Critical current enhancement in NbN/AlN multilayers

Journal Article · Mon Feb 08 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.99399· OSTI ID:5619821

Murduck, J M; Capone, II, D W; Schuller, I K; Foner, S; Ketterson, J B

Measurements are presented of the critical current density, J/sub c/, and parallel upper critical field, H/sub c//sub 2//sub parallel/, for the refractory superconductor/insulator multilayer system NbN/AlN. A dramatic increase in J/sub c/, together with an increase of H/sub c//sub 2//sub parallel/, is observed with decreasing NbN layer thickness. The J/sub c/ enhancement arises from flux pinning in the AlN or at the NbN-AlN interface, not at defects in the NbN structure. The results indicate that the development of superconductor/insulator composites is a viable strategy to increase the critical current. Thermal stabilization which does not degrade the very high J/sub c/ values was also accomplished in a novel structure by addition of copper layers within the superlattice.

• Research Organization: Material Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38; FG03-87ER45332
• OSTI ID: 5619821
• Journal Information: Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 52:6; ISSN APPLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360204* -- Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories-- Physical Properties
656100 -- Condensed Matter Physics-- Superconductivity
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM NITRIDES
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
CRITICAL CURRENT
CRITICAL FIELD
CURRENT DENSITY
CURRENTS
DATA
DIMENSIONS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
INFORMATION
INTERFACES
LAYERS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC FLUX
MATERIALS
NIOBIUM COMPOUNDS
NIOBIUM NITRIDES
NITRIDES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NUMERICAL DATA
PNICTIDES
REFRACTORY METAL COMPOUNDS
STABILITY
THICKNESS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS