Electrochemical processing of high-Tc Bi(Pb)-Sr-Ca-CuO thin films

Abstract

Superconducting thin films of Bi(Pb)-Sr-Ca-CuO system were prepared by depositing the film onto silver substrate by d.c. electrodeposition technique with dimethyl sulphoxide bath in order to examine the effect of Pb addition to the BSCCO system. The films were deposited at the potential of -0.8 V vs saturated calomel electrode (SCE) onto the silver substrate. The different preparative parameters such as deposition potential, deposition time were studied and optimized. These films were then oxidized electrochemically at room temperature in an alkaline (1 N KOH) solution, and also at 600 °C temperature in an oxygen atmosphere. The films showed the superconducting behaviour, with Tc values ranging between 85 K and 96 K, respectively.