Hybrid integration of microwave oscillators with Josephson series arrays for the use as voltage standards

Abstract

We have designed and fabricated a new type of Josephson device to be hybrid integrated with microstripline oscillators. For optimum matching of the Josephson series array to the oscillator the samples make use of a new stripline design. The first circuits were fabricated in a simplified Nb/Al/sub 2/O/sub 3//Nb technology and exhibit excellent dc characteristics and good microwave coupling to the junctions of the array. At 70 GHz constant voltage steps up to 350 mV could be observed. By hybrid integrating different samples with a new 10-GHz oscillator, constant voltage steps were created. For this experiment the Josephson current density had to be low enough to reduce the plasma frequency of the junctions to well below the driving frequency. >