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Low-temperature photovoltaic effect and current transport characteristics of YBa2Cu3O7−x/Nb:SrTiO3 heterojunction

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Abstract

In this study, a YBa2Cu3O7−x (YBCO) superconducting film was prepared on Nb:SrTiO3 (NSTO) substrate via a sol–gel method, forming a YBCO/NSTO heterojunction. The YBCO/NSTO heterojunction was irradiated with UV light, and the photovoltaic characteristics of YBCO/NSTO heterojunction were studied within the temperature range 50–300 K. The results show that YBCO/NSTO/In has a significant photovoltaic effect with a high open-circuit voltage (VOC). At 300 K, the VOC of YBCO/NSTO/In was ~ 0.31 V (light intensity ~ 10 mw/mm2). The VOC of YBCO/NSTO/In increased with the decrease in temperature and reached 0.79 V when the temperature decreased to 50 K. The VOC measurement results under different light intensities indicate that the VOC decreased with the decrease in light intensity. The current density–voltage (J–V) curves were investigated at different temperatures (no light). The YBCO/NSTO/In heterojunction showed clear rectifying features above 200 K; with a decrease in temperature, the asymmetry of positive and negative current decreased. When YBCO underwent superconducting transition, because of the opening of YBCO superconducting energy gap, the VOC and turn-on voltage (Vt) of J–V curves changed suddenly, and the variations in VOC (when the light intensity is sufficient) and Vt were consistent with the superconducting energy gap of YBCO. With a decrease in the light intensity, the variations in VOC decreased; for example, the variation was only 2 mV when the light intensity decreased to ~ 20%.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51672212) and the priming scientific research foundation for the junior teachers in Xi’an University of Technology (No. 602-256081709).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Advanced Materials Analysis and Test Center, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an, 710048, China

    Jiqiang Jia & Gaoyang Zhao

  2. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an, 710048, China

    Jianhua Gao & Gaoyang Zhao

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  1. Jiqiang Jia
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  2. Jianhua Gao
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Correspondence to Jiqiang Jia or Gaoyang Zhao.

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Jia, J., Gao, J. & Zhao, G. Low-temperature photovoltaic effect and current transport characteristics of YBa2Cu3O7−x/Nb:SrTiO3 heterojunction. J Mater Sci 54, 1443–1451 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-018-2920-1

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