Engineering topics

Ghimire, Sunil

Publications and source records attributed to Ghimire, Sunil.

5 records

DOE OSTI2024

Single-gap isotropic s- wave superconductivity in single crystals AuSn 4

In this article, London, λ L (T), and Campbell, λ C (T), penetration depths were measured in single crystals of a topological superconductor candidate AuSn 4 . At low temperatures, λ L (T) is exponentially attenuated and, if fitted with the power law, λ(T) ~ T n , gives exponents n > 4, indistinguishable from the isotropic single s- wave gap Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) asymptotic. The superfluid density fits perfectly in the entire temperature range to the BCS theory. The superconducting transition temperature, T c = 2.40 ± 0.05 K, does not change after 2.5 MeV electron irradiation, indicating the validity of the Anderson theorem for isotropic s- wave superconductors. Campbell penetration depth before and after electron irradiation shows no hysteresis between the zero-field cooling (ZFC) and field cooling (FC) protocols, consistent with the parabolic pinning potential. Interestingly, the critical current density estimated from the original Campbell theory decreases after irradiation, implying that a more sophisticated theory involving collective effects is needed to describe vortex pinning in this system. In general, our thermodynamic measurements strongly suggest that the bulk response of the AuSn 4 crystals is fully consistent with the isotropic s- wave weak-coupling BCS superconductivity.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

DOE OSTI2024

Conventional single-gap $s-$wave superconductivity and hidden peak effect in single crystals of Mo$_8$Ga$_{41}$ superconductor

London and Campbell penetration depths were measured in single crystals of the endohedral gallide cluster superconductor, Mo _8 8 Ga _41 41 . The full temperature range superfluid density, \rho_s(T) ρ s ( T ) , is consistent with the clean isotropic s- s − wave weak-coupling BCS theory without any signs of the second gap or strong coupling. The temperature dependence of the Campbell length is hysteretic between zero-field cooling (ZFC) and field-cooling (FC) protocols, indicating an anharmonic vortex pinning potential. The field dependence of the effective critical current density, j_{c}(H) j c ( H ) , reveals an unusual result. While in the ZFC protocol, j_{c}(H) j c ( H ) is monotonically suppressed by the magnetic field, it exhibits a profound “hidden” peak effect in the FC protocol, that is, without a vortex density gradient. We suggest a possible novel mechanism for such a peak effect, which involves both static and dynamic aspects of vortex pinning.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

DOE OSTI2024

Exploring the relationship between deposition method, microstructure, and performance of Nb/Si-based superconducting coplanar waveguide resonators

Superconducting quantum circuits (SQC) are one of the most promising hardware platforms for quantum computing, yet their performance is currently limited by the presence of various structural defects inside the circuit's structure. Despite impressive progress in the past decade, a precise understanding of the origin of these defects from various fabrication processes and their impact on coherence is still lacking. Here, in this study, we performed a comprehensive investigation on the microstructure, superconductivity, and resonator quality factor of Nb films deposited by high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) and direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering. A suite of characterization techniques, including electron microscopy with spectroscopy, secondary ion mass spectrometry, magneto-optical microscopy, and pump-probe reflectivity spectroscopy is used. We reveal that niobium (Nb) resonators fabricated using HiPIMS exhibit a smaller average grain size, thicker surface oxide with larger thickness variations (rougher surface), and a thicker amorphous Nb/Si interface layer compared to samples deposited by DC sputtering. We identified that the amorphous Nb oxides (mainly located at the Nb surface and along the grain boundaries) and Nb-Si amorphous layers (at the Nb/Si interface) are major and potential sources of two-level system (TLS), while off-stochiometric oxides and suboxides of Nb close to the surface, crystalline defects (i.e., dislocations at grain boundary, point defects introduced during deposition) are main contributors of non-TLS sources. Our findings clarify the relationship between different defects and coherence loss mechanisms, highlighting the importance of material microstructure control on performance optimization in SQC.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2024

The nontrivial effects of annealing on superconducting properties of Nb single crystals

The effect of annealing on the superconducting properties of niobium single crystals was studied using optical, magnetic, and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) methods. Pieces of the same crystal boule were studied before and after the annealing at 800 ${^\circ}\textrm{C}$, 1400 ${^\circ}\textrm{C}$, and near the melting point of niobium (2477 ${^\circ}\textrm{C}$). The initial samples had a high hydrogen content and low-temperature imaging revealed large hydrides (hundreds of micrometers) appearing below 190 K. The formation of these large precipitates is already completely suppressed by annealing at 800 ${^\circ}\textrm{C}$. However, the overall superconducting properties of the annealed samples did not improve and, in fact, worsened. In particular, the superconducting transition temperature decreased, the upper critical field increased, and the pinning strength increased. In the STM study, the sample was annealed initially at 400 ${^\circ}\textrm{C}$, measured, annealed at 1700 ${^\circ}\textrm{C}$, and measured again. The STM revealed a ‘dirty’ superconducting gap with a significant spatial variation in tunneling conductance after annealing at 400 ${^\circ}\textrm{C}$. The clean gap was recovered after annealing at 1700 ${^\circ}\textrm{C}$. This is likely due to oxygen redistribution near the surface, which is always covered by oxide layers in as-grown crystals. Our results indicate that vacuum annealing at least up to 1400 ${^\circ}\textrm{C}$, while removing a large percentage of hydrogen, introduces additional nanosized defects, likely hydride precipitates, that act as efficient pair-breaking and pinning centers. The dimensionless scattering rate is estimated to have increased from $\Gamma = 0.2$ to about $\Gamma = 0.4$ after annealing at 1400 ${^\circ}\textrm{C}$. These results on single crystals differ drastically from those obtained in polycrystalline bulk niobium (i.e. cut from superconducting radio-frequency cavities), where annealing is known to have a significant positive effect that is attributed to the improvement of the crystalline structure masking the more subtle influence of the hydrides.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Robust superconductivity and the suppression of charge-density wave in the quasi-skutterudites Ca 3 ( Ir 1 – x Rh x ) 4 Sn 13 single crystals at ambient pressure

Single crystals of the quasi-skutterudite compounds Ca 3 (Ir 1-x Rh x ) 4 Sn 13 (3–4–13) were synthesized by flux growth and characterized by x-ray diffraction, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, magnetization, resistivity, and radio frequency magnetic susceptibility techniques. The coexistence and competition between the charge density wave (CDW) and superconductivity was studied by varying the Rh/Ir ratio. The superconducting transition temperature, T c , varies from 7 K in pure Ir (x = 0) to 8.3 K in pure Rh (x = 1). Temperature-dependent electrical resistivity reveals monotonic suppression of the CDW transition temperature, T CDW (x). The CDW starts in pure Ir, x = 0, at T CDW ≈ 40 K and extrapolates roughly linearly to zero at x c ≈ 0.53–0.58 under the superconducting dome. Magnetization and transport measurements show a significant influence of CDW on superconducting and normal states. Meissner expulsion is substantially reduced in the CDW region, indicating competition between the CDW and superconductivity. The low-temperature resistivity is higher in the CDW part of the phase diagram, consistent with the reduced density of states due to CDW gapping. Its temperature dependence just above T c shows signs of non-Fermi liquid behavior in a cone-like composition pattern. We conclude that the Ca 3 (Ir 1-x Rh x ) 4 Sn 13 alloy is a good candidate for a composition-driven quantum critical point at ambient pressure.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗