Abstract
Observing the phonon yield, i.e. the ratio of the experimental phonon signal amplitude and the corresponding calculated value, phonon losses within the generation-detection system can be localized and determined quantitatively. With tin junctions on pure silicon substrates immersed in liquid helium the phonon yield is 3–5%. Under vacuum conditions the yield rises to 10–12% indicating strong phonon transmission to the helium bath. The experimental lifetime for 280 GHz phonons in the silicon substrate is longer than 65 µs indicating negligible volume losses and losses at the free substrate surface. It is further shown, that volume losses inside the phonon generator and detector are small compared to the total loss of about 90%. By phonon reverberation measurements we find evidence that the main sources for phonon losses are localized at the boundaries of the tunneling junctions to the substrate. This is supported by an increase of the phonon yield with improved polishing from about 9% (mechanical), 10% (chemical) to 12% (sputter etching). A SIMS analysis indicates the presence of carbonhydrates and probably of water in the boundaries. This layer of extraneous molecules together with the nonideal surface structure of the substrate and the evaporated films weakens the mechanical bonding between the tunnel junctions and the substrate and is possibly causing strong phonon splitting by anharmonic forces.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Eisenmenger, W., Dayem, A.H.: Phys. Rev. Lett.18, 125 (1967)
Eisenmenger, W.: In: Tunneling Phenomena in Solids (ed. E. Burstein, S. Lundquist). New York: Plenum Press 1969
Eisenmenger, W.: In: Physical Acoustics, Bd. XII, 1976 (ed. W.P. Mason and R. Thurston)
Eisenmenger, W., Laßmann, K., Trumpp, H.J., Krauß, R.: Journ. of Appl. Phys.11, 307 (1976)
Eisenmenger, W., Laßmann, K., Trumpp, H.J., Krauß, R.: Appl. Phys.12, 163 (1977)
Rothwarf, A., Taylor, B.N.: Phys. Rev. Lett.19, 27 (1967)
Trumpp, H.J., Laßmann, K., Eisenmenger, W.: Phys. Lett.41 A, 431 (1972)
Trumpp, H.J., Epperlein, P.W., Laßmann, K.: Journal de Physique C4 suppl. au N° 10, C-29 (1972)
Kinder, H., Laßmann, K., Eisenmenger, W.: Phys. Lett.31 A, 475 (1970)
Dayem, A.H., Wiegand, J.J.: Phys. Rev. B5, 4390 (1972)
Welte, M., Laßmann, K., Eisenmenger, W.: Journal de Physique33, C4–25 (1972)
Forkel, W., Welte, M., Eisenmenger, W.: Phys. Rev. Lett.31, 215 (1973)
Welte, M.: Thesis, Phys. Inst. Univ. Stuttgart, 1976 (unpublished)
Kinder, H.: Phys. Rev. Lett.28, 1564 (1972)
Trumpp, H.J.: Thesis, Phys. Inst., Univ. Stuttgart, 1976 (unpublished)
Little, W.A.: Can. Journ. Phys.37, 334 (1959)
Khalatnikow, I.M.: Zh. éksp. teor. Fiz.22, 687 (1952)
Taylor, B., Maris, H.J., Elbaum, C.: Phys. Rev. Lett.23, 416 (1969)
Elbaum, C.: Intern. Conf. on Phonon Scattering in Solids (ed. H.J. Albany). 3–6 July 1972, Paris
Rösch, F., Weis, O.: Z. Physik B25, 115 (1976)
Weis, O.: Z. Angew. Phys.26, 325 (1969)
Orbach, R., Vredevoe, L.A.: Physics1, 91 (1964)
Klemens, P.G.: J. Appl. Phys.38, 4573 (1967)
Holland, M.G.: IEEE Transactions on Sonics and Ultrasonics1 (Suppl. 15), 18 (1968)
Bobetic, V.M.: Phys. Rev.136, 1535 (1964)
Dayem, A.H., Miller, B.I., Wiegand, J.J.: Phys. Rev. B3, 2949 (1971)
Weis, O.: Private Communication
Kapitza, P.L.: Zh. éksp. teor. Fiz.11, 1 (1941), J. Phys. Moscow4, 181 (1941)
Toombs, G.A., Challis, L.J.: Journ. Phys. C4, 1085 (1970)
Haug, H., Weiss, K.: Phys. Lett.40A, 19 (1972)
Vuorio, M.: Journ. of Low Temp. Phys.10, 781 (1973)
Vuorio, M.: Journ. Phys. C5, 1216 (1972)
Peterson, R.E., Anderson, A.C.: Journ. of Low Temp. Phys.11, 639 (1973)
Böhm, K.: Diplomarbeit, Phys. Inst. Univ. Stuttgart 1975 (unpublished)
Day, W.: Journal de Physique, suppl au N° 10, C4–65 (1972)
Rolcke, R.: Thesis, Phys. Inst., Univ. Stuttgart, 1977 (unpublished)
Forkel, W.: Thesis, Phys. Inst., Univ. Stuttgart, 1977 (unpublished)
Herth, P., Weis, O.: Z. Angew. Phys.29, 101 (1970)
Kappus, W., Weis, O.: Appl. Phys.44, 1947 (1973)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Trumpp, H.J., Eisenmenger, W. Sources of loss processes in phonon generation and detection experiments with superconducting tunneling junctions. Z Physik B 28, 159–171 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01313038
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01313038