Competing growth directions in YBaCuO thin films on (110) SrTiO3 substrates

YBaCuO thin films have been deposited by inverted cylindrical magnetron sputtering on the (110)-plane of SrTiO3 substrates. The film growth directions and properties were studied as a function of the substrate temperature, T-s, by means of x-ray diffraction, electrical transport measurements and atomic force microscopy. At low T-s the films grow purely [110] oriented. With increasing T-s admixtures of [103] and [013] growth orientations become dominant. The competing growth directions are manifested in the anisotropy of the electrical transport and in the surface morphology of the films as well. In order to suppress (103) / (013) growth we applied PrBaCuO template layers which considerably improved growth and properties of pure (110) films.