Thickness dependence of Jc (0) in MgB2 films

MgB₂ superconducting films, whose thicknesses range from 10 nm to 8 μm, have been fabricated on SiC substrates by hybrid physical-chemical vapor deposition (HPCVD) method. It is the first time that the T_c and the J_c of MgB₂ films are studied on such a large scale. It is found that with the increasing of thickness, T_c elevates first and then keeps roughly stable except for some slight fluctuations, while J_c (5 K, 0 T) experiences a sharp increase followed by a relatively slow fall. The maximum J_c (5 K, 0 T) = 2.3 × 10⁸ A cm^-2 is obtained for 100 nm films, which is the experimental evidence for preparing high-quality MgB₂ films by HPCVD method. Thus, this work may provide guidance on choosing the suitable thickness for applications. Meanwhile, the films prepared by us cover ultrathin films, thin films and thick films, so the study on them will bring a comprehensive understanding of MgB₂ films.