Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless Transition in Ultrathin Niobium Films |
| S.M. Altanany, I. Zajcewa, R. Minikayev, M.Z. Cieplak
Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, al. Lotnik?w 32/46, PL-02668 Warszawa, Poland |
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| We use resistivity and current-voltage characteristics measurements to evaluate the impact of the disorder on the nature of the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition in ultrathin niobium (Nb) films. The films, with thickness in the range of 3.6-8.5 nm, show the structural transition from polycrystalline to amorphous structure upon a decrease in the film thickness. We show that this transformation results in the smearing of the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition, until eventually the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless scenario breaks down due to film inhomogeneity. |
DOI:10.12693/APhysPolA.143.129 topics: superconducting films, niobium films, inhomogeneity |