Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of forming a weak-link Josephson junction comprising the step of irradiating a substrate with a substance, thereby to process said substrate so as either to deposit said substance in the form of a line on a surface of said substrate or to damage the surface of said substrate in the form of a line by virtue of said substance, and the step of epitaxially growing a thin film of an oxide superconductor on the processed substrate, thereby to form a crystal grain boundary on said line, said crystal grain boundary being used as a weak-link Josephson junction.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of forming a weak-link Josephson junction comprising the step of irradiating a substrate with a substance, thereby to process said substrate so as either to deposit said substance in the form of a line on a surface of said substrate or to damage the surface of said substrate in the form of a line by virtue of said substance, and the step of epitaxially growing a thin film of an oxide superconductor on the processed substrate, thereby to form a crystal grain boundary on said line, said crystal grain boundary being used as a weak-link Josephson junction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method of forming a weak-link Josephson junction as defined in Claim 1, wherein the processing of said substrate is performed by a focused ion beam.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method of forming a weak-link Josephson junction as defined in Claim 2, wherein said focused ion beam affords a dose within a range of 5 x 10¹¹ - 5 x 10¹⁸ /cm².
Claim 5
Independent Claim
106 words
A method of forming a weak-link Josephson junction comprising the step of irradiating a thin film of an oxide superconductor epitaxially grown on a substrate with a substance for lowering a critical current density, thereby to process said thin film so as either to diffuse said substance in the form of a line within the thin oxide-superconductor film or to damage the oxide-superconductor thin film in the form of a line by virtue of said substance, and the step of annealing the processed oxide-superconductor film, thereby to form a crystal grain boundary on said line, said crystal grain boundary being utilized as a weak-link Josephson junction.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
106 words
A method of forming a weak-link Josephson junction comprising the step of irradiating a thin film of an oxide superconductor epitaxially grown on a substrate with a substance for lowering a critical current density, thereby to process said thin film so as either to diffuse said substance in the form of a line within the thin oxide-superconductor film or to damage the oxide-superconductor thin film in the form of a line by virtue of said substance, and the step of annealing the processed oxide-superconductor film, thereby to form a crystal grain boundary on said line, said crystal grain boundary being utilized as a weak-link Josephson junction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method of forming a weak-link Josephson junction as defined in Claim 4, wherein the irradiation with said substance is performed by a focused ion beam.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
a method of forming a weak-link Josephson junction as defined in Claim 5, wherein said focused ion beam affords a dose within a range of 5 x 10¹¹ - 5 x 10¹⁸ /cm².
Claim 9
Independent Claim
55 words
A method of forming a weak-link Josephson junction comprising the step of epitaxially growing a thin film of an oxide superconductor on a substrate on which sections different in crystal face orientation are provided, thereby to form a crystal grain boundary between said sections, said crystal grain boundary being used as said weak-link Josephson junction.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
55 words
A method of forming a weak-link Josephson junction comprising the step of epitaxially growing a thin film of an oxide superconductor on a substrate on which sections different in crystal face orientation are provided, thereby to form a crystal grain boundary between said sections, said crystal grain boundary being used as said weak-link Josephson junction.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A superconducting device comprising a weak-link Josephson junction formed by a method as defined in Claim 1, 4 or 7.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
A superconducting device as defined in Claim 4, said superconducting device being a thin-film SQUID (superconducting quantum interference device).