Mapping of Structural Changes Induced by X-ray Nanopatterning via Nano-X-ray Diffraction and Corresponding Electrical Effects

Abstract

We have investigated the modifications induced in high-T c superconductor Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+δ (Bi-2212) single crystals by irradiation with an X-ray nanobeam 250 × 250 nm 2 in size with E = 14.85 keV and a time-averaged photon flux Φ 0 = 7.53 × 10 8 ph s −1 . Crystals were mounted onto amorphous substrates with electrical contacts to allow for both X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electrical measurements on the same sample. Changes in the domain structure were monitored via space-resolved nano-XRD mapping, whereas electrical properties were measured off-line at different levels of irradiation dose. The results show that irradiation induces both an increase of the mosaicity spread and a localized release of the mechanical stress of the crystals. This implies a transient local change of mechanical properties that could be due to thermal fatigue or nonthermal melting. Analysis of the electrical properties of the irradiated regions indicates a strong underdoping effect by the nanobeam and an exponential increase of the normal-state resistivity with the irradiation dose, according to the average rate α = (1.48 ± 0.12) × 10 −11 Gy −1 . These results represent an important step toward the full development of the X-ray nanopatterning technique.

X-Ray Lithography for Nanofabrication: Is There a Future?

“…Poccia et al (Poccia et al, 2011) obtained high-quality superconducting regions in super oxygenated layered cuprate. Truccato et al (Pagliero et al, 2014;Truccato et al, 2016;Rabbani et al, 2021) irradiated Bi2212 microcrystals to fabricate a Josephson device.…”

Functional Modifications Induced via X‐ray Nanopatterning in TiO2 Rutile Single Crystals

“…Indeed, some of us have already shown that, using synchrotron radiation nanoprobes with sizes of the order of 50 Â 50 nm 2 and modifying the corresponding photon flux and dose, it is possible to switch from ordinary material characterization to material modification. [21][22][23][24][25][26][27] In the case that a superconducting oxide is irradiated in an approximately uniform way, this treatment corresponds to a variation of its oxygen doping level, [28][29][30] but if only some carefully designed portions are irradiated, a current path can be drawn in the material in such a way to fabricate a Josephson device. [31] Thus, the whole technique can be considered an alternative X-ray nanopatterning (XNP) method to locally introduce defects in oxides and fabricate devices as desired without etching the crystals.…”