Low-frequency excess noise in YBa2Cu3O7−<i>x</i> dc superconducting quantum interference devices cooled in static magnetic fields

Abstract

We have investigated the performance of YBa2Cu3O7−x dc superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) cooled in static magnetic fields, B0, of 0.01–1 mT. For fields less than the earth’s ambient field, about 0.05 mT, the white noise of the devices at 77 K is not materially affected. However, at a frequency f of 1 Hz the spectral density of the 1/f noise, SΦ (1 Hz), at 0.05 mT increases by an order of magnitude over that for zero field. Furthermore, SΦ (1 Hz) scales approximately linearly with B0, suggesting strongly that the noise originates in the motion of vortices in the YBCO film. This increase in noise is likely to be an issue for SQUIDs operated in the earth’s field.