Fabrication of nis and sis nanojunctions with aluminum electrodes and studies of magnetic field influence on iv curves

Samples of superconductor–insulator–superconductor (SIS) and normal metal–insulator– superconductor (NIS) junctions with superconducting aluminum of different thickness were fabricated and experimentally studied, starting from conventional shadow evaporation with a suspended resist bridge. We also developed alternative fabrication by magnetron sputtering with twostep direct e-beam patterning. We compared Al film grain size, surface roughness, resistivity deposited by thermal evaporation and magnetron sputtering. The best-quality NIS junctions with large superconducting electrodes approached a resistance R(0)/R(V2Δ) factor ratio of 1000 at 0.3 K and over 10,000 at 0.1 K. At 0.1 K, R(0) was determined completely by the Andreev current. The contribution of the single-electron current dominated at V > VΔ/2. The single-electron resistance extrapolated to V = 0 exceeded the resistance R(V2Δ) by 3 7 109. We measured the influence of the magnetic field on NIS junctions and described the mechanism of additional conductivity due to induced Abrikosov vortices. The modified shape of the SINIS bolometer IV curve was explained by Joule overheating via NIN (normal metal–insulator–normal metal) channels

Arrays of Annular Antennas With SINIS Bolometers

For improving the dynamic range and sensitivity at high power load, we have integrated superconductor-insulator-normal metal-insulator-superconductor (SINIS) bolometers with a frequency selective surface (FSS)-based distributed absorber formed by a series and parallel array consisting of 25 annular antenna elements, each containing two SINIS bolometers. By using a design with 50 bolometers, we reduce incident power load on each bolometer, increase sensitivity and saturation power which is important for ground-based and balloon-borne telescopes with high background power loads. Our main detector pixel is optimized for a frequency band centered at 345GHz. The detectors are matched to incoming telescope beam by a back-to-back horn with a back reflector. Such a configuration improves both the efficiency and the bandwidth of the receiver. Measured voltage responsivity approaches 210(9) VW with an amplifier-limited voltage noise of 20nVHz(12), which corresponds to a NEP 10(-17) WHz(12). The linear voltage response for incoming power is observed for absorbed power of about 5 pW. The current responsivity for parallel array is 210(4) AW and the shot noise limited intrinsic noise equivalent power is NEP 510(-18)WHz(12). The noise equivalent temperature difference is NETD 100 KHz(12) at 2.7-K background radiation temperature