55 GHz microstrip bandpass filter made from YBa2Cu3O7−x superconductor thin film

Abstract

We report the first mm wave passive component made with high temperature superconducting thin films. Microstrip bandpass filters, with bandwidth of 2.2 GHz and a center frequency of 55 GHz, were made using YBa2Cu3O7−x filter patterns on MgO substrates with Au ground planes. The best results were obtained for a film grown with a thin SrTiO3 buffer layer and had Tc=89 K and Jc=106 A/cm2 at 84 K. The filter showed insertion loss of 1.7 db at 77 K, and 1.5 db at 70 K, compared to 7.3 db for Au filters at 77 K. Subtracting the losses in the Au ground plane, we estimated that the superconductor surface resistance is lower than one fourth that of Au at 77 K and 55 GHz.