Reduced reactivity to air on HF-treated YBa2Cu3O7−x surfaces

Treatment of YBa2Cu3O7−x films with a nonaqueous solution of HF in absolute ethanol results in the formation of an oxyfluoride with relative Y:Ba:Cu concentrations of 1:4:3 on the surface, as determined by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The passivation properties of chemically treated films were tested by monitoring the growth of the high binding energy O 1s peak, associated with nonsuperconducting surface species, as a function of air exposure time, for both HF-treated and untreated films. The native oxyfluoride is shown to reduce the reactivity of the superconductor to air.