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PUBLICATIONS

Conducting atomic force microscopy for Nanoscale tunnel barrier characterization

Published

Author(s)

Kristine Lang, Dustin Hite, Raymond Simmonds, Robert McDermott, David P. Pappas, John M. Martinis

Abstract

Increasing demands on nanometer scale properties of oxide tunnel barriers necessitate a consistent means to assess them at these lengths. Here we use conducting atomic force microscopy (CAFM) to characterize aluminum oxide (AlOx)barriers to be used in Josephson-junction qubits. We find the appropriate physical interpretation for CAFM is as a probe of local propensity for insulator breakdown. We consider the effect of imaging force to establish a statistically reproducible method to compare CAFM current maps. We present results for several AlOx samples demonstrating the potential of this technique.
Citation
Review of Scientific Instruments
Volume
75
Issue
8
Pub Type
Journals

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Keywords

aliminum oxide, conducting atomic force microscopy, Josephson junction qubit
Physics

Citation

Lang, K. , Hite, D. , Simmonds, R. , Mcdermott, R. , Pappas, D. and Martinis, J. (2004), Conducting atomic force microscopy for Nanoscale tunnel barrier characterization, Review of Scientific Instruments, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=31457 (Accessed October 14, 2025)

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Created August 12, 2004, Updated October 12, 2021
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