Stress dependent oxidation of sputtered niobium and effects on superconductivity

We report on the suppression of room temperature oxidation of DC sputtered niobium films and the effects upon the superconductive transition temperature, Tc. Niobium was sputter-deposited on silicon dioxide coated 150 mm wafers and permitted to oxidize at room temperature and pressure for up to two years. Resistivity and stress measurements indicate that tensile films greater than 400 MPa resist bulk oxidation with measurements using transmission electron microscope, electron dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectric spectroscopy, and secondary ion mass spectrometry confirming this result. Although a surface oxide, Nb2O5, consumed the top 6–10 nm, we measure less than 1 at. % oxygen and nitrogen in the bulk of the films after the oxidation period. Tc measurements using a SQUID magnetometer indicate that the tensile films maintained a Tc approaching the dirty superconductive limit of 8.4 K after two years of oxidation while maintaining room temperature sheet resistance. This work demonstrates that control over niobium film stress during deposition can prevent bulk oxidation by limiting the vertical grain boundaries ability to oxidize, prolonging the superconductive properties of sputtered niobium when exposed to atmosphere