Masters Theses

Date of Award

12-1998

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Physics

Major Professor

Horace Crater

Abstract

High-temperature superconductor films can be characterized using Raman spectroscopy to obtain the crystal orientation, oxygen concentration, and layer thickness for the film layers. This information is essential in determining characteristics of the films, such as transition temperature and current density. Good quality films need high transition temperature and current density. Previously published work shows that the theory and background work on Raman spectroscopy on high-temperature superconductor films gives this information. Earlier research on high-temperature superconductor films shows how the films can be characterized. By applying these different methods Raman data can be used as an effective analytical technique. An experimental setup is designed to evaluate the feasibility of acquiring the data quickly in an industrial environment using alternate technology than that used by previous researchers. Previous work in this area has been constricted to microprobe techniques which study single crystals of the superconductor. A technique is used which could give overall Raman data from a large area of the film, as opposed to single crystals or grains. Background and experimental work described in this thesis describes a method for determining layer thickness in buffer and superconducting film layers. Data is collected from a single film sample and a proposed buffer layer sample. This data is used to identify necessary improvements to the basic experimental setup to create a real-time, in situ, Raman diagnostic setup for use in industrial, high temperature superconductor film processes.

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