arXiv subjects

A. V. Lubenchenko

Publications and source records attributed to A. V. Lubenchenko.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Low-temperature electron dephasing rates indicate magnetic disorder in superconducting TiN films

We investigate electron transport and phase-breaking processes in thin titanium nitride (TiN) films of epitaxial quality. Previous studies show that a minute surface magnetic disorder significantly reduces the critical temperature ($T_\mathrm{c}$) and broadens the superconducting transition as the film thickness and device size decrease. We measure electron dephasing rates via magnetoresistance from $T_\mathrm{c}$ to $\sim 4T_\mathrm{c}$ in various-thickness TiN films. Electron dephasing occurs on the picosecond timescale and is nearly independent of temperature, differing from the expected inelastic scattering due to the electron-phonon and electron-electron interactions near $T_\mathrm{c}$, which occur over a nanosecond timescale. We propose spin-flip scattering as a possible additional phase-breaking mechanism. The significant increase in the dephasing rate for the thinnest film indicates that magnetic disorder resides near the surface of naturally oxidized films. Our research suggests that magnetic disorder may be a significant contributor to RF dissipation in superconducting devices based on TiN.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2022

Evidence of the disorder-independent electron-phonon scattering time in thin NbN films

We report on experimental study of the effect of disorder on electronic parameters and inelastic scattering mechanisms in ultrathin superconducting NbN films, which are commonly used in single-photon detectors. An increase in disorder in the studied 2.5 nm thick NbN films characterized by Ioffe-Regel parameter from 6.3 to 1.6 is accompanied by a decrease in the critical temperature $T_c$ from 11.5 K to 3.4 K. By measuring magnetoconductance in the range from $T_c$ to $\sim3T_c$, we extract the inelastic scattering rates of electrons, including electron-phonon (e-ph) scattering rates $τ_{e-ph}^{-1}$. We observe that $τ_{e-ph}^{-1}$ and their temperature dependencies are insensitive to disorder that is not described by the existing models of the e-ph scattering in disordered metals and can be due to the presence of weakly disordered metal grains. As the temperature decreases the temperature dependence $τ_{e-ph}^{-1}$ changes from $T^3$ to $T^2$, which can be result of a decrease in the dimension of the phonons involved in the e-ph scattering. The obtained values of material parameters of ultrathin NbN films can be useful for optimization of performance of NbN-based electronic devices.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2019

Superconductivity behavior in epitaxial TiN films points at surface magnetic disorder

We analyze the evolution of the normal and superconducting electronic properties in epitaxial TiN films, characterized by high Ioffe-Regel parameter values, as a function of the film thickness. As the film thickness decreases, we observe an increase of in the residual resistivity, which becomes dominated by diffusive surface scattering for $d\leq20\,$nm. At the same time, a substantial thickness-dependent reduction of the superconducting critical temperature is observed compared to the bulk TiN value. In such a high quality material films, this effect can be explained by a weak magnetic disorder residing in the surface layer with a characteristic magnetic defect density of $\sim10^{12}\,\mathrm{cm}^{-2}$. Our results suggest that surface magnetic disorder is generally present in oxidized TiN films.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗