Reactive ion beam etching of Y-Ba-Cu-O superconductors

Abstract

It has been found that a reactive ion beam etching (RIBE) using Cl2 gas is useful for microfabrication of Y-Ba-Cu-O superconductors. The etching yield enhancement of Y-Ba-Cu-O is observed for Cl2 RIBE. The etching yield of Y-Ba-Cu-O at 400 V accelerating voltage, 2×10−3 Torr Cl2 pressure for Cl2 RIBE is 2, which is twice that for Ar ion beam etching. Y-Ba-Cu-O submicron patterns have been fabricated by focused ion beam lithography and Cl2 RIBE. Moreover, a Y-Ba-Cu-O superconducting line with a 4-μm linewidth has been fabricated by annealing an as-sputtered Y-Ba-Cu-O line pattern.