Superconducting and microstructural studies on sputtered niobium thin films for accelerating cavity applications

The aim of the present research activity was to verify the influence of the applied bias voltage on the microstructural and functional properties of magnetron sputtering physical vapour deposition (MS-PVD) niobium thin films for use in superconducting resonant cavities for particle accelerators. Four different sets of samples were produced, by varying both the applied bias voltage and the nature of the substrate (copper or quartz). The morphological, microstructural, and mechanical properties of the coatings were experimentally determined by focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and nanoindentation techniques, and then correlated to the applied bias and nature of the substrate. The superconducting properties (critical temperature T(c) and residual resistivity) were determined by a calibrated four-contact probe and a cryogenic apparatus. The microstructures and surface properties of biased films grown on copper and quartz were compared. The observed differences are likely connected to the low conductivity of quartz that induces a re-sputtering effect and a consequent modification of the superconducting performances.