Thermal conductivity of superconducting tunneling junctions

We present the first measurements of thermal conductivity of superconducting tunneling junctions. Point contact junctions were established between a GaAs (Zn) point and a superconducting Nb base. We also used a dielectric tip made of GaAs (Cr).We conclude that electrons carry the heat across these type of junctions, in the same way they do in a bulk superconductor, and that the acoustical mismatch at the interface is not affected by the superconducting transition of the base metal.     

Effect of dislocations on the lattice thermal conductivity of superconducting niobium

Thermal conductivity measurements on single crystal Nb samples in the superconducting state have demonstrated a resonant scattering of thermal phonons at roughly 5 × 10¹⁰Hz. The assumption of a mechanical resonance associated with the dislocation structure accounts for the present data and is consistent with other data found in the literature. The thermalization of phonons at an abraded sample surface, and the attendant failure of the relation l^?1 = ∑_jl_j^?1 for phonon mean free paths, was also observed.     

Thermal conductivity as a probe of unconventional superconducting gap

We have carried out a comparative study of the thermal conductivity of two rectangular single crystals: a niobium sample and a detwinned YBCO. Thermal conductivity was measured as a function of the relative orientation of the crystaline axes and a magnetic field applied parallel to the sample plane. Different angular variations, two-fold for Nb and four-fold for YBCO, were observed in the two case. We discuss the microscopic effects related to the gap structure which are at the origin of this qualitative difference in the behavior of thermal conductivity in these two superconductors.     

Thermal conductivity in dirty superconducting alloys in high field

This paper discusses the thermal conductivityK of a dirty type II superconductor in the mixed state, for fields close to the upper critical field (H _e2 orH _e3) where the electronic component is dominant and easily separated. To order |Δ|², the conductivity depends only on the space average 〈|Δ|²〉. Our formula is a generalisation of earlier results byMaki andAmbegaokar andGriffin for gapless superconductors. The slope\(\left( {\frac{{\partial K}}{{\partial H}}} \right)_{Hc2} \) is proportional to the slope of the magnetization curve\(\left( {\frac{{\partial K}}{{\partial H}}} \right)_{Hc2} \), the ratio of these two slopes being a universal function of temperature. These results are very different from the predictions of the “effective gap” model.     

Intermediate state of superconducting niobium

A domain pattern characteristic for an attractive interaction between flux lines and a correlation between the flux-line lattice and the crystal lattice of niobium crystals is observed.     

Thermal conductivity of superconducting lead-indium alloys near the upper critical field

The thermal conductivity of a series of lead/indium alloys was measured in the normal, superconducting and mixed states. The electronic part of the thermal conductivity near the upper critical field was compared with the theory of Caroli and Cyrot. There is good agreement in the dirty limit but large deviations are observed as the indium concentration is reduced.     

Anisotropic flux-line lattice in superconducting niobium

We report a neutron-diffraction experiment by the flux-line lattice of a superconducting single crystal of Niobium with an applied magnetic field along three different crystallographic axes. In the directions where the gap and Hc₂ are highly anisotropic, the elementary cell is found to be an isosceles triangle, the flux lattice orientation being very well defined relatively to the lattice of the niobium. In the same directions, the measurement of the integrated reflectivity gives Fourier components of the local magnetic field having lost the six fold symmetry.     

Erratum to: Thermal conductivity as a probe of unconventional superconducting gap

We have carried out a comparative study of the thermal conductivity of two rectangular single crystals: a niobium sample and a detwinned YBCO. Thermal conductivity was measured as a function of the relative orientation of the crystaline axes and a magnetic field applied parallel to the sample plane. Different angular variations, two-fold for Nb and four-fold for YBCO, were observed in the two case. We discuss the microscopic effects related to the gap structure which are at the origin of this qualitative difference in the behavior of thermal conductivity in these two superconductors.     

Doped niobium superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors

We designed and fabricated a special doped niobium (Nb*) superconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD) on MgO substrate. The superconductivity of this ultra-thin Nb* film was further improved by depositing an ultra-thin aluminum nitride protective layer on top. Compared with traditional Nb films, Nb* films present higher T _C and J _C. We investigated the dependence of the characteristics of devices, such as cut-off wavelength, response bandwidth, and temperature, on their geometrical dimensions. Results indicate that reduction in both the width and thickness of Nb* nanowires extended the cut-off wavelength and improved the sensitivity. The Nb* SNSPD (50 nm width and 4.5 nm thickness) exhibited single-photon sensitivities at 1,310, 1,550, and 2,010 nm. We also demonstrated an enhancement in the detection efficiency by a factor of 10 in its count rate by lowering the working temperature from 2.26 K to 315 mK.     

用于射频超导腔制造的大晶粒铌材热导研究（英）

大晶粒铌材由于声子峰效应在2 K温度具有良好的热导,这有助于提高超导腔的热稳定性。对宁夏东方钽业股份有限公司（OTIC）生产的大晶粒铌材在不同热处理条件下的热导和晶格缺陷开展了研究,结果表明经过超过800 ℃的热处理,OTIC的大晶粒铌材能够恢复声子峰,这与之前DESY的测量结果不同。认为用其加工的超导腔有望具备较好热稳定性。     

用于射频超导腔制造的大晶粒铌材热导研究（英）

大晶粒铌材由于声子峰效应在2 K温度具有良好的热导,这有助于提高超导腔的热稳定性。对宁夏东方钽业股份有限公司（OTIC）生产的大晶粒铌材在不同热处理条件下的热导和晶格缺陷开展了研究,结果表明经过超过800 ℃的热处理,OTIC的大晶粒铌材能够恢复声子峰,这与之前DESY的测量结果不同。认为用其加工的超导腔有望具备较好热稳定性。     

The interphase surface energy of superconducting niobium

The intermediate-mixed state laminar domain structure has been decorated on high purity dished niobium discs at 4.2°K. The Landau-Lifshitz-Sharvin theory is tested and used and the interphase surface energy is estimated at (3.7 ± 0.9) × 10^-3 ergs cm^-2.     

Design of a superconducting low beta niobium resonator

The proposed high current injector for the superconducting Linac at the Inter-University Accelerator Centre will have several accelerating structures, including a superconducting module which will contain low beta niobium resonators. A prototype resonator for the low beta module has been designed. The resonator has been carefully modelled to optimize the electromagnetic parameters. In order to validate them, a room-temperature copper model has been built and tested. In this paper we present details of the electromagnetic design of the low beta resonator, briefly discuss the mechanical and engineering design, and present results from the measurements on the room-temperature copper model.     

Magnetoresistance anisotropy of a one-dimensional superconducting niobium strip

We investigated confinement effects on the resistive anisotropy of a superconducting niobium strip with a rectangular cross section. When its transverse dimensions are comparable to the superconducting coherence length, the angle dependent magnetoresistances at a fixed temperature can be scaled as R(theta,H) = R(H/Hctheta) where Hctheta =Hc0(cos2theta + gamma(-2)sin2theta)(-1/2) is the angular dependent critical field, gamma is the width to thickness ratio, and Hc0 is the critical field in the thickness direction at theta=0 degrees . The results can be understood in terms of the anisotropic diamagnetic energy for a given field in a one-dimensional superconductor.     

Comment on the state-of-the-art of tunneling into superconducting niobium

The various NB tunneling results reported to date are reviewed and compared leading to the conclusion that the origins of the negative pseudo-potential for structurally perfect Nb are still not understood.     

Manufacture of superconducting niobium cavity parts by hydropercussion punching

A complete cycle of manufacturing all parts of superconducting niobium cavities which comprise two half-cells, two drift tubes, and two flanges each has been developed. The cavity half-cells are manufactured by hydropercussion punching, which has a number of advantages over the instrumental stamping technique. For the first time, the diagram of formability of ultrapure niobium has been experimentally obtained for hydropercussion punching and the key parameters of the process have been determined that ensure complete deep-drawing of workpieces, viz., the value of the limit drawing ratio of ultrapure niobium that is 1.92 at a specific impact energy of 0.42 MJ/m². The deviations of the half-cell dimensions from the rated values do not exceed 0.1 mm. Production tools required for all manufacturing steps have been created. The parameters of machining of the niobium cavity parts prior to welding have been experimentally established.     

Fluctuation conductivity in superconducting MgB2

According to the crystal structure of MgB₂ and band structure calculations, quasi-two-dimensional (2D) boron planes are responsible for the superconductivity. We report on critical-field and resistance measurements of 5.6-μm-thick MgB₂ films grown on a sapphire single-crystal substrate. Resistivity measurements yield a temperature dependence of the fluctuation conductivity above the critical temperature, which agrees with the Aslamazov-Larkin and Maki-Thompson theory of fluctuations in layered superconductors, indicating a quasi-two-dimensional nucleation of superconductivity in MgB₂.     

Nuclear spin-lattice relaxation in the mixed state of superconducting niobium

Pulsed NMR measurements of the spin-lattice relaxation timeT ₁ have been carried out in niobium metal, in order to investigate the elementary excitation spectrum in the superconducting mixed state. The dependences ofT ₁ on temperature, external field, and mean free path were determined. The results below ～5°K were in agreement with the theory of field-induced gapless superconductivity. The best fit was obtained with a scale factor 0.35±0.2, in agreement with recent ultrasonic attenuation results. Anomalously fast relaxation was observed above ～5°K, which could not be interpreted in terms of the present theory of thermal vortex fluctuations.