Phase Transition Study of Superconducting Microstructures

Abstract

The presented results are part of a feasibility study of superheated superconducting microstructure detectors. The microstructures (dots) were fabricated using thin film patterning techniques with diameters ranging from $50\mu$m up to $500\mu$m and thickness of $1\mu$m. We used arrays and single dots to study the dynamics of the superheating and supercooling phase transitions in a magnetic field parallel to the dot surface. The phase transi- tions were produced by either varying the applied magnetic field strength at a constant temperature or changing the bath temperature at a constant field. Preliminary results on the dynamics of the phase transitions of arrays and single indium dots will be reported.