Abstract
The South Pole Telescope SPT-3G camera utilizes Ti/Au transition edge sensors (TESs). A key requirement for these sensors is reproducibility and long-term stability of the superconducting (SC) transitions. Here, we discuss the impact of electrical contacts design and materials on the shape of the SC transitions. Using scanning electron microscope, atomic force microscope, and optical differential interference contrast microscopy, we observed the presence of unexpected defects of morphological nature on the titanium surface and their evolution in time in proximity to Nb contacts. We found direct correlation between the variations of the morphology and the SC transition shape. Experiments with different diffusion barriers between TES and Nb leads were performed to clarify the origin of this problem. We have demonstrated that the reproducibility of superconducting transitions can be significantly improved by preventing diffusion processes in the TES–leads contact areas.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
A. Peruzzi et al., Metrologia 37, 229 (2000)
C. Gandini et al., Int. J. Modern Phys. B 17, 948 (2003)
V. Chawla et al., J. Mater. Proc. Technol. 209, 3444 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2008.08.004
H. Solis et al., AIP Adv. 6, 095218 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4963679
W.D. Sylwestrowicz et al., J. Mater. Sci. 14, 873 (1979)
C. M. Posada et al., in Proc. SPIE 9914, VIII, vol. 9914 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2232912
C.M. Posada et al., Supercond. Sci. Technol. (2015). https://doi.org/10.1088/0953-2048/28/9/094002
J. Ding et al., IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. 27(4), 210020 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1109/TASC.2016.2639378
C. Portesi et al., J. Low Temp. Phys. 151, 261 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10909-007-9637-x
S.K. Tolpygo et al., Supercond. Sci. Technol. 23, 034024 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1088/0953-2048/23/3/034024
D. Amparo et al., IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. 21(3), 126 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1109/TASC.2010.2086990
K.P. Rodbell et al., J. Appl. Phys. 65(8), 3107 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.342707
W. De Sorro, Phys. Rev. 132(1), 107 (1963)
Acknowledgements
The South Pole Telescope is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) through Grant PLR-1248097. Partial support is also provided by the NSF Physics Frontier Center Grant PHY-1,125,897 to the Kavli Institute of Cosmological Physics at the University of Chicago, and the Kavli Foundation and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Grant GBMF 947. Work at Argonne National Laboratory, including Laboratory Directed Research and Development support and use of the Center for Nanoscale Materials, a U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science (DOE-OS) user facility, was supported under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357. Work at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, a DOE-OS, HEP User Facility managed by the Fermi Research Alliance, LLC, was supported under Contract No. DE-AC02-07CH11359. NWH acknowledges support from NSF CAREER Grant AST-0956135. The McGill authors acknowledge funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, and Canada Research Chairs Program.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yefremenko, V., Ade, P.A.R., Ahmed, Z. et al. Impact of Electrical Contacts Design and Materials on the Stability of Ti Superconducting Transition Shape. J Low Temp Phys 193, 732–738 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10909-018-2040-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10909-018-2040-y