Studies of growth, microstructure, Raman spectroscopy and annealing effect of pulsed laser deposited Ca-doped NBCO thin films

Superconducting thin films of Nd1-xCaxBa2Cu3O7-delta (x = 0.03 and 0.08) have been grown on single crystal SrTiO3 substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The statistical methods of Experimental Design and regression analysis were used to optimize the film properties and to understand the correlation between the growth parameters and film properties. The orientation of the films was investigated by x-ray diffraction. The surface morphology of the films was examined by atomic force microscopy and scanning tunnelling microscopy. Qualitative and quantitative elemental analyses of the films were carried out using electron probe microanalysis. Micro-Raman spectroscopy was used to study the oxygen sublattice vibrations of the films. The effect of annealing on the superconducting transition temperature of the patterned films was also studied.