Tailoring the Oscillating Frequency of Josephson Junctions
L. B. Gómez a, b, T. Kubo a, H. Kitano a, and A. Maeda a, b
a
Department of Basic Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1, Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
b
CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), 4-1-8, Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
Abstract— Josephson junctions are natural THz oscillators
with great potential for applications as voltage controlled
oscillators, electromagnetic signal detectors, or fast switches,
whose oscillating frequency depends on the product of their
critical current (Ic) and normal resistance (RN). The possibility
of controlling the values of Ic and RN is investigated in low
temperature superconductor Josephson junctions fabricated
using electron beam lithography. A summary of our fabrication
approach and results to date are presented.
I. INTRODUCTION
The oscillating frequency (fJ) of a Josephson junction (JJ)
is determined by the product of the critical current (Ic), and
the normal resistance (RN), of the junction [1], through the
following formula:
f J = I c RN / Φ 0 , (1)
where, Φ 0 = h / 2e is the quantum flux and
1 / Φ 0 ≈ 0.484THz / mV . Equation (1) is valid up to values of
IcRN, not greater than the gap voltage ( πΔ / 2e ) of the
superconductor used. In the case of low temperature
superconductors (LTS), for example, the gap voltage could be
as high as 3mV, as in the case of Niobium (Nb). Thus, Nb
JJ’s have the potential of performing at frequencies as high
as 1.5THz, according to (1). Despite tremendous efforts in
fabricating JJ’s with high IcRN products, many LTS JJ’s
fabricated to date, fall short from achieving such high
oscillation frequencies. One main difficulty in obtaining JJ’s
with superb characteristics is the fabrication of such devices.
In the present work, we investigate the possibilities of
increasing the IcRN product of bridge type JJ’s made out of
Lead (Pb). In our approach, we reduced the
superconductivity of a short portion of the bridge, via the
proximity effect, for example, by evaporating a strip of non-
superconducting metal in contact to the bridge material [2].
Junctions thus made, are different from other bridge type JJ’s
made of homogeneous superconducting material, such as
Dayem bridges [3], in that our junctions can be regarded as a
superconductor-“normal metal”-superconductor (SNS)
junction, or as a superconductor-weaker superconductor-
superconductor (SS’S) junction, operating at a temperature
above the transition temperature of the weaker
superconductor (Tc’). SNS junctions have considerable
advantage over Dayem bridges since in the former case, they
present less heating problems than in the later case [ 4 ].
Another advantage of our junctions is the potential for
obtaining higher RN JJ’s since the junction material is made
of a high resistivity “normal metal” [ 5 ]. Also, since the
“normal” portion of the junction is made of the same material
as the banks, and is deposited at the same time, there should
be no interface quality problems between the S-N interfaces.
Finally, the utilization of e-beam lithography, allow us to
vary the length of the bridge in a controlled manner to fine
tune the magnitude of Ic [1] to adjusted it to our
requirements.
II. EXPERIMENT
We fabricate our Pb samples using e-beam lithography and
a liftoff technique. Fig. 1, is a CAD drawing of our sample.
We start by evaporating a thin 10 nm layer of Germanium
(Ge) on clean sapphire or glass substrates. This step is
necessary to avoid charging effects produced when e-beam
writing on non conducting substrates. Since Ge is an
insulator at low temperatures, it does not affect our
measurements. After this step, we use three consecutive
evaporation and liftoff steps to produce the sample shown in
Fig 1, as follows:
1. We write alignment marks and large square contact
pads. After development, we deposit ~ 5 nm of
Titanium (Ti), as an adhesive layer and then deposit
between 25 nm to 40 nm of Gold (Au). Finally, liftoff
in hot acetone.
2. A new layer of e-beam resist is spun onto the substrate
containing the previous metal pattern and four new
vertical strips, with different widths, are written after
alignment using the alignment marks. The width of
the strips in nm is also written underneath each line
for future indication. Then a non superconducting
metal is evaporated to a thickness that is suitable to
weaken the superconductivity on the bridge to a
desired degree, according to [2]. Again, we liftoff the
excess metal in hot acetone.
3. The final step is depositing the superconducting
material. After spinning and baking the resist, a
pattern consisting of wider lines connecting the
narrow bridges among themselves and to the Au pads
are written, making sure the narrow bridges cross on
top of the metal strips. After developing this pattern
and depositing Pb to its final thickness ( ≤ 80 nm, the
coherence length ξ , in the case of Pb),
 Fig. 1. Prototype chip layout showing two samples, each with two
different length bridges. The middle bridge is a control bridge with no
underlying metal. Chip size is 6 mm × 6 mm.
a protective layer of ~10 nm Ge is deposited on top of
the Pb to minimize its oxidation. After liftoff in hot
acetone, the sample is mounted in the cryostat, as
quickly as possible, and cool down to liquid helium
temperatures inside a vacuum can.
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Fig. 2 shows and SEM picture of a Pb bridge, 1 μm wide
and ~85 nm thick on top of a 400 nm wide, ~30 nm thick
strip of non superconducting metal. In this geometry, the
width of the non superconducting metal strip is roughly the
length of the bridge. Notice the roughness of the films edges
which are produce during liftoff at each step. This problem
will be addressed by improving the e-beam resist profile and
by spinning thicker resists. We are also considering using a
bi-layer resist process to create a reentrant sidewall profile
and thus, improve the film’s edges.
In many of the devices fabricated to date, cracks are
observed to form on the Pb film as shown in Fig. 2. We are
considering changing the order of the evaporation steps
between the steps 2 and 3 above, although this may
accelerate the degradation of the Pb film. This problem may
be solved permanently by changing to a more robust
superconducting material such as Nb and/or, ultimately, to a
high temperature superconductor. In this case, the
superconductor will be processed using an etch technique at
an earlier step, prior to depositing the non superconducting
material. Finally, good electric contact between the films is
desired, although at the moment, Pb is evaporated without
using a cleaning step, such as ion milling, for example. We
are planning to use such step in the future. Electrical
characterization of the devices is undergoing. We are
systematically varying the thickness of materials forming the
junction until observing the Josephson Effect.
Fig. 2. SEM picture of a 1 μm Pb horizontal bridge, ~85 nm thick,
deposited on top of a 400 nm wide vertical strip of non superconducting
metal, ~30 nm thick.
IV. SUMMARY AND FUTURE WORK
We have presented a fabrication method for obtaining
bridge type JJ’s that in principle promises to allows us the
systematic change of the IcRN product, which is the important
parameter for applications of JJ’s as dynamic elements in
THz technology. We are planning to explore the influence of
several materials in suppressing the order parameter of the
superconductors used.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors would like to thank Prof. Komiyama’s group
postdoctoral fellows Dr. Yasushi Kawaguchi and Dr. Chen
Jeng-Chung, student Mr. Patrick Nickels for their help during
the sample fabrication and characterization processes.
REFERENCES
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