Molecular level control over the surface and interfacial properties of high-Tc superconductors

Herein, the authors examine how carefully chosen adsorbate molecules, such as linear alkylamines and fluorinated alkylamines, can be used to tailor the corrosion resistance and surface adhesion properties of YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7}. To prepare the modified superconductor surfaces, freshly deposited YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7} thin films or freshly resurfaced ceramic electrodes were exposed to solutions containing the amine reagents. This procedure leads to the formation of monolayer films with no measurable damage to the underlying superconductor substrate (i.e., T{sub c}, {Delta}T{sub c} and general surface morphology are unaffected as determined by four-point probe resistivity and AFM measurements, respectively). 28 refs., 2 figs.