1 Devices based on the structural and transport anisotropy in NdBa2Cu3O7 thin films deposited by pulsed laser ablation on

We have made high quality c-axis NdBa2 Cu3O7 thin films on [001] SrTiO3 by pulsed laser deposition, with much better crystalline properties than YBa2Cu3O7: smooth surface and low outgrowth density. TEM and 4-circle X-ray diffraction experiments reveal only a single orientation of the twins [1 1 0], as opposed to YBCO where both [1 1 0] and [1`1 0] twin orientations are observed. This anisotropy is consistently observed by critical current measurements and magneto-optical microscopy in the superconducting state. Anisotropy in magnetic field penetration is attributed to the anisotropic twinning rate along the [1 1 0] and [1`1 0] directions which is 0/1 in NdBa2Cu3O7 films, whereas it is close to 0.5/0.5 for YBa2Cu3O7 deposited on [001] SrTiO3. For the first time, zero-resistance critical temperatures as high as 94 K have been obtained on LaAlO3 and SrTiO3 substrates. We present devices requiring such features as vortex mobility or periodic pinning of the vortices