Josephson junctions of small area formed on the edges of niobium films

Journal Article · Tue Jul 15 04:00:00 EDT 1980 · Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.91837· OSTI ID:5378477

Broom, R F; Oosenbrug, A; Walter, W

Niobium-oxide-lead Josephson tunnel junctions formed on the edge of the Nb base electrode are found to have excellent tunnel characteristics up to Josephson current densities of at least 20 kA/cm/sup 2/. They are made by growing an anodic oxide several hundred angstroms in thickness on the Nb followed by plasma etching of the sandwich using CF/sub 4/+O/sub 2/. Only the exposed edges of the Nb films are subsequently oxidized to form the tunnel barrier. Preliminary results show uniform and reproducible Josephson currents, with no evidence of leakage through the surface oxide. The structures combine small capacitance, a well-defined area, and the ability to pattern large arrays of junctions and interferometers, properties which make them attractive for cyrogenic computers and other high-frequency applications.

• Research Organization: IBM Zurich Research Laboratory, 8803 Rueschlikon, Switzerland
• OSTI ID: 5378477
• Journal Information: Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 37:2; ISSN APPLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

420201* -- Engineering-- Cryogenic Equipment & Devices
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMPUTERS
CRYOGENICS
CURRENT DENSITY
DATA
DIMENSIONS
ELECTRODES
ELEMENTS
ETCHING
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FILMS
INFORMATION
JOSEPHSON JUNCTIONS
LEAD
METALS
NIOBIUM
NIOBIUM COMPOUNDS
NIOBIUM OXIDES
NUMERICAL DATA
OXIDATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLASMA
POTENTIALS
REFRACTORY METALS
SUPERCONDUCTING JUNCTIONS
SURFACE FINISHING
THICKNESS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS