Patterning thin film superconductors using focused beam techniques

Claim 1

A method for producing patterned films of superconductor materials comprising the steps of: preparing a solution from the neodecanoates of yttrium, barium, and copper, said metals form an oxide mixture exhibiting superconductive properties characterized by a ratio of yttrium to barium to copper of approximately 1:2:4, said solution comprising up to approximately 25 volume percent pyridine in xylene; depositing a film of said solution onto a substrate; exposing selective regions of said film to an electron beam in a substantially vacuum environment so that said exposed regions of said film become insoluble in a second organic solvent, said electron beam being focused to a beam diameter ranging between about 5 to 500 nanometers and an energy level ranging between about 20-50 keV, said electron beam emitting a dose of about 1200 micro-Coulombs per square centimeter; immersing said film into said second organic solvent so that said insoluble, exposed regions of said film remain on said substrate, said second organic solvent comprising primarily xylene; heating said film to a temperature of approximately 500° C. for a duration of approximately 5 minutes sufficient to thermally decompose said metal neodecanoates into a film containing metal oxides, but insufficient to significantly recrystallize said oxides; and heating said oxide film at a second temperature ranging between about 850° C. to about 1000° C. for a duration of up to about 60 minutes that is sufficient to promote recrystallization and grain growth of said metal oxides within said film and induce a change therein by which said film exhibits superconducting properties.

Claim 2

A method for producing patterned films of superconductor materials comprising the steps of: preparing a solution from the neodecanoates of yttrium, barium, and copper, said metals form an oxide mixture exhibiting superconductive properties characterized by a ratio of yttrium to barium to copper of approximately 1:2:4, said solution comprising up to approximately 25 volume percent pyridine in xylene; depositing a film of said solution onto a substrate; exposing selective regions of said film to an electron beam in a substantially vacuum environment so that said exposed regions of said film become insoluble in a second organic solvent, said electron beam being focused to a beam diameter ranging between about 5 to 500 nanometers and an energy level ranging between about 20-50 keV, said electron beam emitting a dose of about 1200 micro-Coulombs per square centimeter; immersing said film into said second organic solvent so that said insoluble, exposed regions of said film remain on said substrate, said second organic solvent comprising primarily xylene; heating said film to a temperature of approximately 500° C. for a duration of approximately 5 minutes sufficient to thermally decompose said metal neodecanoates into a film containing metal oxides, but insufficient to significantly recrystallize said oxides; and heating said oxide film at a second temperature ranging between about 850° C. to about 1000° C. for a duration of up to about 60 minutes that is sufficient to promote recrystallization and grain growth of said metal oxides within said film and induce a change therein by which said film exhibits superconducting properties.

Claim 4

A method for producing patterned films of superconductor materials comprising the steps of: preparing a solution from the neodecanoates of yttrium, barium, and copper, said metals form an oxide mixture exhibiting superconductive properties characterized by a ratio of yttrium to barium to copper of approximately 1:2:4, said solution comprising up to approximately 25 volume percent pyridine in xylene; depositing a film of said solution onto a substrate; exposing selective regions of said film to an ion beam in a substantially vacuum environment so that said exposed regions of said film become insoluble in a second organic solvent, said ion beam being generated from the group consisting of the elements oxygen, gallium, boron, phosphorus and silicon and having a beam diameter ranging from about 5 to about 1000 nanometers, an energy value ranging between about 10 to about 400 keV, and an ion dosage of about 10 13 to about 10 16 ions per square centimeter; immersing said film into said second organic solvent so that said insoluble, exposed regions of said film remain on said substrate, said second organic solvent comprising essentially xylene; heating said film at a temperature of about 500° C. for a duration of approximately five minutes sufficient to thermally decompose said metal neodecanoates into a film containing metal oxides, but insufficient to significantly recrystallize said oxides; and heating said oxide film at a second temperature ranging between about 850° C. to about 1000° C. for a duration of up to about 60 minutes sufficient to promote recrystallization and grain growth of said metal oxides within said film and induce a change therein by which said film exhibits superconducting properties.

Claim 5

A method for producing patterned films of superconductor materials comprising the steps of: preparing a solution from the neodecanoates of yttrium, barium, and copper, said metals form an oxide mixture exhibiting superconductive properties characterized by a ratio of yttrium to barium to copper of approximately 1:2:4, said solution comprising up to approximately 25 volume percent pyridine in xylene; depositing a film of said solution onto a substrate; exposing selective regions of said film to an ion beam in a substantially vacuum environment so that said exposed regions of said film become insoluble in a second organic solvent, said ion beam being generated from the group consisting of the elements oxygen, gallium, boron, phosphorus and silicon and having a beam diameter ranging from about 5 to about 1000 nanometers, an energy value ranging between about 10 to about 400 keV, and an ion dosage of about 10 13 to about 10 16 ions per square centimeter; immersing said film into said second organic solvent so that said insoluble, exposed regions of said film remain on said substrate, said second organic solvent comprising essentially xylene; heating said film at a temperature of about 500° C. for a duration of approximately five minutes sufficient to thermally decompose said metal neodecanoates into a film containing metal oxides, but insufficient to significantly recrystallize said oxides; and heating said oxide film at a second temperature ranging between about 850° C. to about 1000° C. for a duration of up to about 60 minutes sufficient to promote recrystallization and grain growth of said metal oxides within said film and induce a change therein by which said film exhibits superconducting properties.

Claim 7

A method for producing patterned films of superconductor materials comprising the steps of: preparing a solution from the neodecanoates of yttrium, barium, and copper, said metals form an oxide mixture exhibiting superconductive properties and characterized by a ratio of yttrium to barium to copper of 1:2;4, said solution comprising up to approximately 25 volume percent pyridine in xylene; depositing a film of said solution onto a substrate; exposing selective regions of said film to a laser beam in an oxygen-rich environment so that said exposed regions of said film become insoluble in a second organic solvent, said laser beam being having a beam diameter of approximately 6000 nanometers and emitted at approximately 515 nonometers wavelength from an argon laser source and an energy value ranging between about 0.1 to about 100 Watts; immersing said film into said second organic solvent so that said insoluble, exposed regions of said film remain on said substrate, said second organic solvent comprises essentially xylene; heating said film at a temperature of about 500° C. for a duration of approximately 5 minutes sufficient to thermally decompose said metal neodecanoates into a film containing metal oxides, but insufficient to significantly recrystallize said oxides; and heating said oxide film at a second temperature ranging between about 850° C. to about 1000° C. for a duration of up to about 60 minutes sufficient to promote recrystallization and grain growth of said metal oxides within said film and induce a change therein by which said film exhibits superconducting properties.

Claim 8

A method for producing patterned films of superconductor materials comprising the steps of: preparing a solution from the neodecanoates of yttrium, barium, and copper, said metals form an oxide mixture exhibiting superconductive properties and characterized by a ratio of yttrium to barium to copper of 1:2;4, said solution comprising up to approximately 25 volume percent pyridine in xylene; depositing a film of said solution onto a substrate; exposing selective regions of said film to a laser beam in an oxygen-rich environment so that said exposed regions of said film become insoluble in a second organic solvent, said laser beam being having a beam diameter of approximately 6000 nanometers and emitted at approximately 515 nonometers wavelength from an argon laser source and an energy value ranging between about 0.1 to about 100 Watts; immersing said film into said second organic solvent so that said insoluble, exposed regions of said film remain on said substrate, said second organic solvent comprises essentially xylene; heating said film at a temperature of about 500° C. for a duration of approximately 5 minutes sufficient to thermally decompose said metal neodecanoates into a film containing metal oxides, but insufficient to significantly recrystallize said oxides; and heating said oxide film at a second temperature ranging between about 850° C. to about 1000° C. for a duration of up to about 60 minutes sufficient to promote recrystallization and grain growth of said metal oxides within said film and induce a change therein by which said film exhibits superconducting properties.

Claim 10

A method for producing patterned films of superconductor materials comprising the steps of: preparing a solution from the neodecanoates of yttrium, barium, and copper, said metals form an oxide mixture exhibiting superconductive properties characterized by a ratio of yttrium to barium to copper of 1:2:4, said solution comprising up to approximately 25 volume percent pyridine in xylene; depositing a film of said solution onto a substrate; exposing selective regions of said film to a laser beam in an oxygen-rich environment, said laser beam operating at a temperature above approximately 450° C. but less than approximately 850° C. for a duration sufficient to thermally decompose said metal neodecanoates into a film containing metal oxides, so that said exposed regions of said film become insoluble in a second organic solvent, said laser beam being focused to a beam diameter of about 6000 nanometers and emitted at approximately 515 nanometers wavelength from an argon laser source and an energy value ranging between about 0.1 to about 100 watts; immersing said film into said second organic solvent so that said insoluble, exposed regions of said film remain on said substrate, said second organic solvent comprising essentially xylene; and heating said oxide film at a second temperature ranging between about 850° C. to about 1000° C. for a duration of up to approximately 60 minutes sufficient to promote recrystallization and grain growth of said metal oxides within said film and induce a change therein by which said film exhibits superconducting properties.

Claim 11

A method for producing patterned films of superconductor materials comprising the steps of: preparing a solution from the neodecanoates of yttrium, barium, and copper, said metals form an oxide mixture exhibiting superconductive properties characterized by a ratio of yttrium to barium to copper of 1:2:4, said solution comprising up to approximately 25 volume percent pyridine in xylene; depositing a film of said solution onto a substrate; exposing selective regions of said film to a laser beam in an oxygen-rich environment, said laser beam operating at a temperature above approximately 450° C. but less than approximately 850° C. for a duration sufficient to thermally decompose said metal neodecanoates into a film containing metal oxides, so that said exposed regions of said film become insoluble in a second organic solvent, said laser beam being focused to a beam diameter of about 6000 nanometers and emitted at approximately 515 nanometers wavelength from an argon laser source and an energy value ranging between about 0.1 to about 100 watts; immersing said film into said second organic solvent so that said insoluble, exposed regions of said film remain on said substrate, said second organic solvent comprising essentially xylene; and heating said oxide film at a second temperature ranging between about 850° C. to about 1000° C. for a duration of up to approximately 60 minutes sufficient to promote recrystallization and grain growth of said metal oxides within said film and induce a change therein by which said film exhibits superconducting properties.