New Tantalum Process Could Ease Manufacturing of Superconducting Quantum Chips

Cornell researchers developed a krypton-based sputtering process that deposits high-quality superconducting tantalum films on silicon at 200 degrees Celsius, potentially making the material easier to integrate into commercial quantum-chip fabrication. The method cuts the typical tantalum deposition temperature by about half while producing thin films with substantially higher electronic conductivity and high-quality qubits. The researchers said the lower-temperature process provides a wider manufacturing window for semiconductor fabrication and could help address materials and nanofabrication challenges facing superconducting quantum computing. Image: A team led by Valla Fatemi, assistant professor in the School of Applied and Engineering Physics in Duffield Engineering, developed a…