Radiation Hardness of Superconducting Magnetic Field Detectors Made by Heavy-Ion Lithography

Radiation hardness of a magnetic field detector, based on YBCO superconductor strips locally nanostructured by means of high-energy heavy-ion lithography, was tested under 3.5 MeV proton as well as under fast neutron beams. No change was detectable within the experimental errors in the sensor calibration curves up to a proton fluence of 4.3 ldr 10¹⁴ cm^-2. On line response of the device, under proton flux of about 3ldr10¹⁰ cm^-2s^-1, showed a temporary increase of the nanostructured zone resistance that vanishes after the beam switching off. Irradiation with fast neutrons at a fluence of 4.14ldr10¹³ cm^-2 slightly changed the critical temperature of the as-grown regions but, remarkably, the nanostructured areas, sensitive to magnetic field, held the same performances.