Low noise HTS gradiometers and magnetometers constructed from YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-x//PrBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-y/ thin films

Author

Keene, M.N. ; Satchell, J.S. ; Goodyear, S.W. ; Humphreys, R.G. ; Edwards, J.A. ; Chew, N.G. ; Lander, K.

Author_Institution

Defence Res. Agency, Malvern, UK

Volume

5

Issue

2

fYear

1995

fDate

6/1/1995 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

2923

Lastpage

2926

Abstract

D.C. SQUID based gradiometers and magnetometers have been fabricated using thin films of YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7/ and PrBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7/ on MgO substrates. Flip-chip magnetometers with 1 cm and 6.25 cm/sup 2/ substrates have been constructed. Our device on the larger substrate with a 430 mm/sup 2/ pickup loop had a sensitivity of (42/spl plusmn/3) fT//spl radic/Hz above 3 Hz and (75/spl plusmn/7) fT//spl radic/Hz at 1 Hz. Numerical simulations of d.c. SQUIDs at 77 K have been conducted over an inductance range from 2 to 1000 pH and a critical current range from 3.2 to 322 /spl mu/A. The results emphasise the need to reduce SQUID inductances in order to obtain lower flux noise. Three layer gradiometric SQUIDs with c-axis microbridge junctions and low inductance have been fabricated. First order gradiometric flux transformers were also made with twin 20 turn spiral SQUID input coils and a pair of larger area balanced sensing coils. These were mounted with the gradiometric SQUIDs in a flip chip configuration to complete the highly symmetrical gradiometers. Measurements at 79 K on one gradiometer gave a gradient sensitivity of (49/spl plusmn/3) pT/m//spl radic/Hz at 300 Hz and (103/spl plusmn/7) pT/m//spl radic/Hz at 1 Hz.<>

Keywords

SQUID magnetometers; barium compounds; critical current density (superconductivity); electron device manufacture; flip-chip devices; high-temperature superconductors; praseodymium compounds; superconducting coils; superconducting device noise; superconducting microbridges; superconducting thin films; yttrium compounds; 1 to 3 Hz; 3.2 to 322 muA; 300 Hz; 77 to 79 K; DC SQUIDs; YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7/-PrBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7/; balanced sensing coils; c-axis microbridge junctions; critical current range; flip-chip magnetometers; flux noise; gradient sensitivity; gradiometric flux transformers; inductance range; low noise HTS gradiometers; low noise HTS magnetometers; pickup loop; sensitivity; Coils; Critical current; High temperature superconductors; Inductance; Noise reduction; Numerical simulation; SQUID magnetometers; Spirals; Transformers; Transistors;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Applied Superconductivity, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1051-8223

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/77.403204

Filename

403204