Title :
Laser patterning of metal oxide superconductor films by reactive solid-state transformation
Author :
Rothschild, M. ; Sedlacek, J.H.C. ; Black, J.G. ; Ehrlich, D.J.
Author_Institution :
MIT Lincoln Lab., Lexington, MA, USA
Abstract :
A planar submicrometer-resolution patterning method has been developed for fabrication of thin-film Ba/sub 2/YCu/sub 3/O/sub x/ devices without photoresist, water, or solvent exposure. The method is based on a rapid transformation from the superconductive to a dielectric phase. The phase change is induced by controlled changes in the oxygen stoichiometry which are induced thermally by local-area laser irradiation of the thin film in a gaseous ambient. Both extended-area pattern projection and scanned-beam direct writing have been demonstrated with a spatial resolution in the submicrometer range and are presently limited by the grain size of available films. Negligible thickness loss is observed in patterning. The method circumvents lithographic techniques which tend to degrade the electronic quality of Ba/sub 2/YCu/sub 3/O/sub x/ superconductors.<>
Keywords :
barium compounds; laser beam applications; solid-state phase transformations; superconducting junction devices; superconducting thin films; type II superconductors; yttrium compounds; Ba/sub 2/YCu/sub 3/O/sub x/ devices; Y-Ba-Cu-O; dielectric phase; electronic quality; extended-area pattern projection; fabrication; gaseous ambient; grain size; high temperature superconductor; laser patterning; local-area laser irradiation; metal oxide superconductor films; planar submicrometer-resolution patterning method; reactive solid-state transformation; scanned-beam direct writing; spatial resolution; stoichiometry; thickness loss; thin-film; Dielectric thin films; Gas lasers; Optical control; Optical device fabrication; Resists; Solvents; Superconducting films; Superconducting thin films; Superconductivity; Thin film devices;
Journal_Title :
Electron Device Letters, IEEE
