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Dilute Al-Mn Alloys for Low-Temperature Device Applications

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Abstract

We discuss results on the superconducting, electron-transport, and tunneling properties of Al doped with Mn in the range of 1000 to 3000 ppm. We demonstrate that the critical temperature of Al can be systematically reduced to below 50 mK. Films are prepared by sputter deposition, and show values of d(ln R)/d(ln T) of ∼500, indicating sharp superconducting transitions. Al-Mn/I/Al-Mn tunnel junctions show low sub-gap conductance and BCS-like characteristics. Our results in general suggest that the material is of interest for transition-edge sensors operating in the 100 mK regime and superconductor/insulator/superconductor (S/I/S) and normal/insulator/ superconductor (N/I/S) devices, in the latter case where heavily doped Al-Mn can replace the normal metal.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, 46556

    S. T. Ruggiero & A. Williams

  2. National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, Connecticut, 80305

    W. H. Rippard, A. Clark, S. W. Deiker, L. R. Vale & J. N. Ullom

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  1. S. T. Ruggiero
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Ruggiero, S.T., Williams, A., Rippard, W.H. et al. Dilute Al-Mn Alloys for Low-Temperature Device Applications. Journal of Low Temperature Physics 134, 973–984 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOLT.0000013212.61515.56

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