Iron pnictide thin films: Synthesis and physics

Superconducting thin films play a prominent role in applications of superconductivity and provide an essential source for studying physical phenomena. Here, we summarize the activities for iron pnictide thin films with a focus on the German Special Priority Programme from 2009 until today. The quick availability of such films after the discovery of superconductivity in the iron-based superconductors enabled a number of experiments. After a general introduction and a brief historical overview we focus on film synthesis of iron pnictides by a two-step method and by pulsed laser deposition, the assessment of their application potential, the upper critical fields in iron oxypnictides of F-doped LaOFeAs and F-doped Sm_1-xLa_xOFeAs and on superconductivity in Fe/BaFe₂As₂ heterostructures.