Electroplated metal layer on a niobium-titanium substrate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021336319-A1
Application number	US-202016859363-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 27, 2020
Priority date	Apr 27, 2020
Publication date	Oct 28, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

Devices, systems, and/or methods that can facilitate plating one or more metal layers onto a niobium-titanium substrate are provided. According to an embodiment, a device can comprise a niobium-titanium substrate. The device can further comprise a first metal layer plated on a portion of the niobium-titanium substrate. The device can further comprise a second metal layer plated on the first metal layer. The device can further comprise a third metal layer plated on the second metal layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A device, comprising;
a niobium-titanium substrate; a first metal layer plated on a portion of the niobium-titanium substrate; a second metal layer plated on the first metal layer; and a third metal layer plated on the second metal layer.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the first metal layer comprises a first electroplated metal layer plated on the portion of the niobium-titanium substrate using a first electroplating process; the second metal layer comprises a second electroplated metal layer plated on the first metal layer using a second electroplating process; and the third metal layer comprises a third electroplated metal layer plated on the second metal layer using a third electroplating process.

3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the first metal layer comprises nickel; the second metal layer comprises copper; and the third metal layer comprises gold.

4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the first metal layer comprises a layer of nickel adhered directly to a surface of the portion of the niobium-titanium substrate; the second metal layer comprises a layer of copper adhered directly to a surface of the first metal layer; and the third metal layer comprises a layer of gold adhered directly to a surface of the second metal layer, thereby facilitating at least one of improved thermal conductivity of the device, reduced oxidation of the device, reduced electromigration by the device, improved transmission of microwave signals by the device, or improved performance of a quantum system comprising the device.

5 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a metal contact surface soldered to at least one of the first metal layer, the second metal layer, or the third metal layer.

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

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

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

9 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the coaxial connector comprises a subminiature version A type connector.

10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the niobium-titanium substrate comprises at least one of a niobium-titanium sheath or a niobium-titanium wire.

11 . A device, comprising:
a niobium-titanium wire; a first metal layer plated on a portion of the niobium-titanium wire; a second metal layer plated on the first metal layer; a third metal layer plated on the second metal layer; and a metal coaxial connector soldered to the third metal layer.

12 . The device of claim 11 , wherein:
the first metal layer comprises a first electroplated metal layer plated on the portion of the niobium-titanium wire using a first electroplating process; the second metal layer comprises a second electroplated metal layer plated on the first metal layer using a second electroplating process; and the third metal layer comprises a third electroplated metal layer plated on the second metal layer using a third electroplating process.

13 . The device of claim 11 , wherein:
the first metal layer comprises a layer of nickel adhered directly to a surface of the portion of the niobium-titanium wire; the second metal layer comprises a layer of copper adhered directly to a surface of the first metal layer; and the third metal layer comprises a layer of gold adhered directly to a surface of the second metal layer, thereby facilitating at least one of improved thermal conductivity of the device, reduced oxidation of the device, reduced electromigration by the device, improved transmission of microwave signals by the device, or improved performance of a quantum system comprising the device.

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

15 . The device of claim 11 , further comprising:
a qubit coupled to at least one of the device or the metal coaxial connector; and an amplifier attached to a second portion of the niobium-titanium wire.

16 . A method, comprising:
electroplating a first metal film onto a surface of a niobium-titanium substrate; electroplating a second metal film onto the first metal film; and electroplating a third metal film onto the second metal film.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
preparing the surface of the niobium-titanium substrate, resulting in a prepared surface, wherein the preparing comprises polishing the surface of the niobium-titanium substrate using a mechanical polishing wheel.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
preparing the surface of the niobium-titanium substrate, resulting in a prepared surface, wherein the preparing comprises sanding the surface of the niobium-titanium substrate, and wherein the preparing further comprises 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 at least one of the first metal film, the second metal film, or the third metal film.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein:
the niobium-titanium substrate comprises at least one of a niobium-titanium sheath or a niobium-titanium wire; the first metal film comprises nickel; the second metal film comprises copper; and the third metal film comprises gold.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Gordon Ryan T
• Hall Shawn Anthony
• Luo Yu
• Sandstrom Robert L

Classifications

• G06N10/40

  Physical realisations or architectures of quantum processors or components for manipulating qubits, e.g. qubit coupling or qubit control · CPC title

• C25D5/38

  of refractory metals or nickel · CPC title

• C25D5/12 Primary

  at least one layer being of nickel or chromium · CPC title

• H01P11/005

  Manufacturing coaxial lines · CPC title

• H01P3/06 Primary

  Coaxial lines · CPC title