Effect of substrate defects on the properties of high Tc superconducting thin films

We studied the influence of substrate defects on the morphological and transport properties of Y1Ba2Cu3O(7-x) high-Tc superconducting thin films. The substrate defects were characterized by dispersive and nondispersive cathodoluminescence in the scanning electron microscope. The morphology of the films was studied by the secondary electrons and was locally compared with the substrate information. Defects in the substrate induced surface variations in the thin films. Current transport was correlated with the geometry of the substrate defects. (Author (revised))