Specific Process Knowledge/Thin film deposition/Deposition of Niobium Nitride: Difference between revisions
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Niobium nitride (NbN) is a refractory ceramic best known for its relatively high superconducting critical temperature (~16 K), high hardness, chemical stability, and good electrical conductivity. | Niobium nitride (NbN) is a refractory ceramic best known for its relatively high superconducting critical temperature (~16 K), high hardness, chemical stability, and good electrical conductivity. | ||
It is typically deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering to obtain dense, uniform films | It is typically deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering to obtain dense, uniform films. | ||
In semiconductor technology, NbN serves as a robust diffusion barrier/contact, a gate‑level metal compatible with advanced CMOS flows, and—thanks to its superconductivity—a key material for superconducting digital circuits and Josephson‑junction‑based qubits. | In semiconductor technology, NbN serves as a robust diffusion barrier/contact, a gate‑level metal compatible with advanced CMOS flows, and—thanks to its superconductivity—a key material for superconducting digital circuits and Josephson‑junction‑based qubits. | ||
Optically and in quantum photonics, ultrathin NbN is the workhorse material for superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs), kinetic-inductance detectors, and low-loss microwave resonators; its tunable plasma frequency also supports mid-IR plasmonic and terahertz metamaterial devices. | Optically and in quantum photonics, ultrathin NbN is the workhorse material for superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs), kinetic-inductance detectors, and low-loss microwave resonators; its tunable plasma frequency also supports mid-IR plasmonic and terahertz metamaterial devices. | ||