Can NbN films on 3C-SiC/Si change the IF bandwidth of hot electron bolometer mixers?

摘要

We realized ultra thin NbN films sputtered grown on a 3C-SiC/Si substrate. The film with a thickness of 3.5-4.5 nm shows a T_c of 11.8 K, which is the highest T_c observed among ultra thin NbN films on different substrates. The high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) studies show that the film has a monocrystalline structure, confirming the epitaxial growth on the 3C-SiC. Based on a two-temperature model and input parameters from standard NbN films on Si, simulations predict that the new film can increase the IF bandwidth of a HEB mixer by about a factor of 2 in comparison to the standard films. In addition, we find standard NbN films on Si with a T_c of 9.4 K have a thickness of around 5.5 nm, being thicker than expected (3.5 nm).