As-Deposited Sb-Doped Bi-Pb-Sr-Ca-Cu-O Thin-Films Prepared by Pulsed Laser Deposition

Superconducting Bi‐Pb‐Sr‐Ca‐Cu‐O films doped with Sb have been fabricated on MgO single‐crystal substrates without post‐annealing, using pulsed excimer laser deposition. Deposition at 800 °C in 0.2 Torr oxygen environment from a target doped with Sb yielded as‐deposited superconducting films with zero resistance at 70 K. X‐ray diffraction data show the films are c‐axis oriented 2212 phase material. Scanning electron micrographs indicate that doping with Sb enhances grain growth. These results demonstrate that Sb acts to stabilize the 2212 phase in the as‐deposited films.