Method and apparatus for manufacturing superconducting components via laser ablation followed by laser material processing

An apparatus for manufacturing a superconducting device which has a superconductor film of a complex oxide superconducting compound, said apparatus comprising:

• (i) means defining a chamber,
• (ii) a target holder for holding a target including a complex oxide superconducting compound;
• (iii) a substrate holder for holding a substrate contained within said chamber,
• said substrate holder including a heater for heating the substrate held by said substrate holder, and means for moving said substrate holder between a first substrate position and a second substrate position,
• wherein a surface of the substrate held by said substrate holder, on which surface the superconductor film is deposited, faces toward and is generally parallel to a surface of the target held by said target holder when said substrate holder is in said first substrate position, and
• wherein the surface of the substrate held by said substrate holder is perpendicular to a laser beam via a second optical path when said substrate holder is in said second substrate position;
• (iv) a laser beam source for supplying said laser beam;
• (v) a first entrance window and a second entrance window for said chamber;
• (vi) a first optical path from said laser beam source through said first entrance window to the target held by said target holder, said first optical path being used for laser ablation processing to form a complex oxide superconducting compound layer on the substrate;
• and
• (vii) said second optical path being from said laser beam source through said second entrance window to the substrate held by said substrate holder, said second optical path being used for laser patterning of the complex oxide superconducting compound layer formed using said first optical path to form desired superconducting devices.