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Journal of Applied Physics

Fabrication and dc characteristics of small-area tantalum and niobium superconducting tunnel junctions

Dean W. Face, D. E. Prober

Published Oct 15, 1987• 12 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We discuss the fabrication and dc electrical characteristics of small-area (1–6 μm2) superconducting tunnel junctions with Ta or Nb base electrodes and Pb or Pb0.9Bi0.1 counterelectrodes. These junctions have very small subgap leakage currents, a ‘‘sharp’’ current rise at the sum-gap voltage, and show strong quantum effects when used as microwave mixers. The use of a low-energy (∼150 eV) ion cleaning process and a novel step-defined fabrication process that eliminates photoresist processing after base electrode deposition are discussed. Tunnel barriers formed by dc glow discharge oxidation were the most successful. Tunnel barrier formation by thermal oxidation and ion-beam oxidation is also discussed. An oxidized Ta overlayer (∼7 nm thick) was found to improve the characteristics of Nb-based junctions. The electrical characteristics of junctions with different electrode and barrier materials are presented and discussed in terms of the physical mechanisms that lead to excess subgap current and to a width of the current rise at the sum-gap voltage.

DOI
10.1063/1.339332

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IEEE Transactions on Magnetics•Mar 1, 1985•1 citation
We discuss the fabrication and dc electrical characteristics of small-area (1–6 μm2) superconducting tunnel junctions with Ta or Nb base electrodes and Pb or Pb0.9Bi0.1 counterelectrodes. These junctions have very small subgap leakage currents, a ‘‘sharp’’ current rise at the sum-gap voltage, and show strong quantum effects when used as microwave mixers. The use of a low-energy (∼150 eV) ion cleaning process and a novel step-defined fabrication process that eliminates photoresist processing after base electrode deposition are discussed. Tunnel barriers formed by dc glow discharge oxidation were the most successful. Tunnel barrier formation by thermal oxidation and ion-beam oxidation is also discussed. An oxidized Ta overlayer (∼7 nm thick) was found to improve the characteristics of Nb-based junctions. The electrical characteristics of junctions with different electrode and barrier materials are presented and discussed in terms of the physical mechanisms that lead to excess subgap current and to a width of the current rise at the sum-gap voltage.
We report on a novel step-defined process used to produce small area (1–6 μm2), high critical current density (102–104 A/cm2) superconducting tunnel junctions with Ta base electrodes and Pb0.9Bi0.1 counterelectrodes. These junctions have extremely small subgap leakage currents, a ‘‘sharp’’ current rise of width ΔV∼30 μV at the sum-gap voltage, and show strong quantum effects when used as microwave mixers. Accurate measurements at 34.5 GHz with a 1.5 GHz intermediate frequency (IF) give single sideband mixer gains up to G=1.1±0.1 and mixer noise temperatures as low as TM=3.8±1.0 K. This value of TM is close to the quantum limit TQ=ℏω/k ln 2=2.5 K. The lowest receiver noise temperature measured at the 1.3 K input to the mixer block, TR=24±1 K, is the best value reported for any heterodyne receiver. Infinite available gain is obtained for a low (25 MHz) IF and a coupled gain as large as 1.6±0.4 is observed.
All-NbN Josephson tunnel junctions with sputter-deposited magnesium oxide barriers have been fabricated using single-crystal NbN films for the base electrodes. Fabricated Josephson junctions have shown good tunneling characteristics with large gap voltages (5.6-5.8 mV), narrow gap widths (0.1-0.2 mV, from 30 to 70%), and small subgap leakage currents (V/sub m/=20-30 mV, measured at 3 mV). The results of a measurement of a subgap structure for a fabricated junction suggest that the excess leakage currents of fabricated junctions are due to multiparticle tunneling through locally thin areas in the MgO barriers.
We report on the fabrication of small area (1-6 μm2), high critical current density (103-104A/cm2) Ta/Ta oxide/ Pb0.9Bi0.1SIS tunnel junctions and six junction series arrays designed for use as broadband SIS quasiparticle mixers as 85-110 GHz. These junctions have small subgap leakage currents (1 to 5%), and a "sharp" current rise of width ΔV ∼30-50 μV at the sum gap voltage. An RF filter is fabricated on the substrate along with the junctions. The impedance of this filter combined with the junction capacitance is designed to provide a broadband RF match to the mixer over the entire frequency range. A sliding backshort is the only mechanical tuning element. The single junctions as well as arrays are fabricated with a window geometry on fused quartz substrates. The fused quartz substrates require the deposition of a thin amorphous Ge layer which is conducting as room temperature to avoid charging effects during the ion-beam processing steps. Preliminary measurements at 85- 100 GHz show a relatively low gain (-6.9 dB) compared to the performance expected for junctions of this quality. Model calculations suggest that the low gain arises from errors in the implementation of the RF filter design; this can be improved in future work.
A procedure is described for fabricating thin film Nb/Nb oxide/Pb-alloy Josephson tunnel junctions that satisfies the principal requirements for integrated circuit design and fabrication. A deposited Nb film, evaporated from an e-gun heated source, was patterned by chemical etching to form a base electrode. A junction was completed by plasma etching and plasma oxidizing the Nb junction area to form a tunnel barrier and by depositing a Pb alloy counterelectrode. Josephson tunnel junctions with Nb/Nb oxide/Pb-Au-In structures were prepared with low excess subgap currents in the current-voltage (I-V) curve and with reproducible and stable I-V characteristics. Variations in junction current density from run-run were ± 15%. Seven 3-junction interferomeeters out of a population of 50,000 were shorted (99.99% yield) for causes not immediately attributable to photoresist-related defects. No changes in Josephson current were detected after thermal cycling 17,000 interferometers 1,800 × between room temperature and 4.2°K, after storing them for 2 years at 5°C, or after annealing 5,000 interferometers for 4.5 hours at 70°C.
We discuss fabrication and characteristics of superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) junctions which typically exhibit a 3.5 mV sum-gap voltage. Junctions have a sub-gap to normal state resistance ratio of R/sub SG//R/sub N/=27 for resistance-area products down to R/sub N/A=8 /spl Omega/ /spl mu/m/sup 2/ and high quality junctions have been produced with RNA products as low as 4 /spl Omega/ /spl mu/m/sup 2/. The device structure incorporates a Nb base electrode, a tunnel barrier formed by plasma nitridation of a thin Al proximity layer, and a NbTiN counter-electrode. Results for all Nb junctions with high current density aluminum-nitride barriers are also shown. Nitridation of the aluminum layer is investigated by control of the dc floating potential on a separate rf driven electrode in the vacuum process chamber. Devices are integrated to a mixer antenna structure incorporating NbTiN as a ground plane. The wire circuit layer can be either normal metal or NbTiN. Annealing results show improved I-V characteristics with increased RNA products. Recent receiver measurements employing these junctions exhibit low noise performance up to 900 GHz.
Quasiparticle mixers have shown promise as millimetre and submillimetre wavelength detectors and mixers, with the potential for conversion gain and photon noise limited performance. We report on small area (0.1μm2- 1.0μm2) superconducting thin film edge junctions fabricated using a combination of magnetron sputter deposition and broad beam ion source technology for materials deposition, barrier formation, and electrode patterning. Devices fabricated on0.1 \times 0.4 \times4mm3quartz substrates with a wide range of normal state resistances,20 < R_{n} < 1000 \Omegaand critical current densities,10^{2} < j_{c} < 3 \times 10^{5}Acm-2, show steps due to photon assisted tunnelling with very small amounts of local oscillator power applied (10-8W). We have investigated a series of devices with various electrical characteristics and geometries all of which include integral superconducting choke structures. Results are presented and are compared with theoretical predictions.