Josephson behaviour and flux penetration effects in YBCO double tilt-angle step-edge junctions

YBCO thin-film step-edge junctions have been prepared whose characteristics show features corresponding to the two tilt-angle grain-boundary junctions formed at the step. The I-V characteristics of these junctions are fitted to high accuracy by a model consisting of two noisy resistively-shunted Josephson junctions. In applied magnetic fields up to a few hundred microtesla, both junction critical currents show reversible flux modulation, in one case indicating excellent uniformity of the critical current distribution along the step. In stronger magnetic fields, the junction critical current modulation shows evidence of flux penetration into the film, i.e. the mixed state. Taking demagnetising effects into account the lower critical field of YBCO at 77 K, /spl mu//sub 0/H/sub e1,e/, is found to be 12 mT.<>