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| Home > Publications database > Development of superconducting devices for operation in transmission electron microscopes |
| Conference Presentation (After Call) | FZJ-2026-04579 |
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2026
Abstract: Low energy dissipation in superconductors is advantageous for their operation under reduced heat transfer conditions on a thin membrane in the high vacuum environment of a transmission electron microscope (TEM). We have developed a technology for the preparation of 20-nm-thick single-crystalline SrTiO3 (STO) membranes, which can be used directly for the epitaxial growth and study of electron-beam-transparent YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) and SrRuO3 films [1]. This approach avoids the damage to the films that is introduced by traditional TEM sample preparation methods, such as mechanical grinding and focused ion beam milling.Nanobridge Josephson junctions (nJJs) and nanoSQUIDs can be used for the local excitation and detection of magnetic fields up to THz frequencies. We have developed Nb-based nanoSQUIDs with proximity effect nJJs on 100-nm-thick low-strain SiN membranes for possible applications in the TEM [2]. Electron beam lithography, an HSQ resist mask and high selectivity reactive ion etching with pure SF6 gas were used to pattern nJJs with widths down to 10 nm, which is comparable to coherence length in thin films of Nb. The superconducting films were deposited and nanostructured under standard conditions on bulk Si substrates, followed by wet chemical etching of the substrate in 20 % KOH to the back side of the SiN buffer layer.We have also developed step-corner Josephson junctions for high-Tc superconducting electronics, including SQUIDs, nanoSQUIDs and quantum circuits [3]. Superconducting quantum nanodevices exhibit high sensitivity, low intrinsic noise and low dispersion at high frequencies, making their use as emitters and detectors in close proximity to samples under investigation on TEM grids attractive. In contrast to the conventional step-edge design of high-Tc Josephson junctions, this approach makes use of a single grain boundary in a superconducting film grown over the bottom corner of a step edge, thereby allowing the reproducible creation of ultimate high-Tc Josephson junctions, which can be integrated at any position in a sophisticated high-Tc superconducting circuit.1. M. I. Faley, F. Gunkel, J. Thomsen, A. Tavabi, R. Dittmann, R. E. Dunin-Borkowski, Patent pending EP24193235, priority date 07.08.2024.2. M. I. Faley, J. V. Vas, P.-H. Lu, and R. E. Dunin-Borkowski, https://doi.org/10.1109/TASC.2024.35025723. M. I. Faley, Patent pending DE102024133048, priority date 12.11.2024.
Keyword(s): Instrument and Method Development (1st) ; Materials Science (2nd)
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