Surface Morphology of Tl2Ba2Ca2Cu3Oy Thin Films Prepared by Thallium Diffusion Process

The surface morphology of Tl2Ba2Ca2Cu3Oy thin films prepared by the thallium diffusion process was studied. Ba-Ca-Cu-O rf-sputtered films were annealed with a powder mixture of Tl2O3, BaCuO2, Ca2CuO3 and CuO at a nominal composition of Tl1Ba1Ca3Cu3Oy. The films obtained by two-step annealing (at 900°C for 8 h and at 930°C for 8 min) had uniform appearance over a rather large area and exhibited superconductivity of Tc (zero resistivity)=117 K.