Method of patterning oxide superconducting films

Abstract

A process for preparing a superconductor article includes depositing a precursor solution onto a substrate to form a precursor film, the precursor solution comprising precursor components to a rare earth-alkaline earth metal-transition metal oxide in one or more solvents, decomposing the precursor film to form an intermediate film comprising the rare earth metal, the alkaline earth metal, and the transition metal of the first precursor solution, selectively removing portions of the intermediate film, wherein a patterned intermediate film is obtained, and treating the patterned intermediate film to form a rare earth-alkaline earth metal-transition metal oxide superconductor.

1 . A method for preparing a superconductor article, comprising the steps of:
 providing an intermediate metaloxy film on a substrate, the intermediate metaloxy film comprising precursor components to a rare earth-alkaline earth metal-transition metal oxide;   removing selected portions of the intermediate metaloxy fluoride film to obtain a patterned film; and   treating the patterned intermediate film to form a rare earth-alkaline earth metal transition metal oxide superconductor.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate metaloxy film is provided by depositing a precursor solution onto a substrate to form a precursor film, the precursor solution comprising precursor components to a rare earth-alkaline earth metal transition metal oxide in one or more solvents, and decomposing the precursor film to form a intermediate film comprising the rare earth metal, the alkaline earth metal, and the transition metal. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the precursor solution comprises a mixture of a rare earth element cation, an alkaline earth metal cation and a transition metal cation. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate film is provided by depositing a metaloxy film e-beam deposition. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate film comprises a metal oxyfluoride or a mixture of metal oxides and metal fluorides. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the patterned film comprises a plurality of regions extending substantially along the length of the article. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of removing selected portions from the intermediate film comprises contacting a tool with the intermediate metaloxy film, the tool having a plurality of scribing surfaces, and removing selected portions of the intermediate film at a contact of the scribing surfaces and the intermediate metaloxy film. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of scribing surfaces are positioned on a base to provide scribing surfaces spaced apart at distance commensurate with the width of a high temperature superconductor wire. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of scribing surfaces are arranged on a base to provide scribing surfaces spaced apart at distances commensurate with the width of a high temperature superconductor filament. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the scribing surfaces have a base and a tip, and the tip-to-tip distance is commensurate with the width of a high temperature superconductor wire. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the scribing surfaces have a base and a tip, and the tip-to-tip distance is commensurate with the width of a high temperature superconductor filament. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the scribing surfaces have a base and a tip and the tip is rounded. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the scribing surfaces have a base and a tip and the tip is truncated to increase area contact of the tip with the intermediate film. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the patterned film comprises a plurality of longitudinally arranged regions having gaps between said regions, said gaps having a width of about 0.1 to about 0.5 mm. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the patterned intermediate film comprises a filament array comprising a plurality of filaments extending substantially along the length of the substrate and spaced apart from adjacent filaments across the width of the substrate. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the article comprises about 2 to about 100 filaments and the filaments are about 50 to 1000 μm in width. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the gap is between 10 and 100 μm. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising removing scribed material from the patterned film. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising rinsing the surface of the scribed intermediate metaloxy film to remove scribed material. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising flowing a gas over the surface of the scribed intermediate metaloxy film to remove scribed material. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising depositing a protective layer over the patterned oxide superconductor. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the layer is continuous or discontinuous. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising cutting the patterned oxide superconductor article along the selected portions to form a plurality of oxide superconductor wires. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the wires have a width in the range of about 1 mm to 40 mm. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising cutting the patterned oxide superconductor at a region of the substrate where the intermediate precursor film has been removed to form into two or more wires. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the overall thickness of the superconductor film is greater than 0.8 μm. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising depositing a protective layer over the filaments. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the layer is discontinuous and coats substantially only the filaments. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising providing a stabilizing layer over the protective layer. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising cutting the patterned oxided superconductor along the selected portions to form a plurality of oxide superconductor wires. 
   
   
       31 . A method for preparing a superconductor article, comprising the steps of:
 depositing an intermediate metaloxy fluoride film on a substrate, the intermediate metaloxy fluoride film comprising precursor components to a rare earth-alkaline earth metal-transition metal oxide, wherein the substrate is at least about 1 mm wide;   removing selected portions of the intermediate metaloxy fluoride film to obtain a patterned film comprising a plurality of longitudinally arranged metaloxy stripes having a width of greater than about 1 mm and gaps between said stripes of about 0.1 to about 0.5 mm; and   treating the patterned intermediate film to form a rare earth-alkaline earth metal-transition metal oxide superconductor.   
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the step of removing a plurality of selected regions from the intermediate film comprises a materials removal step selected from the group consisting of mechanical removal, chemical etching, laser etching and physical bombardment. 
   
   
       33 - 38 . (canceled) 
   
   
       39 . A process for preparing a superconductor article, comprising the steps of:
 depositing an intermediate metaloxy film onto a substrate, the intermediate metaloxy film comprising precursor components to a rare earth-alkaline earth metal transition metal oxide in one or more solvents,   passing a scribing tool comprising a plurality of scribing surfaces through the intermediate metaloxy film to selectively remove portions of the intermediate film, wherein a patterned intermediate film is obtained;   treating the patterned intermediate film to form a rare earth-alkaline earth metal-transition metal oxide superconductor; depositing a protective layer over the patterned oxide superconductor; and   slitting the pattern oxide superconductor along the length of the gap to obtain two or more oxide superconducting wires.