Development of Integrated HTS SQUIDs With a Multilayer Structure and Ramp-Edge Josephson Junctions

Abstract

We have fabricated high-temperature superconductor (HTS) dc superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) with a multilayer structure and ramp-edge Josephson junctions. For stable operation at 77 K, SmBa <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> Cu <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> O <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">y</sub> (SmBCO) and La <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">0.1</sub> -Er <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">0.95</sub> Ba <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">1.95</sub> Cu <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> O <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">y</sub> (La-ErBCO) films with a <i xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">T</i> <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">c</sub> above 90 K were employed as materials for the base-electrode and counter-electrode layers, respectively. Junctions were fabricated by employing a Cu-poor La-ErBCO layer as a precursor of the barrier. The fabricated parallel gradiometers with a baseline of 1-3 mm exhibited the field-induced modulation voltage of 20-50 muV at 77 K, and a clear modulation up to 86.8 K. Noise measurements at 77 K revealed a white flux noise of 4.5-10 muPhi <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">0</sub> /Hz <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">1/2</sup> at 1 kHz. The magnetometer with an integrated 20-turn flux transformer and the effective area of about 1.8 mm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> exhibited a field noise of 25 fT/Hz <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">1/2</sup> or less at 1 kHz.