Deposition of MBa₂Cu₃O_7-x thin films by channel-spark method

Channel-spark pulsed electron beam deposition (CS), a new deposition method based on a simple and inexpensive system, has been used for preparation of high-quality GdBa₂Cu₃O_7-x, Gd_1-xEu_xBa₂Cu₃O_7-x and YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x thin films epitaxially grown on NdGaO₃ and SrTiO₃ substrates. Typical critical temperatures for zero DC resistance lie in the intervals 87-89 K for Y-based films and 91.0-92.6 K for Gd- and GdEu-based ones. The transition widths for the best films are less than 0.5 K. The critical current densities reach the values of 3*10⁶ A cm^-2 at 77 K, zero field.