Stability of Hi-Layer and Tri-layer Contacts to High Temperature Superconductors

Stable, chemically inert, low resistivity contacts are required to take advantage of devices being in anufactured utilizing various high Tc oxide superconductors. The usual disruption in the oxidation state of the superconductor results in a significant degradation of the contact. Current contact technology utilizes noble metals such as Au, or Ag for the interconnections, but they are expensive and not compatible with AI or Cu interconnections found in most integrated systems. We have recently filed a Patent entitled, "Bi-layer low resistance contact to High Tc Oxide Superconductors." The technique described in this patent will be shown in this proposal to allow a general methodology to fabricate very stable, low resistance contacts to high temperature superconducting devices. During Phase I we will investigate the mechanical and theriDal stability of bilayer contacts, initiate experiments to determine the optimum n)aterial for these systems, and e)ctend the methodology to tri-layer systerns. We will utilize XPS, Auger and electrical and ther m al measurements to evaluate these new systems.