Corrosion and interfacial control of high temperature superconductor thin films in the yttrium barium copper oxide system

he discovery of high temperature superconductors in 1986 began a new era in the field of superconductivity. However, their poor physical properties, high chemical reactivity, complex lattice structures, and difficulty in generating phase pure materials hamper their commercial application. The challenge of understanding the chemistry of high temperature superconductors is therefore demanded and extremely important.;General studies of the chemistry, electrochemistry, corrosion reactivity and adsorbate interactions related to cuprate superconductors are discussed in this dissertation. Accordingly, three aspects of major research are detailed. Part I is subdivided into three chapters introducing the general background of superconductors, including superconductor history, applications, thin film deposition, and corrosion reactivity. Part II is divided into two chapters which discuss different properties of superconducting thin films generated in our laboratory based on the Y-Ba-Cu-O system. High-Tc superconducting thin film growth using pulsed laser ablation is discussed, as well as the microstructures, electrical properties, and optimization of the deposition parameters of such films. Chapter 4 focuses on the characterization of...