High temperature superconducting superlattices are a new, uninvestigated type of material. Current crystal growth techniques can create superlattices in which monolayers of one compound or element are sandwiched between monolayers of another, creating artificial materials unobtainable by other means. These superlattices are multiple period structures that do not occur in nature; they possess unusual electron and optical properties. Phase I will investigate the possibilities of fabricating superlattices containing layers of YBa2CU307-x interleaved with layers of either magnetic or nonmagnetic metals. Electron beam evaporation will be used to produce the thin layers in vacuo.Anticipated Results/Potential Commercial Applications as described by the awardee:No one has been able to predict exactly what these materials will be like or what their possible applications may be. This project is an opportunity to do a quick investigation of their fabrication that could serve as a basis for future more intensive analyses of properties and behavior. If superconducting superlattices prove to be as important as semiconducting superlattice materials, many device applications will come out of future research.
