Structural transitions in superconducting NbTiN thin films

TL;DR

This paper investigates how structural phase transitions in NbTiN thin films influence their superconducting properties, revealing a correlation between crystal structure and transition temperature, with the highest T_C observed in a highly crystalline FCC phase.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the relationship between structural phases and superconducting transition temperatures in NbTiN thin films.

Findings

Highest T_C of 14.26 K in highly crystalline FCC phase

Structural phase transitions correlate with changes in T_C

Grazing angle X-ray diffraction reveals phase variations

Abstract

Superconducting NbTiN thin films have garnered extensive interest due to their use in Superconducting Nanowire Single-Photon Detectors (SNSPDs) and other low-temperature applications for potential use in quantum computing and nanoelectronics. This study examines structural phase transitions observed in NbTiN thin films by analyzing the grazing angle x-ray diffraction patterns of a set of reactive magnetron sputter deposited NbTiN thin films with varying nitrogen partial pressures in the reactive gas mixture. The superconducting transition temperature (T_C) of the NbTiN thin films showed a correlation with the crystal structure, with the highest T_C of 14.26 K obtained for the highly crystalline FCC phase.