Fabrication and characterization of PbIn-Au-PbIn superconducting junctions

Abstract

We report on the fabrication and measurement results of the electrical transport properties of superconductor-normal metal-superconductor (SNS) weak links, made of PbIn superconductor and Au metal. The maximum supercurrent reaches up to ~ 6 μA at T = 2.3 K and the supercurrent persists even at T = 4.7 K. Magnetic field dependence of the critical current is consistent with a theoretical fit using the narrow junction model. The superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) was also fabricated using two PbIn-Au-PbIn junctions connected in parallel. Under perpendicular magnetic field, we clearly observed periodic oscillations of dV/dI with a period of magnetic flux quantum threading into the supercurrent loop of the SQUID. Our fabrication methods would provide an easy and simple way to explore the superconducting proximity effects without ultra-low-temperature cryostats.