Electroplating of niobium titanium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11075435-B2
Application number	US-201816170760-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2018
Priority date	Oct 25, 2018
Publication date	Jul 27, 2021
Grant date	Jul 27, 2021

Abstract

The subject disclosure relates to electroplating niobium titanium (Nb/Ti) with a metal capable of being soldered to. According to an embodiment, a structure is provided that comprises a Nb/Ti substrate and a metal layer plated on a portion of the Nb/Ti substrate. The metal layer comprises an electroplated metal layer plated on the portion of the Nb/Ti substrate using electroplating. The metal layer can comprise a metal capable of being soldered to, such as copper. In another embodiment, a cable assembly is provided that comprises a niobium titanium wire, a metal layer plated on a first portion of the niobium titanium wire, and a metal coaxial connector soldered to the metal layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A structure, comprising:
a niobium titanium substrate; and
a metal layer plated on a portion of the niobium titanium substrate, wherein the metal layer comprises a first layer of nickel adhered directly to a surface of the portion of the niobium titanium substrate, and second layer of copper adhered to the first layer of nickel.

2. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the metal layer comprises an electroplated metal layer plated on the portion of the niobium titanium substrate using electroplating.

3. The structure of claim 1 , further comprising:
a metal contact surface soldered to the metal layer.

4. The structure of claim 3 , wherein the metal contact surface comprises copper.

5. The structure of claim 3 , wherein the metal contact surface comprises a surface of a coaxial connector.

6. The structure of claim 5 , wherein the coaxial connector comprises a microwave coaxial connector.

7. The structure of claim 5 , wherein the coaxial connector comprises a sub-miniature version A (SMA) type connector.

8. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the niobium titanium substrate comprises a niobium titanium wire.

9. A cable assembly, comprising:
a niobium titanium wire;
a metal layer plated on a first portion of the niobium titanium wire, wherein the metal layer comprises a first layer of nickel adhered directly to a surface of the first portion of the niobium titanium wire, and second layer of copper adhered to the first layer of nickel; and
a metal coaxial connector soldered to the metal layer.

10. The cable assembly of claim 9 , wherein the metal layer comprises an electroplated metal layer plated on the first portion of the niobium titanium wire using electroplating.

11. The cable assembly of claim 9 , wherein the metal coaxial connector comprises a microwave connector.

12. The cable assembly of claim 9 , further comprising:
a qubit attached to the metal coaxial connector; and
an amplifier attached to a second portion of the niobium titanium wire.

13. The cable assembly of claim 9 , wherein the metal coaxial connector comprises a sub-miniature version A (SMA) type connector.

14. A method, comprising:
preparing a surface of a niobium titanium substrate, resulting in a prepared surface, wherein the preparing comprises sanding the surface of the niobium titanium substrate; and
electroplating a metal film onto the prepared surface, wherein the electroplating the metal film comprises:
electroplating a first layer comprising nickel to a portion of the surface of the niobium titanium substrate; and
electroplating a second layer comprising copper to the first layer.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the preparing further comprises, prior to the sanding, polishing the surface of the niobium titanium substrate using a mechanical polishing wheel.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the preparing further comprises, after the sanding, dipping the surface of the niobium titanium substrate in a hydrochloric acid solution.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
soldering a metal surface to the metal film.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the metal surface is microwave connector.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the metal surface is sub-miniature version A (SMA) type connector.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the niobium titanium substrate comprises a niobium titanium wire.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Degraw Danielle
• Fung Yat-Kiu-Kent
• Rozen James Robert

Classifications

• H01B13/016

  for manufacturing co-axial cables (applying discontinuous insulation H01B13/20) · CPC title

• H01B11/1817

  Co-axial cables with at least one metal deposit conductor · CPC title

• C25D5/38

  of refractory metals or nickel · CPC title

• C25D5/34

  Pretreatment of metallic surfaces to be electroplated · CPC title

• H01P3/06 Primary

  Coaxial lines · CPC title