Epitaxial thick film high-Tc SQUIDs

Abstract

Low-noise operation of superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) in magnetic fields requires high critical current and strong pinning of vortices in the superconducting electrodes and in the flux transformer. Crack-free epitaxial high-Tc dc-SQUID structures with a total thickness ?5 μm and a surface roughness determined by 30 nm high growth spirals were prepared with YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) films on MgO substrates buffered by a SrTiO3/BaZrO3-bilayer. HRTEM demonstrated a high quality epitaxial growth of the films. The YBCO films and SQUID structures deposited on the buffered MgO substrates had a superconducting transition temperature Tc exceeding 91 K and critical current densities Jc > 3 MA/cm2 at 77 K up to a thickness ~5 μm. The application of thicker superconducting and insulator films helped us to increase the critical current and dynamic range of the multilayer high-Tc flux transformer and improve the insulation between the superconducting layers. An optimization of SQUID inductance allowed us to fabricate 8 mm SQUID magnetometers with SQUID voltage swings of ~60 μV and a field resolution of ~30 fT/√Hz at 77 K.