title: Fabrication and characterization of high-T(c) YBa(2)Cu(3)O(7-x) nanoSQUIDs made by focused ion beam milling.
abstract: We have fabricated high-T(c) nanoscale superconducting quantum interference devices (nanoSQUIDs) with a hole size of 250 nm × 250 nm based on a 100 nm bridge at 77 K by focused ion beam milling and ion implantation. At 78 K, the curve of the voltage branch became roughly linear and agreed with the Josephson-like behavior. The sample exhibited strong flux flow behavior at temperatures under 76 K. The voltage flux characteristic curves, V -I(mod), of the nanoSQUID at different bias currents at 78 K were observed. Typically, critical currents of 15 µA and peak-to-peak values of the voltage flux transfer function of 3.7 µV were measured. The measured data strongly suggest that the weak link structure could be a superconducting metal with a critical temperature T(c)' smaller than that (T(c)) of other YBa(2)Cu(3)O(7-x) (YBCO) films. This fabrication method of combining a nanobridge and ion implantation can improve the yield of nanojunctions and nanoSQUIDs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan.
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Y T
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: U C
authors.initials: UC
authors.lastname: Sou
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Jeng