Patent US5157466A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5157466A
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Grain boundary junctions in high temperature superconductor films
Assignee: Silicon Valley Bank Inc
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Filing: 1991-03-19
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Granted: 1992-10-20
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Expires: 2011-03-19
Abstract
Abstract Grain boundary, weak-link junctions are formed at a predermined location of a uniform, planar substrate by depositing superconducting film on two sections of the substrate. The film is grown as a bicrystal having two distinct areas of superconducting film whose crystal lattices are rotated with respect to each other, either in-plane or out-of-plane, by more than 5° and less than 90°. The grain boundary acts as a weak link junction. The film can be induced to grow as a bicrystal by depositing intermediate strata such as seed layers or buffer layers or by modifying the growth conditions during deposition.
Inventors
- 👤 Kookrin Char
- 👤 Stephen M. Garrison
- 👤 Nathan Newman
- 👤 Gregory G. Zaharchuk
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 21:46
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10N; H10N60/00; H10N60/01; H10N60/0912; H10N60/0941; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S505/00; Y10S505/70; Y10S505/701; Y10S505/702
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
130 words
A structure comprising a first vertical region and a second vertical region adjacent said first region, and a border between said first region and said second region, a uniform substrate having a planar surface extending into both of said regions, one or more intermediate layers overlying said substrate, at least one of said intermediate layers comprising a seed layer which overlies said substrate in said first region only, a superconducting film overlying said substrate and said intermediate layers, said superconducting film in said first region having a different crystal orientation than said superconducting film in said second region, a weak-link junction formed in said superconducting film by the mismatch in orientation along said border between said superconducting layer in said first region and said superconducting layer in said second region.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
130 words
A structure comprising a first vertical region and a second vertical region adjacent said first region, and a border between said first region and said second region, a uniform substrate having a planar surface extending into both of said regions, one or more intermediate layers overlying said substrate, at least one of said intermediate layers comprising a seed layer which overlies said substrate in said first region only, a superconducting film overlying said substrate and said intermediate layers, said superconducting film in said first region having a different crystal orientation than said superconducting film in said second region, a weak-link junction formed in said superconducting film by the mismatch in orientation along said border between said superconducting layer in said first region and said superconducting layer in said second region.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein said seed layer in said first region is effective to cause the crystal orientation of said superconducting layer in said first region to differ from the crystal orientation of said superconducting layer in said second region.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The structure of claim 2 wherein said intermediate layers comprise one or more seed layers overlying said substrate in said first region, and said superconducting film overlies said seed layers in said first region, and said superconducting film overlies said substrate in said second region.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
62 words
The structure of claim 3 wherein said substrate is yttria-stabilized zirconia having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001), and said seed layer is yttrium barium copper oxide having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001), and said superconducting layer is yttrium barium copper oxide having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) in said first region and having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) in said second region.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
62 words
The structure of claim 3 wherein said substrate is yttria-stabilized zirconia having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001), and said seed layer is yttrium barium copper oxide having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001), and said superconducting layer is yttrium barium copper oxide having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) in said first region and having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) in said second region.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
82 words
The structure of claim 3 wherein said substrate is yttria-stabilized zirconia having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001), said seed layer is strontium titanate having the crystallographic orientation denote d(110), and said superconducting layer is yttrium barium copper oxide having a crystallographic orientation chosen form the group consisting of the orientation denoted (110) and the orientation denoted (103) and a mixture of the orientations denote (110) and (103) in said first region and having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001) in said second region.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
83 words
The structure of claim 3 wherein said substrate is chosen form the group consisting of strontium titanate having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) and lanthanum aluminate having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) and calcium titanate having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001), said seed layer is yttria-stabilized zirconia having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001), and said superconducting layer is yttrium barium copper oxide having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001) in said first region and having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) in said second region.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
60 words
The structure of claim 2 wherein said intermediate layers comprise one or more seed layers overlying said substrate in said first region, and one or more buffer layers overlying said seed layers in said first region and overlying said substrate in said second region, and said superconducting film overlies said buffer in said first region and in said second region.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
85 words
The structure of claim 8 wherein said substrate is r-plane alumina having the crystallographic orientation denoted [2021](1102), said seed layer is magnesia having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001), said buffer layer is strontium titanate having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001) in said first region and having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) in said second region, and said superconducting layer is yttrium barium copper oxide having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001) in said first region and having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) in said second region.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
98 words
The structure of claim 8 wherein said substrate is r-plane alumina having the crystallographic orientation denoted [2021](1102), said seed layer is strontium titantate having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001), said buffer layer is magnesia having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) in said first region and having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001) in said second region underlying strontium titanate having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) in said second region, and said superconducting layer is yttrium barium copper oxide having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) in said first region and having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001) in said second region.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
138 words
The structure of claim 8 wherein said substrate is r-plane alumina having the crystallographic orientation denoted [2021](1102), said seed layer is magnesia having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001), said buffer layer is chosen from the group consisting of strontium titanate having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001) in said first region and having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) in said second region, lanthanum aluminate having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001) in said first region and having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) in said second region, and calcium titanate having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001) in said first region and having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) in said second region, and said superconducting layer is yttrium barium copper oxide having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001) in said first region and having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) in said second region.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
100 words
The structure of claim 8 wherein said substrate is r-plane alumina having the crystallographic orientation denoted [2021](1102), said seed layer is chosen from the group consisting of strontium titanate having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) and calcium titanate having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001), said buffer layer is magnesia having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) in said first region and having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001) in said second region, and said superconducting layer is yttrium barium copper oxide having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) in said first region and having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001) in said second region.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
99 words
The structure of claim 8 wherein said substrate is r-plane alumina having the crystallographic orientation denoted [2021](1102), said seed layer is yttria-stabilized zirconia having the crystallographic orientation denoted (001), said buffer layer is strontium titanate having the crystallographic orientation denoted (110) in said first region and having the crystallographic orientation denoted (001) in said second region, and said superconducting layer is yttrium barium copper oxide having a crystallographic orientation chosen from the group consisting of the orientation denoted (110) and the orientation denoted (103) in said first region and having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001) in said second region.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
78 words
The structure of claim 2 wherein said intermediate layers comprise one or more seed layers overlying said substrate in said first region, and one or more buffer layers overlying said seed layers in said first region only, and one or more second buffer layers overlying said first buffer layers in said first region and overlying said substrate in said second region, and said superconducting film overlies said buffer layers in said first region and in said second region.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
99 words
The structure of claim 8 wherein said substrate is r-plane alumina having the crystallographic orientation denoted [2021](1102), said seed layer is magnesia having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001) said first buffer layer is strontium titanate having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001), said second buffer layer is strontium titanate having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001) in said first region and having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) in said second region, and said superconducting layer is yttrium barium copper oxide having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001) in said first region and having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) in said second region.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
151 words
The structure of claim 14 wherein said substrate is r-plane alumina having the crystallographic orientation denoted [2021](1102), said seed layer is magnesia having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001) said first buffer layer is strontium titanate having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001), said second buffer layer is chosen from the consisting of strontium titanate having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001) in said first region and having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) in said second region, lanthanum aluminate having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001) in said first region and having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) in said second region, and calcium titanate having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001) in said first region and having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) in said second region, and said superconducting layer is yttrium barium copper oxide having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001) in said first region and having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) in said second region.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
65 words
The structure of claim 2 wherein said intermediate layers comprise one or more buffer layers overlying said substrate in said first region and in said second region, and one or more buffer layers overlying said buffer layers in said first region, and said superconducting film overlies said seed layers in said first region, and said superconducting film overlies said buffer layers in said second region.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
85 words
The structure of claim 2 wherein said intermediate layers comprise one or more first buffer layers overlying said substrate in said first region and in said second region, and one or more seed layers overlying said first buffer layers in said first region, and one or more second buffer layers overlying said seed layers in said first region and said first buffer layers in said second region, and said superconducting film overlies said second buffer layers in said first region and in said second region.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
55 words
The structure of claim 2 wherein said intermediate layers comprise one or more seed layers overlying said substrate in said first region, and one or more seed layers overlying said substrate in said second region, and said superconducting film overlies said seed layers in said first region and said seed layers in said second region.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
73 words
The structure of claim 19 wherein said substrate is yttria-stabilized zirconia having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001), said seed layer in said first region is yttrium barium copper oxide having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001), said seed layer in said second region is yttrium barium copper oxide having the crystallographic orientation dioxide having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) in said first region, and having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001) in said second region.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
75 words
The structure of claim 2 wherein said intermediate layers comprise one or more first buffer layers overlying said substrate in said first region, and one or more seed layers overlying said substrate in said second region, and one or more buffer layers overlying said seed layers in said first region and said seed layers in said second region, and said superconducting film overlies said buffer layers in said first region and in said second region.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
110 words
The structure of claim 2 wherein said substrate is yttria-stabilized zirconia having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001), said seed layer in said first region is yttrium barium copper oxide having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001), said seed layer in said second region is yttrium barium copper oxide having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001), said buffer layer is strontium titanate having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) in said first region and having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) in said second region, and said superconducting layer is yttrium barium copper oxide having the crystallographic orientation denoted [100](001) in said first region, and having the crystallographic orientation denoted [110](001) in said second region.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
93 words
The structure of claim 2 wherein said intermediate layers comprise one or more first buffer layers overlying said substrate in said first region and in said second region, and one or more seed layers overlying said substrate in said first region, and one or more seed layers overlying said substrate in said second region, and one or more buffer layers overlying said seed layers in said first region and said seed layers in said second region, and said superconducting film overlies said buffer layers in said first region and in said second region.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
The structure of claim 2 wherein one or more of said intermediate layers overlies the layer immediately beneath it to an average thickness of one atomic monolayer or less.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
25 words
The structure of claim 2 wherein the surface of said intermediate layers make an angle of less than 45° with the surface of the substrate.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
The structure of claim 2 wherein the surface of said intermediate layers make an angle of less than 10° with the surface of the substrate.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
The structure of claim 2 wherein said superconducting layer consists of an oxide material having a superconducting transition temperature higher than 15K.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
23 words
The structure of claim 27 wherein said oxide material is chosen form a group consisting of mixed metal cuprates and mixed metal bismuthates.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
The structure of claim 2 wherein said mismatch in orientation is greater than 5° and less than 90°.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
14 words
The structure of claim 2 wherein said mismatch in orientation is equal to 45°.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
19 words
The structure of claim 2 in which said border is selectively positioned to define said first and second regions.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
24 words
The structure of claim 31 in which a plurality of adjacent first and second regions with borders therebetween are selectively positioned on said substrate.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
15 words
The structure of claim 2 in which the superconducting film is a single crystalline layer.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
24 words
The structure of claim 33 in which the single crystalline superconducting layer has a critical current density greater than 10 6 amps/cm 2 .
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
28 words
The structure of claim 34 in which the critical current density at said weak link is at least 10 times lower than that of the adjacent superconducting film.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
18 words
The structure of claim 2 in which said weak link junction contains only one grain boundary per junction.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
18 words
The structure of claim 2 in which the superconducting film adjacent said weak link junction is essentially planar.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
37 words
The structure of claim 2 in which the surface of the substrate has a lattice mismatch sufficient to cause said seed layer to deposit with a crystal orientation rotated with respect to the surface adjacent said border.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
75 words
A biepitaxial weak link junction comprising in combination, an uncut and unbonded substrate having a uniform planar surface; a thin epitaxial seed layer selectively deposited on said surface to form a border, and a superconducting film epitaxially deposited over said seed layer border and adjacent surface in a first orientation over said seed layer and a second orientation over said surface adjacent to said border whereby a weak link junction is formed at said border.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
75 words
A biepitaxial weak link junction comprising in combination, an uncut and unbonded substrate having a uniform planar surface; a thin epitaxial seed layer selectively deposited on said surface to form a border, and a superconducting film epitaxially deposited over said seed layer border and adjacent surface in a first orientation over said seed layer and a second orientation over said surface adjacent to said border whereby a weak link junction is formed at said border.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-10-20 | 1996-04-20 | 1996-10-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-10-20 | 2000-04-20 | 2000-10-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-10-20 | 2004-04-20 | 2004-10-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |