Chemical vapour deposition of HTSC: an overview of thermodynamic modeling

Thermodynamic modeling of CVD of the superconducting phases in the Y-Ba-Cu-O and Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O systems is reviewed. Both metal chelates and metal halides are considered as metal precursors. The results are discussed in terms of calculated CVD stability diagrams. The influence of deposition parameters, also including selection of precursor, on the existence and extension on those stability regions, where the superconducting phases can be deposited, is described. The results of the thermodynamic calculations are also compared with existing experimental investigations. The agreement between thermodynamics and experiments is satisfactory, indicating that thermodynamics can be used as a guide to predict the optimum deposition conditions. (orig.)