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Journal of Applied Physics

Double-barrier tunnel junctions for quasiparticle mixers

K. H. Gundlach, Dominique Billon-Pierron, M. Rosengarten, Alexandre Karpov, Thomas Lehnert, Hermann Rothermel

Published Apr 15, 1994• 4 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Double-barrier niobium tunnel junctions with the middle electrode thinner than the London penetration depth were fabricated. Their I-V curves, annealing behavior, response to external magnetic field, and response to 230 and 350 GHz irradiation in mixer experiments is discussed. Junctions with an integrated tuning circuit designed for the 230 GHz frequency range gave double-sideband receiver noise temperatures of 100 K. Vertically stack arrays can be attractive for various applications. Compared to single-barrier devices possible drawbacks were noted. The I-V curve indicates heating and/or nonequilibrium effects. Double-barrier devices became nonuniform after thermal annealing at 200 °C. The response to the external magnetic field is more complex and considerably larger flux densities are needed to suppress Josephson effects.

DOI
10.1063/1.355988

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Double-barrier niobium tunnel junctions with the middle electrode thinner than the London penetration depth were fabricated. Their I-V curves, annealing behavior, response to external magnetic field, and response to 230 and 350 GHz irradiation in mixer experiments is discussed. Junctions with an integrated tuning circuit designed for the 230 GHz frequency range gave double-sideband receiver noise temperatures of 100 K. Vertically stack arrays can be attractive for various applications. Compared to single-barrier devices possible drawbacks were noted. The I-V curve indicates heating and/or nonequilibrium effects. Double-barrier devices became nonuniform after thermal annealing at 200 °C. The response to the external magnetic field is more complex and considerably larger flux densities are needed to suppress Josephson effects.
A broadband quasi-optical superconducting tunnel junction (SIS) mixer with integrated tuning elements was designed and tested. We are able to achieve very low noise performance using commercially available niobium integrated circuit (IC) technology. The low critical current density (980 A/cm/sup 2/) and large area (12 /spl mu/m/sup 2/) of the commercial SIS's is compensated by the ability to fabricate accurate integrated tuning structures in the mature niobium IC process available from Hypres, Inc. Noise measurements were made in the frequency range from 70 to 105 GHz. The best uncorrected double sideband receiver noise is 38 K at 77 GHz, with receiver noise temperatures less than 100 K from 75 to 102 GHz.>
A thin-film superconductor-insulator-superconductor junction with a magnetic barrier, NiOx, and superconducting electrode, Nb, was fabricated. It is shown that the Josephson current was strongly suppressed without external magnetic field. The tunneling barrier was formed by plasma oxidation and or thermal oxidation. The junction with thermal oxidation showed low specific resistance and current–voltage characteristics with a clear energy gap structure. It is shown that this junction has the potential for quasiparticle mixer working at higher submillimeter wave frequency region above ∼700 GHz, especially suited for making an imaging array.
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