High quality YBa2Cu3O7 Josephson junctions made by direct electron beam writing

Abstract

High-Tc Josephson junctions have been fabricated by direct electron beam writing over YBa2Cu3O7 thin-film microbridges, using scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) with an accelerating voltage of 80–120 kV. Annealing at 330–380 K increases Tc and Ic of the junctions and makes them more stable. In the operating range of a few degrees below Tc, the junctions show 100% magnetic field modulation of the critical current, microwave-induced Shapiro steps oscillating according to the resistively shunted junction (RSJ) model, and RSJ current-voltage characteristics with IcRn product up to 0.5–0.6 mV at 75 K and 0.3 mV at 77 K.