Submicron YBa2Cu3Ox ramp Josephson junctions

Submicron YBa2Cu3Ox/PrBa2Cu2.6Ga0.4Ox/YBa2Cu3Ox ramp-type Josephson junctions were fabricated and tested. The submicron bridges in the top electrode were patterned by e-beam lithography and Ar ion milling through an amorphous carbon (a-C) mask. Junctions with width ranging from 0.2 to 8 mum and oriented along different crystal directions of YBa2Cu3Ox have been produced. Current-voltage characteristics show a behavior consistent with the resistively shunted junction model with small excess current. Junction critical current densities of about 10 kA/cm(2) and characteristic voltages up to 6 mV were measured at 4.2 K for the submicron junctions. Junctions along different crystal orientations showed different characteristics suggesting an influence from the d-wave order parameter. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.