The relationship between the open-volume defects and the deposition conditions of superconducting thin films was studied by using position lifetime techniques. By using a low-energy pulsed positron system, the positron lifetime was determined as a function of implantation energy. The results showed that the type of open-volume defect was independent of deposition conditions such as the substrate temperature and the air pressure, while the defect concentration increased with decreasing temperature and increasing pressure.

X.Y.Zhou, X.Lu, H.Jiang, W.Bauer-Kugelmann, J.A.Duffy, G.Kögel, W.Triftshäuser: Journal of Physics - Condensed Matter, 1997, 9[6], L61-6