Wafer-Scale Al Junction Technology for Superconducting Quantum Circuits

Josephson tunnel junctions represent a key element in superconducting electronics and quantum circuits. For many years, shadow evaporation by means of Dolan-type bridges has been the state-of-the-art for deep sub- micrometer sized structures. Increasing demand in the number of Josephson junctions, e.g., in qubit circuits and travelling wave parametric amplifiers, requests for a wafer-scale fabrication process with precise control of junction parameters and have led to an advanced lift-off technique called Manhattan-type junction technology in recent years. Herein, we report on the development of a 100 mm wafer-scale fabrication technology for deep sub-micrometer sized Al Josephson junctions with linear dimensions down to 180 nm. The critical current I-C of the junctions ranges from about 10 to 120 nA scaling with their linear dimensions. Low temperature transport measurements as well as room-temperature characterization has been used for I-C and process homogeneity determination of series arrays of up to 50 Josephson junctions. We discuss technology parameters such as yield, on-chip and on-wafer reproducibility of the junction's critical currents as well as main process limitations. Moreover, we present experimental results on the characterization of first transmon-type qubits fabricated using this technology.