Fabrication of Magnetic Barrier NbN Tunnel Junctions with the Gap Voltage over 5 mV

Abstract

Superconductor–insulator–superconductor (SIS) tunnel junctions including magnetic barriers, with structures NbN/AlNiN/NbN or NbN/MgO/NiO/MgO/NbN, were fabricated. The junctions with upper NbN layers of good crystallinity showed a gap voltage (Vg) higher than 5 mV. In an NbN/Al0.942Ni0.058N/NbN junction, its Josephson current Ic was suppressed to approximately a third of a theoretical value under no magnetic field. Therefore, it would be possible to avoid Josephson noise in magnetic barrier junctions with a much smaller magnetic field than junctions with conventional barriers. The Ni ion area density dependence of Ic suppression ratio was identical for both types of junction, suggesting that the area density of magnetic ions is the factor that determines the Ic suppression ratio. On the other hand, the extents of degradation of Vg and increase in leakage current caused by the increase in Ni ion area density were smaller in MgO/NiO/MgO barrier junctions than in AlNiN barrier junctions. This suggests that the proximity effect of magnetic ions was weakened owing to the separation of Ni ions and NbN layers by the inserted thin MgO layers.