Hidden Structural Variants in ALD NbN Superconducting Trilayers Revealed by Atomistic Analysis

TL;DR

This paper investigates atomic-scale structural and chemical inhomogeneities in NbN/AlN/NbN Josephson Junctions that limit their electrical performance, using microscopy and machine learning to identify defects and suggest improvements for quantum device scalability.

Contribution

It introduces an integrated microscopy and machine learning approach to diagnose atomic-scale defects in NbN-based Josephson Junctions, linking material imperfections to electrical limitations.

Findings

Identification of epsilon-Nb2N2 inclusions within delta-NbN electrodes.

Correlation between atomic-scale defects and suppressed critical current.

Insights into phase coexistence and impurity effects on junction performance.

Abstract

Microscopic inhomogeneity within superconducting films is a critical bottleneck hindering the performance and scalability of quantum circuits. All-nitride Josephson Junctions (JJs) have attracted substantial attention for their potential to provide enhanced coherence times and enable higher temperature operation. However, their performance is often limited by local variations caused by polymorphism, impurities, and interface quality. This work diagnoses atomic-scale limitations preventing superconducting NbN/AlN/NbN JJs from reaching their full potential. Electrical measurements reveal suppressed critical current density and soft onset of quasiparticle current. However, inverse proportionality between resistance and junction area confirms homogenous barrier thickness. This isolates structural and chemical variations in electrodes and barrier as the source of performance limitation. The observed characteristics are attributed to complex materials problems: NbN polymorphism, phase coexistence, and oxygen impurities. Using advanced microscopy and machine learning integrated approach, nanoscale inclusions of epsilon-Nb2N2 are found to coexist within dominant delta-NbN electrodes. DC performance of JJs may be affected by these defects, leading to unresolved supercurrent and soft transition to normal state. By identifying specific atomic scale defects, tracing its origin to initial film nucleation, and linking to its detrimental electrical signature, this work establishes a material-to-device correlation and provides targeted strategy for phase engineering towards reproducible, high coherence and scalable quantum devices.