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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 26 February 2011
Thin films of PrBa2Cu3O7 and in-situ superconducting YBa2Cu3O7 were grown on (100)-oriented SrTiO3 substrates by laser ablation under molecular beam epitaxial condition. The unit-cell by unit-cell growth of these high-Tc cuprate materials has been indicated by RHEED-oscillations and further confirmed by cross-sectional TEM (X-TEM) and small angle X-ray. Superconductivity with Tc (R = 0) at 35 K was observed for samples with one unit-cell YBa2Cu3O7 layers sandwiched between PrBa2Cu3O7 layers. TC varies with the number of YBa2Cu3O7 unit-cell layers. An eight unit-cell thick YBa2Cu3O7 film is superconducting at 86 K. Substrate temperature is found to be the most crucial parameter in determining the growth mode and superconducting properties.