Characterization of Nb/Nb oxide structures in Josephson tunnel junctions

The subgap conductance of Nb, Nb oxide/Pb-alloy Josephson tunnel junctions was found to strongly depend on the rf plasma processing used to form the Nb oxide tunnel barrier. We have therefore studied the Nb/Nb oxide structures after rf plasma processing using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscropy (TEM) data. A crystalline Nb-C-O layer was formed as a transition region between the polycrystalline Nb base electrode and the Nb
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O
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tunnel barrier. The thickness of this transition region is sensitive to the rf plasma cleaning conditions prior to the tunnel barrier formation. An unexpected relation between junction electrical properties and the Nb/Nb oxide structure exists. The lowest subgap conductances are those obtained for tunnel junctions with transition regions about 30Å thick. An abrupt interface between Nb and Nb
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O
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leads to junctions with high subgap conductances.