Investigation of Arrays of Two-dimensional High-T C SQUIDs for Optimization of Electrical Properties.

In this work, we investigate two-dimensional arrays of High-T C superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) for optimization of their electrical transport characteristics. Specifically, we look at devices with different electrode configurations in between the series segments to gain insight into how the array spacing, in the direction of the bias current, affects the voltage magnetic field characteristics. Our results suggest that for spacing dimensions greater than the penetration depth interactions are minimal. Furthermore, comparisons of voltage field characteristics reveal higher modulation voltages and narrower peaks with as the numbers of SQUIDs in the parallel direction increases from 1 to 6. For larger numbers of SQUIDs in parallel greater than 6 little change is observed. These results suggest a pathway to SQUID array scaling for very large numbers of SQUIDs within in a small area.

Direct-coupled micro-magnetometer with Y-Ba-Cu-O nano-slit SQUID fabricated with a focused helium ion beam.

Direct write patterning of high-transition temperature (high-T C) superconducting oxide thin films with a focused helium ion beam is a formidable approach for the scaling of high-T C circuit feature sizes down to the nanoscale. In this letter, we report using this technique to create a sensitive micro superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer with a sensing area of about 100 × 100 µm2. The device is fabricated from a single 35-nm thick YBa2Cu3O7- δ film. A flux concentrating pick-up loop is directly coupled to a 10 nm × 20 µm nano-slit SQUID. The SQUID is defined entirely by helium ion irradiation from a gas field ion source. The irradiation converts the superconductor to an insulator, and no material is milled away or etched. In this manner, a very narrow non-superconducting nano-slit is created entirely within the plane of the film. The narrow slit dimension allows for maximization of the coupling to the field concentrator. Electrical measurements reveal a large 0.35 mV modulation with a magnetic field. We measure a white noise level of 2 µΦ0/Hz1∕2. The field noise of the magnetometer is 4 pT/Hz1∕2 at 4.2 K.