Laser ablation of YBCO targets and optical-breakdown-assisted PLD for high Tc superconducting thin films deposition

We report a YBa2Cu3O7 PLD method designed to reduce the oxygen deficiency in the as deposited YBCO superconducting thin films.OPtical dissociation of O2 buffer gas in front of the plume using a second IR laser pulse simultaneously with the UV laser beam producing the ablation plasma is proposed as a method for oxidation enhancement and oxygen enrichment in the deposited film. Oxides enhancement measurements were performed by optical spectroscopy on YO, BaO and CuO lines at large distances from the target surface. Temporal evolution of ionic, neutral and oxide lines was analyzed in 400-620 nm region, in correlation with plasma expansion in the ambient gas.