The pulsed-laser deposition method has been used to fabricate epitaxial, nonsymmetric M(Y) {times} N(Pr) superlattices in which YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7-x} (YBCO) layers either M = 1,2,3,4,8, or 16 c-axis unit cells thick are separated by insulating PrBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7-x} (PBCO) layers N unit cells thick (N = 1 to {approximately}32). The zero-resistance superconducting transition temperature, T{sub c0}, initially decreases rapidly with increasing PBCO layer thickness, but then saturates at T{sub c0} {approximately} 19 K, 54 K, 71 K, or 80 K, or structures containing 1-,2-,3-, or 4-cell-thick YBCO layers, respectively. Critical current density measurements carried out on structures with 16- or 32-cell thick YBCO layers show that the magnitude of J{sub c}(H = 0) {approximately} 1-2 MA/cm{sup 2}, as well as the magnetic field dependence and the anisotropy of J{sub c}(H) all are in good agreement with corresponding measurements on thicker, single-layer YBCO films. Thus, there is no evidence of an enhanced J{sub c}(H) due to the multi-layered structure, for the layer thickness investigated to date. The systematic variation of T{sub c0}, as a function of the YBCO and PBCO layer thickness, is discussed in light of other recent experiments and theoretical model calculations. The superlattices' structural and compositional order are characterized using x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning tunneling microscopy, and details of the pulsed-laser deposition process are reported. 42 refs., 7 figs.
