Method for creating high-resolution micro- to nano-scale structures on flexible substrates

A method comprising the steps of:

• providing a film on a flexible substrate in an oxygen annealing chamber, the film comprising a high-temperature superconductor compound belonging to the class of compounds having a compositional form of R1-yMyBa2Cu3-zTzOx, where x is oxygen content and 6≤x≤7, wherein 0<y≤1, where 0<z≤1, where R comprises at least one of a rare earth and calcium, where M comprises at least one of a rare earth distinct from that of R and calcium if absent from R, where T comprises at least one of cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn), wherein at least one portion of the film has a first oxygen state having an oxygen content that is approximately less than or equal to 6.72;
• allowing the film to remain in-situ and pass from an oxygen annealing chamber into an ion milling chamber;
• exposing the film directly to a focused ion beam, wherein the ion beam is configured to remove some or all portions of the film, allowing the film to form a functional structure;
• passing the film back to the oxygen annealing chamber;
• setting the film to a specific temperature and oxygen atmospheric pressure to achieve a final desired oxygen content.