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Properties of niobium-based Josephson tunneling elements in junction microstructures

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Abstract

We describe the fabrication and electrical characteristics of niobium oxide-barrier tunnel junctions with counterelectrodes of lead/lead alloy. Primary attention is directed to the experimental conditions necessary to obtain high-quality tunnel barriers as well as studies on characterizing the atomic structure of the barrier region. In order to study the tunnel barrier homogeneity in the tunneling region the magnetic field dependence of the critical Josephson current is investigated. TheI–V characteristics and dependence of the critical Josephson current on temperature are analyzed quantitatively by using a proximity effect model. Finally, we discuss experimental results on the improvement of junction quality by including traces of carbon in the rf argon plasma during the sputter cleaning of niobium base electrodes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Academy of Science GDR, Berlin, GDR

    G. Albrecht & J. Richter

  2. Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, GDR

    P. Weber

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  1. G. Albrecht
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  2. J. Richter
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  3. P. Weber
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Albrecht, G., Richter, J. & Weber, P. Properties of niobium-based Josephson tunneling elements in junction microstructures. J Low Temp Phys 48, 61–83 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00681718

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