SBIR Phase I: Novel buffer layers for superior superconductor films on a low-cost substrate

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目旨在通过降低元件成本和提高可制造性来增加高温超导体(HTS)的商业用途。具体地说，这项创新是在一种新的衬底材料上生产高质量的HTS薄膜，这种材料的成本只有目前商业使用的衬底的一小部分。提出的低成本衬底和高温超导材料的物理性能不兼容，阻碍了目前的商业应用。这种不兼容性将通过在衬底和HTS之间生长的创新缓冲层来弥合。研究目标集中在确定缓冲层的关键参数，以获得适合实际应用的优质高温超导薄膜。将生长出一系列不同缓冲层变化的高温超导薄膜。这些薄膜将用原子力显微镜进行表征。此外，还将测量它们的转变温度和临界电流密度。在低成本衬底上制造的具有优化缓冲层参数的商业相关HTS薄膜原型将是第一阶段研究的最终产品。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是，它实现了一种高性能的超导无线过滤器产品，与同类超导过滤器相比，这种产品的成本可以大大降低。该过滤器将减少掉话并增加基站范围，从而增强客户的无线体验。由于基站安装数量较少，无线运营商将受益于基础设施成本的降低，这也将对环境产生有利影响。创新的直接目标市场是蜂窝基站原始设备制造商(OEM)和无线运营商。无线过滤设备的总市场为每年4亿美元，并以每年22%的速度增长。该项目还将使人们更好地了解缓冲层设计对薄膜性能的作用，这将在其他领域受益，如磁性薄膜和其他薄膜材料系统，在这些领域，不兼容的衬底限制了商业应用。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project aims to increase the commercial use of high temperature superconductors (HTSs) by reducing component costs and increasing manufacturability. Specifically, the innovation is to produce high-quality HTS thin films on a new substrate material that is a fraction of the cost of substrates currently in commercial use. The incompatibility in the physical properties of the proposed low cost substrate and HTS material prevent commercial application at present. This incompatibility will be bridged by an innovative buffer layer grown between the substrate and HTS. The research objectives are focused on identifying the critical parameters of the buffer layer that result in superior HTS films suitable for practical applications. A series of HTS thin films with different buffer layer variations will be grown. The films will be characterized by atomic force microscopy. In addition, their transition temperature and critical current density will be measured. A prototype commercially-relevant HTS film with optimized buffer layer parameters, fabricated on a low-cost substrate, will be the end product of the Phase I research. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is that it enables a high-performance superconductor wireless filter product that can be produced at greatly reduced costs over comparable superconductor filters. The filter will reduce dropped calls and increase base station range, thus enhancing the customer's wireless experience. Wireless carriers will benefit from reduced infrastructure costs due to a lower number of base station installations, which will also have a beneficial environmental impact. The immediate target markets of the innovation are cellular base station original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and wireless operators. The total market for wireless filter equipment is $400 million per year and is growing at 22% per year. The project will also result in an increased understanding of the role of buffer layer designs on thin film properties, which will have a benefit in other areas, such as magnetic thin films and other thin film material systems where incompatible substrates limit commercial applications.