Fabrication process and the Josephson properties of Nb variable-thickness bridge (VTB) are presented. In order to form a very short length, slant evaporation on the step edge and succeeding rf sputter etching were used. The process was optimized to form damage free bridges. The consequent VTB's with the length of about 0.1 μm were found to have large
IcRn product 400-500 μV and to operate as ideal Josephson junctions over a wide temperatue range, typically 4.2 K-6.5 K. The VTB's have potential use as voltage standard, SQUID, high frequency devices and so on.
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