Development of an atomic scale investigation of critical issues in the Nb trilayer process

Abstract Our ultimate goal is to ensure that the Josephson Junction (JJ) community has all the information needed to choose the best materials and processing conditions for their needs. In the one-year add-on to our project, we propose to complete a study that will provide an atomic scale understanding of issues that affect the reliability and thermal stability of Nb trilayer junctions. This effort will include a critical and comprehensive comparison between the established materials and processing methods to alternative choices that have been proposed. This information will essential to the JJ digital community in developing methods to increase the junction count and performance of RSFQ circuits for future large scale military and civilian applications. The work we will perform will also enable my current graduate student to continue his focus on this important area so that he can complete his thesis by late 2013.