Freestanding single-crystal superconducting electron-doped cuprate membrane

TL;DR

This paper reports the fabrication of freestanding single-crystal electron-doped cuprate membranes, enabling better control and integration of superconducting materials in electronic devices without substrate constraints.

Contribution

It introduces a method to create coherent, freestanding cuprate membranes that retain superconducting properties, overcoming substrate limitations of traditional thin films.

Findings

Membranes have coherent crystal structure.

Superconducting properties are preserved post-liftoff.

Membranes enable new device integration possibilities.

Abstract

Thin films of cuprate superconductors are easier to control in terms of doping as compared to bulk samples. However, they require specific substrates to facilitate epitaxial growth. These substrates are often incompatible with materials used in electronic applications. Furthermore, it is challenging to separate the substrate's properties from the material of interest. Here, we demonstrate the fabrication of an electron-doped cuprate membrane. We show that the membrane has a coherent crystal structure. Furthermore, the superconducting properties of the membrane post-liftoff closely resemble those of the thin films pre-lift-off, as revealed by a scanning superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) microscope. Such membranes pave the way for designing new material properties and incorporating complex superconducting materials into typically incompatible electronic devices.