Grant: Alliance Grants

The discovery of superconductors with high critical temperature has opened the possibility to design electronic devices working without energy losses at liquid nitrogen temperature. However, most of these devices rely on an extreme control of the growth of high-quality thin films, and the usual methods for their production is not suited for industrial processes. The company Ambature, our industrial partner in this project, has recently been able to fabricate such films where two layers of YBa2Cu3O7 (YBCO), superconducting below a temperature of 93K, are separated by a thin insulating layer made of PrBa2Cu3O7 (PBCO) while maintaining high crystallographic quality, thus enabling the possibility to make devices such as Josephson junctions, a key component for superconducting electronics. For the moment, this has only been done on small substrates. The goal of our project is to extend the fabrication procedure invented by Ambature to substrate compatibles with industrial processes, and to develop, thanks to these films or similar ones, novel types of ultra-sensitive detectors . In particular, we will develop probes for nuclear magnetic resonance and for high frequency, contactless Hall effect in bidimensional materials, and photon counters. These devices will take advantage of the high critical temperature and high critical magnetic field of the superconducting films. By developing new quantum sensors this project is well aligned with the third mission of Canada's Quantum National Strategy which aims to establish Canada as a world leader in developing and using quantum sensors. It will also provide important service to our Canadian partner, Ambature, which has already demonstrated the will and capacity to translate the research results on high temperature superconductors into marketable applications. Finally, this project will allow us to train students who will be the lifeblood of the burgeoning Canadian quantum industry.