Reducing two-level system dissipations in 3D superconducting Niobium resonators by atomic layer deposition and high temperature heat treatment

Superconducting qubits have arisen as a leading technology platform for quantum computing which is on the verge of revolutionizing the world's calculation capacities. Nonetheless, the fabrication of computationally reliable qubit circuits requires increasing the quantum coherence lifetimes, which are predominantly limited by the dissipations of two-level system (TLS) defects present in the thin superconducting film and the adjacent dielectric regions. In this paper, we demonstrate the reduction of two-level system losses in three-dimensional superconducting radio frequency (SRF) niobium resonators by atomic layer deposition (ALD) of a 10 nm aluminum oxide Al2O3 thin films followed by a high vacuum (HV) heat treatment at 650 {\deg}C for few hours. By probing the effect of several heat treatments on Al2O3-coated niobium samples by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) plus scanning and conventional high resolution transmission electron microscopy (STEM/HRTEM) coupled with electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and (EDX) , we witness a dissolution of niobium native oxides and the modification of the Al2O3-Nb interface, which correlates with the enhancement of the quality factor at low fields of two 1.3 GHz niobium cavities coated with 10 nm of Al2O3

Conception d’un résonateur quadripolaire pour la caractérisation des propriétés de couches minces supraconductrices en régime radiofréquence pour les cavités accélératrices

Superconducting accelerator cavities are now made from solid Niobium. It is the only metallic superconducting material that can be used in its elemental form to fabricate the complex geometries required. Technological progress has been such in recent years that the surface qualities obtained almost reach now the intrinsic limits of the material. The quest for new materials or surface structures is thus necessary to overcome the limit of Niobium technology. This PhD work is addressing two important axes for the development of these new alternative materials. Firstly, a device for testing the sample under nominal conditions of an accelerating cavity (cryogenic temperature, vacuum, radio frequency electromagnetic field) was designed. It has been optimized to better meet the constraints associated with the deposition of thin films than the devices currently in operation. It is more compact and allows the testing of samples of simple geometry and small dimensions. Secondly, deposition of thin films of insulating materials such as Al₂O₃ and Y₂O₃ have been performed by the ALD technique (Atomic Layer Deposition). Their properties and purities were analyzed by several techniques before and after optimization of the subsequent heat treatment. The deposition of such a layer, of about ten nanometers, is crucial for the improvement of superconducting cavities performances. In the short term, it allows the passivation of the Niobium surface in order to remove the native oxide layer that impair the surface superconducting properties. In the longer term, this insulating layer is essential for the decoupling of multiple layers of superconducting materials allowing the realization of an efficient shielding of the Niobium substrate.Les cavités accélératrices supraconductrices sont aujourd’hui fabriquées en Niobium massif. C’est le seul matériau supraconducteur métallique pouvant être utilisé à l’état pur pour fabriquer les géométries complexes requises. Les progrès technologiques ont été tels ces dernières années que les qualités de surface obtenues permettent d’atteindre quasiment les limites intrinsèques du matériau. La recherche de nouveaux matériaux ou structurations de surface est aujourd’hui nécessaire pour dépasser la limite du Niobium massif. Ce travail de thèse s’inscrit dans ce contexte en abordant deux axes importants pour le déploiement de ces nouveaux matériaux. Premièrement, un dispositif de test d’échantillon dans des conditions représentatives de l’environnement d’une cavité accélératrice (température cryogénique, vide, champ électromagnétique radiofréquence) a été conçu. Il a été optimisé pour mieux répondre aux contraintes liées au dépôt de couches minces que les dispositifs actuellement en opération. Il est plus compact et permet de tester des échantillons de géométrie simple et de petites dimensions. Deuxièmement, des dépôts de couches minces de matériaux isolants tels que l’Al₂O₃ et l’Y₂O₃ ont été réalisés par la technique ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition). Leur propriétés et puretés ont été analysées par plusieurs techniques avant et après optimisation du traitement thermique. Le dépôt d’une telle couche, d’une dizaine de nanomètres, est cruciale pour l’amélioration des performances des cavités supraconductrices. A court terme, il permet la passivation de la surface du Niobium afin de supprimer la couche d’oxyde native présentant des propriétés supraconductrices amoindries. A plus long terme, cette couche isolante est indispensable pour le découplage des couches de matériaux supraconducteurs permettant la réalisation d’un blindage du substrat en Niobium

Design of a Quadrupole Resonator for the characterization of the superconducting properties of thin films in radiofrequency regime

Les cavités accélératrices supraconductrices sont aujourd’hui fabriquées en Niobium massif. C’est le seul matériau supraconducteur métallique pouvant être utilisé à l’état pur pour fabriquer les géométries complexes requises. Les progrès technologiques ont été tels ces dernières années que les qualités de surface obtenues permettent d’atteindre quasiment les limites intrinsèques du matériau. La recherche de nouveaux matériaux ou structurations de surface est aujourd’hui nécessaire pour dépasser la limite du Niobium massif. Ce travail de thèse s’inscrit dans ce contexte en abordant deux axes importants pour le déploiement de ces nouveaux matériaux. Premièrement, un dispositif de test d’échantillon dans des conditions représentatives de l’environnement d’une cavité accélératrice (température cryogénique, vide, champ électromagnétique radiofréquence) a été conçu. Il a été optimisé pour mieux répondre aux contraintes liées au dépôt de couches minces que les dispositifs actuellement en opération. Il est plus compact et permet de tester des échantillons de géométrie simple et de petites dimensions. Deuxièmement, des dépôts de couches minces de matériaux isolants tels que l’Al₂O₃ et l’Y₂O₃ ont été réalisés par la technique ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition). Leur propriétés et puretés ont été analysées par plusieurs techniques avant et après optimisation du traitement thermique. Le dépôt d’une telle couche, d’une dizaine de nanomètres, est cruciale pour l’amélioration des performances des cavités supraconductrices. A court terme, il permet la passivation de la surface du Niobium afin de supprimer la couche d’oxyde native présentant des propriétés supraconductrices amoindries. A plus long terme, cette couche isolante est indispensable pour le découplage des couches de matériaux supraconducteurs permettant la réalisation d’un blindage du substrat en Niobium.Superconducting accelerator cavities are now made from solid Niobium. It is the only metallic superconducting material that can be used in its elemental form to fabricate the complex geometries required. Technological progress has been such in recent years that the surface qualities obtained almost reach now the intrinsic limits of the material. The quest for new materials or surface structures is thus necessary to overcome the limit of Niobium technology. This PhD work is addressing two important axes for the development of these new alternative materials. Firstly, a device for testing the sample under nominal conditions of an accelerating cavity (cryogenic temperature, vacuum, radio frequency electromagnetic field) was designed. It has been optimized to better meet the constraints associated with the deposition of thin films than the devices currently in operation. It is more compact and allows the testing of samples of simple geometry and small dimensions. Secondly, deposition of thin films of insulating materials such as Al₂O₃ and Y₂O₃ have been performed by the ALD technique (Atomic Layer Deposition). Their properties and purities were analyzed by several techniques before and after optimization of the subsequent heat treatment. The deposition of such a layer, of about ten nanometers, is crucial for the improvement of superconducting cavities performances. In the short term, it allows the passivation of the Niobium surface in order to remove the native oxide layer that impair the surface superconducting properties. In the longer term, this insulating layer is essential for the decoupling of multiple layers of superconducting materials allowing the realization of an efficient shielding of the Niobium substrate

Multipacting Analysis of the Quadripolar Resonator (QPR) at HZB

International audienceMultipacting (MP) is a resonating electron discharge, often plaguing radio-frequency (RF) structures, produced by the synchronization of emitted electrons with the RF fields and the electron multiplication at the impact point with the surface structure. The electron multiplication can take place only if the secondary emission yield (SEY, i.e. the number of electrons emitted due to the impact of one incoming electron), , is higher than 1. The SEY value depends strongly on the material and the surface contamination. Multipacting simulations are crucial in high-frenquency (HF) vacuum structures to localize and potentially improve the geometry. In this work, multipacting simulations were carried out on the geometry of the Quadrupole Resonator (QPR) in operation at HZB using the Spark 3D module in Microwave Studio suite (CST). These simulations helped to understand a particular behavior observed during the QPR tests, and furthermore made it possible to suggest enhancement ways in order to limit this phenomenon and facilitate its operation

Geometry Optimization for a Quadrupole Resonator at Jefferson Lab

The quadrupole resonator (QPR) is a sample characterization tool to measure the RF properties of superconducting materials using the calorimetry method at different temperatures, magnetic fields, and frequencies. Such resonators are currently operating at CERN and HZB but suffer from Lorentz force detuning and modes overlapping, resulting in higher uncertainties in surface resistance measurement. Using the two CERN’s QPR model iterations, the geometry was optimized via electromagnetic and mechanical simulations to eliminate these issues. The new QPR version was modeled for an increasing range of magnetic fields. The magnetic field is concentrated at the center of the sample to reduce the uncertainty in surface resistance measurements significantly. This paper will discuss the QPR geometry optimization for the new version of QPR, which is now progressing towards fabrication

Reducing two-level system dissipations in 3D superconducting Niobium resonators by atomic layer deposition and high temperature heat treatment

International audienceSuperconducting qubits have arisen as a leading technology platform for quantum computing which is on the verge of revolutionizing the world's calculation capacities. Nonetheless, the fabrication of computationally reliable qubit circuits requires increasing the quantum coherence lifetimes, which are predominantly limited by the dissipations of two-level system (TLS) defects present in the thin superconducting film and the adjacent dielectric regions. In this paper, we demonstrate the reduction of two-level system losses in three-dimensional superconducting radio frequency (SRF) niobium resonators by atomic layer deposition (ALD) of a 10 nm aluminum oxide Al2O3 thin films followed by a high vacuum (HV) heat treatment at 650 {\deg}C for few hours. By probing the effect of several heat treatments on Al2O3-coated niobium samples by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) plus scanning and conventional high resolution transmission electron microscopy (STEM/HRTEM) coupled with electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and (EDX) , we witness a dissolution of niobium native oxides and the modification of the Al2O3-Nb interface, which correlates with the enhancement of the quality factor at low fields of two 1.3 GHz niobium cavities coated with 10 nm of Al2O3