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Stable superconducting niobium ultrathin films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 August 2011

Cécile Delacour ,
Luc Ortega ,
Bernard Pannetier  and
Vincent Bouchiat
Cécile Delacour
Affiliation:
Institut Néel, CNRS-Université Joseph Fourier-Grenoble INP, BP 166, F-38042 Grenoble, France.
Luc Ortega
Affiliation:
Institut Néel, CNRS-Université Joseph Fourier-Grenoble INP, BP 166, F-38042 Grenoble, France.
Bernard Pannetier
Affiliation:
Institut Néel, CNRS-Université Joseph Fourier-Grenoble INP, BP 166, F-38042 Grenoble, France.
Vincent Bouchiat
Affiliation:
Institut Néel, CNRS-Université Joseph Fourier-Grenoble INP, BP 166, F-38042 Grenoble, France.
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Abstract

We report on a combined structural and electronic analysis of niobium ultrathin films (from 2.5 to 10 nm) epitaxially grown in ultra-high vacuum on atomically flat sapphire wafers. We demonstrate a structural transition in the early stages of Nb growth, which coincides with the onset of a superconducting-metallic transition (SMT). The SMT takes place on a very narrow thickness range (1 ML). The thinnest superconducting sample (3 nm/ 9ML) has an offset critical temperature above 4.2K and allows to be processed by standard nanofabrication techniques to generate air and time stable superconducting nanostructures.

Keywords

superconductingNbelectrical properties

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References

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