| Summary: | Thesis (MEng (Electrical and Electronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. === The Josephson effect of high-temperature superconducting nanobridge structures is
studied worldwide. Until now, nanobridges are generally fabricated with focused ion
beam milling on planar thin films. These nanobridges are employed as weak links in
superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) and used in superconducting
flux flow transistors and devices.
This project had two main objectives: to improve the sidewall angle of photoresist lines,
with the aid of atomic force microscopy (AFM) nanolithography; and to fabricate hightemperature
Josephson junctions by constricting superconductive YBCO lines on MgO
substrates with AFM nanolithography. The entire fabrication process is explained
including photolithography, deposition of the YBCO thin films with pulsed laser
deposition (PLD), nanolithography and wet etching.
Although the testing of the junctions did not show any Josephson behaviour, it could be
demonstrated that nanobridge structures can successfully be created by AFM
nanolithography.
The entire fabrication process has been demonstrated in detail for the benefit of future
research.
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