Effect of Ultra-Thin SrTiO3 Seed Layer on the Microwave Surface Resistance of YBa2Cu3O7 Films Deposited on (1 0 0) MgO

RHEED controlled ultra-thin buffer layers of SrTiO3 have been deposited on (1 0 0) MgO by pulsed laser deposition to grow YBa2Cu3O7 films for microwave applications. A buffer layer with a thickness from 5 to 40 unit cells of SrTiO3 is sufficient to expand to more than 60°C the range of deposition temperatures for which a low microwave surface resistance [Rs(10 GHz, 77 K)<0.5 mΩ] is obtained. The Rs values are as low as those obtained on LaAlO3 substrates, furthermore they present a slightly lower magnetic field dependency. The XRD Φ-scans show that the SrTiO3 seed layer induces an oriented epitaxial growth with the [1 0 0] axis of YBCO parallel to the one of MgO over this broadened range of deposition temperatures. This seed layer promoting effect is not observed with other oxides such as Ba0.15Sr0.85TiO3, CeO2, Ce1−xLaxO2.