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Microwave Analysis of MgB\(_2\) and YBa\(_2\)Cu\(_3\)O\(_{7-x}\) Thin Films

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Microwave Analysis of Unconventional Superconductors with Coplanar-Resonator Techniques

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Abstract

In this Chapter we show how we investigated the microwave properties of MgB\(_2\) and YBa\(_2\)Cu\(_3\)O\(_{7-x}\) thin films by the analysis of CPWRs made from the films themselves. Concerning MgB\(_2\), the experimental results were interpreted within the framework of a two-band model in the presence of impurity scattering. We also showed that disorder, enhancing interband scattering, can induce a counterintuitive reduction of the surface resistance. Then, different nonlinear mechanisms limiting the performance of MgB\(_2\) films in microwave applications were analyzed. One is magnetic flux penetration via dendritic avalanches, that determines abrupt jumps in the resonance curves. From the analysis of a robust statistics based on CPWR response, the avalanche-size distribution was derived and found to be consistent with the thermomagnetic-instability picture. Another jumpwise behavior is generated by weak-link switching, leading to local-heating-induced thermal bistability. A model based on the heat balance equation was able to account for the thermal bistability regime and reproduced the temperature dependence of the limiting currents. Concerning YBa\(_2\)Cu\(_3\)O\(_{7-x}\) (YBCO), we studied the penetration depth of the superconducting thin film, and the power handling capability of the CPWR devices. Vortex motion is one of the sources of nonlinearity and dissipation, thus we analyzed this mechanism, and the possibility to limit performance-degradation by proper introduction of artificial defects, acting as flux-pinning centers. Columnar defects induced by 4.2-GeV Au irradiation confirmed to be effective as pinning centers even at microwave frequencies, and a distribution of defects suitable to prevent nonlinearity while keeping low dissipation is discussed. The possibility to tune the YBCO CPWR response by means of micro-channels with modified superconductivity was investigated, where the channels were defined nondestructively by micro-collimated swift heavy-ion irradiation at high fluences: the superconducting properties are locally suppressed without physical removal of material. We found that a highly dissipative and nonlinear regime can be locally created, an hot spot for the generation of intermodulation distortion. Thus, a locally applied external control signal can tune the response of the resonators, when properly biased. Inductive and resistive components of nonlinearity can also be distinguished, which is useful to address the potential of the technique for microwave nonlinear applications.

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  1. DISAT, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy

    Gianluca Ghigo

  2. DISAT, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy

    Daniele Torsello

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  1. Gianluca Ghigo
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Correspondence to Gianluca Ghigo .

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Ghigo, G., Torsello, D. (2022). Microwave Analysis of MgB\(_2\) and YBa\(_2\)Cu\(_3\)O\(_{7-x}\) Thin Films. In: Microwave Analysis of Unconventional Superconductors with Coplanar-Resonator Techniques. PoliTO Springer Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-93910-6_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-93910-6_2

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