Thin-film persistent current switch

We have developed a fast, low power heat switch for switching a niobium thin film between the normal and superconducting state. The sputtered niobium film (400 nm thick, 100 /spl mu/m wide) has a critical current density of 5/spl times/10/sup 10/ Am/sup -2/. Switching is produced by joule heating a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE transactions on applied superconductivity 2005-09, Vol.15 (3), p.3821-3826
Main Authors: Balchandani, P., Torii, R.H., Shile, R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Critical current density
Current injection
current switch
Electronics
Exact sciences and technology
heat switch
Heat switches
Heating
Niobium
Persistent currents
Resistors
Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices
Sputtering
Superconducting devices
Superconducting films
Superconducting thin films
Superconductivity
Switches
Switching
Thermal conductivity
thin film
Thin films
Three dimensional models
Transistors
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Summary:We have developed a fast, low power heat switch for switching a niobium thin film between the normal and superconducting state. The sputtered niobium film (400 nm thick, 100 /spl mu/m wide) has a critical current density of 5/spl times/10/sup 10/ Am/sup -2/. Switching is produced by joule heating a small section of the niobium film with a titanium thin-film resistor. With the heat switch in vacuum, the minimum heater power needed to switch to the normal state was 4.5/spl times/10/sup -5/ W. A simple three-dimensional thermal model shows that the minimum power is primarily determined by the thermal conductivity of the substrate. We have achieved response times less than 10/sup -6/ s.
ISSN:1051-8223
1558-2515
DOI:10.1109/TASC.2005.847491