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Superconductivity in Metal-mixed Ion-Implanted Polymer Films

A. P. Micolich·E. Tavenner·B. J. Powell·A. R. Hamilton·M. T. Curry·R. E. Giedd·P. Meredith
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Abstract

Ion-implantation of normally insulating polymers offers an alternative to depositing conjugated organics onto plastic films to make electronic circuits. We used a 50 keV nitrogen ion beam to mix a thin 10 nm Sn/Sb alloy film into the sub-surface of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and report the low temperature properties of this material. We observed metallic behavior, and the onset of superconductivity below 3 K. There are strong indications that the superconductivity does not result from a residual thin-film of alloy, but instead from a network of alloy grains coupled via a weakly conducting, ion-beam carbonized polymer matrix.

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A. P. Micolich, E. Tavenner, B. J. Powell, A. R. Hamilton, M. T. Curry, R. E. Giedd, P. Meredith. 2006-03-15. Superconductivity in Metal-mixed Ion-Implanted Polymer Films. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2358190

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