Effects of target-to-substrate angle on off-axis sputter deposition and EPR studies of near-surface magnetic properties of YBCO thin films

Abstract

We have determined the dependence of target-to-substrate angle on the elemental concentration of c-axis YBCO thin films. Away from the standard off-axis position, energy distributions of sputtered elements vary spatially within the sputter plume due to the angular dependence of thermalization. Standard materials characterization techniques and angle-dependent Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) demonstrate that films grown away from the standard off-axis geometry produce bulk Y(123) with modified surface morphology and deposition rate. Several thin film planar tunneling experiments are consistent with a broken-time-reversal symmetry (BTRS) state. To compliment tunneling measurements, we measure electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) of the near-surface region of YBCO thin films. Preliminary data are consistent with the spontaneous formation of magnetic moments at low temperature.