Patent attributes
Systems and techniques that facilitate spurious junction prevention via in-situ ion milling are provided. In various embodiments, a method can comprise forming a tunnel barrier of a Josephson junction on a substrate during a shadow evaporation process. In various instances, the method can further comprise etching an exposed portion of the tunnel barrier during the shadow evaporation process. In various embodiments, the shadow evaporation process can comprise patterning a resist stack onto the substrate. In various instances, the etching the exposed portion of the tunnel barrier can leave a protected portion of the tunnel barrier within a shadow of the resist stack. In various instances, the shadow of the resist stack can be based on a direction of the etching the exposed portion of the tunnel barrier. In various embodiments, the shadow evaporation process can further comprise depositing a first superconducting material on the substrate after the patterning the resist stack, oxidizing a surface of the first superconducting material to form the tunnel barrier, and depositing a second superconducting material over the protected portion of the tunnel barrier to form a Josephson junction. In various instances, the etching the exposed portion of the tunnel barrier can occur after the oxidizing the surface of the first superconducting material and before the depositing the second superconducting material.
