MgB₂薄膜・接合作製の現状とデバイス応用への展望

抄録

This article reviews the developments over the past six years in the thin-film growth and junction fabrication of superconducting MgB₂ materials, including future prospects for MgB₂ superconducting electronics. The most serious problem in the thin-film growth of MgB₂ is the high Mg vapor pressure required for phase stability. This problem has made in-situ film growth difficult. At present, however, high-quality in-situ films can be prepared either by a low-temperature route or a high-temperature route. Current best films substantially exceed bulk single crystals in size and quality. The technology to fabricate MgB₂ junctions has also shown great progress, and now all-MgB₂ SIS Josephson junctions are realized, which demonstrates a great potential for MgB₂ in superconducting electronics.