Epitaxial aluminium-nitride tunnel barriers grown by nitridation with a plasma source

High critical current-density (10 to 420 kA/cm^2) superconductor-insulator-superconductor tunnel junctions with aluminium nitride barriers have been realized using a remote nitrogen plasma from an inductively coupled plasma source operated in a pressure range of 10^{-3} to 10^{-1} mbar. We find a much better reproducibility and control compared to previous work. From the current-voltage characteristics and cross-sectional TEM images it is inferred that, compared to the commonly used AlO_x barriers, the poly-crystalline AlN barriers are much more uniform in transmissivity, leading to a better quality at high critical current-densities.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in AP

Optimizing superconducting matching circuits for nb SIS mixers operating around the gap frequency

The bandwidth and noise temperature of superconducting-insulating-superconducting (SIS) mixers are strongly determined by the matching between antenna and tunnel-junction. Optimal scientific benefit from Band 9 (600 to 720 GHz) of the Atacama Large Millimeter Array requires a proper design of the matching circuit by taking into account the energy gap of the niobium (680 GHz). In preliminary experiments we have found that tapered structures lead to significant improvements, which suggests that a systematic analysis of optimized geometrical shapes might be beneficial. The tuning circuits are analysed using a model, which includes the Mattis-Bardeen theory for the surface impedance of Nb and which allows arbitrary shapes. We will present simulations and experimental results focusing on the transmission efficiency, which can conveniently be evaluated experimentally by using a Fourier Transform Spectrometer. We will show how the shape influences the transmission efficiency and relate it to observed noise temperatures of the mixers