Characterization and dynamics of [100]-tilted Y-B-C-O bicrystal junctions on Nd-Ga-O3

We report on the fabrication technique and electrical properties of Basal Plane Tilted YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x (YBCO) superconducting bicrystal Josephson Junctions (BTJ). In order to form the grain boundary in BTJ we apply an inclination of the [001] YBCO basal planes around the direction of {100} YBCO in contrast to the common In-Plane Tilted bicrystal Josephson Junctions (ITJ) where misorientation of the crystallographic axes in the ab-plane of YBCO has been used. Symmetric and asymmetric junctions were fabricated on bicrystal NdGaO₃ substrates 13-28° tilted from [110] NdGaO₃. DC and RF properties of the BTJ were investigates at temperatures 4.2-77 K, in magnetic fields up to 100 G, and under influence of electromagnetic radiation of 56 GHz frequency. The experimental dependences of critical current and Shapiro steps from RF current fit the Resistive Shunted model of Josephson junctions (RSJ-model). At T=77 K the BTJ reveal critical current density j_C=0.2-0.5 MA/cm² and characteristic voltage V_C=I_CR_N=0.6-0.9 mV, that makes the junctions promising candidate for practical electronic devices.