Argonne scientists have developed a new sputtering technique for superconducting nitride thin films for device applications. It opens new avenues in fields of nuclear and particle physics.
Single photon superconducting nanowire detector fabricated out of Niobium Nitride on silicon to be used in low energy recoil experiments. (Image by Argonne National Laboratory.)
Scientific achievement
Inclusion of diffuse nitrogen ion plasma into sputtering of Niobium was found to produce Niobium Nitride thin films with superior superconducting properties on non-epitaxial substrates.
Significance and impact
Capability to produce high quality nitride thin films opens up possibilities to use high-speed superconducting detectors in nuclear physics that were previously thought to be impossible.
Research details
- Presence of nitrogen ion beam during deposition process allows for more control of deposition kinematics
- Nitride films are now possible to deposit at room temperatures and on conventional silicon or oxide wafers
- Films are etched into superconducting nanowire detectors
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