Proximity-effect engineering in aluminum-based planar Josephson junctions with intrinsic superconductivityстатья
Информация о цитировании статьи получена из
Scopus
Статья опубликована в журнале из списка Web of Science и/или Scopus
Дата последнего поиска статьи во внешних источниках: 4 марта 2026 г.
Аннотация:We present a comprehensive study of planar Nb-Al-Nb Josephson junctions with submicron dimensions (L ≈ 100 nm, active area ≈ 5*10^4 nm^2), where the intrinsic superconductivity of the aluminum weak link plays a crucial role in enhancing device performance. Through a combination of theoretical modeling and experimental characterization, we demonstrate that the aluminum interlayer significantly boosts the critical current Ic≈50 mkA and the characteristic voltage Vc ≈ 1mV at T=4K, while maintaining non-hysteretic current-voltage characteristics essential for digital applications. Our microscopic model, based on self-consistent solutions of the Usadel equations, reveals that this enhancement originates from the coexistence of proximity-induced superconductivity and intrinsic pairing in aluminum, which is particularly pronounced at an optimal boundary resistance. Structural analysis confirms epitaxial Nb/Al interfaces with minimal interdiffusion, enabling reproducible fabrication of these compact junctions. These results establish Nb-Al-Nb bridges as promising building blocks for high-density superconducting electronics operating at helium temperatures.