-sized BSCCO structures were grown on patterned structures directly drawn by an focused ion beam (FIB) apparatus with a Ga ion beam accelerated at 30 kV. The c-axis oriented epitaxial BSCCO thin films were prepared by the molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) method on the patterned substrates with a thickness of 70 nm. The fine submicron-size BSCCO structures were obtained from the growth properties of the crystal, which favor the formation of (100), (010), (110) and (11-overbar0) facets. These patterns are free from damages from various etching processes.