Single molecule magnet’s (SMM) effects on antiferromagnet-based magnetic tunnel junction
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A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ)-based microwave detector is proposed and investigated. When the MTJ is excited by microwave magnetic fields, the relative angle between the free layer and pinned layer alternates, giving rise to an average resistance change. By measuring the average resistance change, the MTJ can be utilized as a microwave power sensor. Due to the nature of ferromagnetic resonance, the frequency of an incident microwave is directly determined. In addition, by integrating a mixer circuit, the MTJ-based microwave detector can also determine the relative phase between two microwave signals. Thus, the MTJbased microwave detector can be used as an on-chip microwave phase and spectrum analyzer.
A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ)-based microwave detector is proposed and investigated. When the MTJ is excited by microwave magnetic fields, the relative angle between the free layer and pinned layer alternates, giving rise to an average resistance change. By measuring the average resistance change, the MTJ can be utilized as a microwave power sensor. Due to the nature of ferromagnetic resonance, the frequency of an incident microwave is directly determined. In addition, by integrating a mixer circuit, the MTJ-based microwave detector can also determine the relative phase between two microwave signals. Thus, the MTJ-based microwave detector can be used as an on-chip microwave phase and spectrum analyzer.
Photolithographic techniques have been developed to fabricate high-quality Al-Al oxide-Al superconducting tunnel junctions for use in X-ray detectors. These devices are designed to incorporate about 1-micron-thick superconducting X-ray absorbers for the detection of less than 10-keV single photons. In an effort to increase energy resolution, superconductor bandgap engineering with lateral and vertical trapping has been used to shorten quasi-particle tunneling times and diffusion lengths and to prevent quasi-particle diffusion away from the tunnel junction. Methods that have been developed for overcoming materials imcompatibility and device degradation upon thermal cycling are reported. The authors also report on the use of a nonrectangular tunnel junction geometry which reduces the magnetic field needed to suppress the Josephson current for stable biasing. Work in progress to measure the energy resolution of these X-ray detectors at 0.35 K is also discussed.
Exchange model of zero bias tunneling anomalies, discussing Hamiltonian, interference magnetic scattering and metal junctions
Properties of NbN films and NbN/MgO/NbN tunnel junctions are discussed. NbN junctions are being developed for use in high-frequency, SIS quasiparticle mixers. To properly design mixer circuits, junction and film properties need to be characterized. The specific capacitance of NbN/MgO/NbN junctions has been measured as a function of the product of the normal-state resistance and the junction area (RnA), and it is found to vary by more than a factor of two (35-85 fF/sq microns) over the range of RnA measured (1000-50 ohm sq microns). This variation is important because the specific capacitance determines the RC speed of the tunnel junction at a given RnA value. The magnetic penetration depth of NbN films deposited under different conditions is also measured. The magnetic penetration depth affects the design of microstrip line used in RF tuning circuits. Control of the magnetic penetration depth is necessary to fabricate reproducible tuning circuits. Additionally, the critical current uniformity for arrays of 100 junctions has been measured. Junction uniformity will affect the design of focal-plane arrays of SIS mixers. Finally, the relevance of these measurements to the design of Josephson electronics is discussed.
Progress is reported in work towards the development of surface wave sources for the infrared and sub-millimeter portion of the spectrum to be based upon electron pumping by tunneling electrons in metal-barrier-metal or metal-barrier-semiconductor devices. Tunneling phenomena and the coupling of radiation to tunnel junctions were studied. The propagation characteristics of surface electro-magnetic modes in metal-insulator-p(++) semiconductor structures as a function of frequency were calculated. A model for the gain process based upon Tucker's formalism was developed and used to estimate what low frequency gain might be expected from such structures. The question of gain was addressed from a more fundamental viewpoint using the method of Lasher and Stern.
Using phase lock techniques to study electrical and magnetic properties of metal superconductor Josephson junctions
A superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) receiver has been successfully constructed and tested for operation at 265 - 280 GHz using 1 micron/sq area Nb-AlO(x)-Nb tunnel junctions fabricated at Stony Brook. The best performance to date is a double sideband (DSB) receiver noise temperature of 129 K at 278 GHz. It is found that suppression of the Josephson pair currents with a magnetic field is essential for good performance and a stable dc bias point. Fields as high as 280 gauss have been used with no degradation of mixing performance. The improvement in the intermediate frequency output stability with progressively increasing magnetic fields is illustrated.
Small-area (1x1 sq micron) high-current-density NbN-MgO-NbN tunnel junctions with I-V characteristics suitable for high frequency mixers were fabricated. These junctions are integrated with superconducting microstrip lines designed to resonate out the large junction capacitance. The mixer gain and noise performance were studied near 205 GHz as a function of the inductance provided by the microstrip. This has yielded values of junction capacitance of 85 fF/sq microns and magnetic penetration depth of 3800 angstroms. Mixer noise as low as 133 K has been obtained for properly tuned junctions. This is the best noise performance ever reported for an NbN SIS mixer.
We report on our ongoing work using Nb/Al/AlO(x)/Nb junctions for the detection of X-rays. Detectors based on superconducting tunneling junctions offer the prospect of resolution over an order of magnitude higher than is obtainable with the current generation of semiconductor-based detectors. Results of measurements taken at 1.85 K (a temperature achievable with current space flight technology) include the current-voltage (I-V) curve, subgap current vs temperature, the dependence of the superconducting current on the applied magnetic field (Fraunhofer pattern), X-ray pulses, and the spectra from a 6 keV X-ray source which gave an intrinsic device resolution of approximately 700 eV. The collection of more than 10 exp 5 electrons per 6 keV photon is established.
A design of a highly efficient and lightweight space magnetic cooler has been developed that can continuously provide remote/distributed cooling at temperatures in the range of 2 K with a heat sink at about 15 K. The innovative design uses a cryogenic circulator that enables the cooler to operate at a high cycle frequency to achieve a large cooling capacity. The ability to provide remote/distributed cooling not only allows flexible integration with a payload and spacecraft, but also reduces the mass of the magnetic shields needed. The active magnetic regenerative refrigerator (AMRR) system is shown in the figure. This design mainly consists of two identical magnetic regenerators surrounded by their superconducting magnets and a reversible circulator. Each regenerator also has a heat exchanger at its warm end to reject the magnetization heat to the heat sink, and the two regenerators share a cold-end heat exchanger to absorb heat from a cooling target. The circulator controls the flow direction, which cycles in concert with the magnetic fields, to facilitate heat transfer. Helium enters the hot end of the demagnetized column, is cooled by the refrigerant, and passes into the cold-end heat exchanger to absorb heat. The helium then enters the cold end of the magnetized column, absorbing heat from the refrigerant, and enters the hot-end heat exchanger to reject the magnetization heat. The efficient heat transfer in the AMRR allows the system to operate at a relatively short cycle period to achieve a large cooling power. The key mechanical components in the magnetic cooler are the reversible circulator and the magnetic regenerators. The circulator uses non-contacting, self-acting gas bearings and clearance seals to achieve long life and vibration- free operation. There are no valves or mechanical wear in this circulator, so the reliability is predicted to be very high. The magnetic regenerator employs a structured bed configuration. The core consists of a stack of thin GGG disks alternating with thin polymer insulating films. The structured bed reduces flow resistance in the regenerator and therefore the pumping work by the cryogenic circulator. This magnetic cooler will enable cryogenic detectors for sensing infrared, x-ray, gamma-ray, and submillimeter radiation in future science satellites, as well as the detector systems in the Constellation-X (Con-X) and the Single Aperture Far-Infrared observatory (SAFIR). Scientific ap p - lica tions for this innovation include cooling for x-ray micro calorimeter spectrometers used for microanalysis, cryogenic particle detectors, and superconducting tunnel junction de tectors for biomolecule mass spectrometry. The cooler can be scaled to provide very large cooling capacities at very low temperatures, ideal for liquid helium and liquid hydrogen productions.
Small area (less than 1 sq micron), high-current-density NbN/MgO/NbN tunnel junctions with I-V characteristics suitable for high-frequency mixers have been fabricated. Mesa-geometry junctions with an area of about 1 sq micron and critical current density of 5-10 kA/sq cm are integrated with superconducting microstrip lines designed to resonate out the junction capacitance. A study was made of the mixer gain and noise performance near 205 GHz as a function of the inductance provided by the microstrip line. This has confirmed, at a high millimeter-wave frequency, values of junction capacitance of 85 fF/sq micron and recently measured values of a magnetic penetration depth of 380 nm. Mixer noise temperatures as low as 134 K at 1.5 K have been obtained for properly tuned junctions. A significant improvement in mixer performance on cooling from 4.2 K to 1.5 K was observed. Edge-geometry junctions with an area of 0.3 sq microns and critical current density of 18-25 kA/sq cm have also been fabricated. These junctions give a mixer noise temperature of 145 K at 4.2 K without the use of integrated tuning elements. These are the best results ever achieved for NbN-based SIS mixers.
Topics covered include: Cryogenic Temperature-Gradient Foam/Substrate Tensile Tester; Flight Test of an Intelligent Flight-Control System; Slat Heater Boxes for Thermal Vacuum Testing; System for Testing Thermal Insulation of Pipes; Electrical-Impedance-Based Ice-Thickness Gauges; Simulation System for Training in Laparoscopic Surgery; Flasher Powered by Photovoltaic Cells and Ultracapacitors; Improved Autoassociative Neural Networks; Toroidal-Core Microinductors Biased by Permanent Magnets; Using Correlated Photons to Suppress Background Noise; Atmospheric-Fade-Tolerant Tracking and Pointing in Wireless Optical Communication; Curved Focal-Plane Arrays Using Back-Illuminated High-Purity Photodetectors; Software for Displaying Data from Planetary Rovers; Software for Refining or Coarsening Computational Grids; Software for Diagnosis of Multiple Coordinated Spacecraft; Software Helps Retrieve Information Relevant to the User; Software for Simulating a Complex Robot; Software for Planning Scientific Activities on Mars; Software for Training in Pre-College Mathematics; Switching and Rectification in Carbon-Nanotube Junctions; Scandia-and-Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia for Thermal Barriers; Environmentally Safer, Less Toxic Fire-Extinguishing Agents; Multiaxial Temperature- and Time-Dependent Failure Model; Cloverleaf Vibratory Microgyroscope with Integrated Post; Single-Vector Calibration of Wind-Tunnel Force Balances; Microgyroscope with Vibrating Post as Rotation Transducer; Continuous Tuning and Calibration of Vibratory Gyroscopes; Compact, Pneumatically Actuated Filter Shuttle; Improved Bearingless Switched-Reluctance Motor; Fluorescent Quantum Dots for Biological Labeling; Growing Three-Dimensional Corneal Tissue in a Bioreactor; Scanning Tunneling Optical Resonance Microscopy; The Micro-Arcsecond Metrology Testbed; Detecting Moving Targets by Use of Soliton Resonances; and Finite-Element Methods for Real-Time Simulation of Surgery.