Electroplating of niobium titanium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020136223-A1
Application number	US-201816170760-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 25, 2018
Priority date	Oct 25, 2018
Publication date	Apr 30, 2020
Grant date	—

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.

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 , wherein the metal layer comprises a metal selected from a group consisting of copper and nickel.

4 . The structure of claim 1 , 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.

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

6 . The structure of claim 5 , wherein the metal contact surface comprises copper.

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

8 . The structure of claim 7 , wherein the coaxial connector comprises a microwave coaxial connector.

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

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

11 . A cable assembly, comprising:
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.

12 . The cable assembly of claim 11 , wherein the metal layer comprises an electroplated metal layer plated on the first portion of the niobium titanium wire using electroplating.

13 . The cable assembly of claim 11 , wherein the metal layer comprises a metal selected from a group consisting of copper and nickel.

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

15 . The cable assembly of claim 11 , further comprising:
a qubit attached to the metal coaxial connector; and an amplifier attached to a second portion of the niobium titanium wire.

16 . 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 metal film comprises a metal selected from a group consisting of nickel and copper.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the preparing further comprises, prior to the sanding, polishing the surface of the niobium titanium substrate using a mechanical polishing wheel.

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

19 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
soldering a metal surface to the metal film.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the niobium titanium substrate comprises a niobium titanium wire.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

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

Classifications

• H01B11/1817

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

• H01B1/02

  mainly consisting of metals or alloys · CPC title

• B23K2103/26

  Alloys of Nickel and Cobalt and Chromium · CPC title

• B23K2103/18

  Dissimilar materials · CPC title

• B23K2103/166

  Multilayered materials · CPC title