Investigation of kinetic inductance and microwave loss in thin-film TaCxN1−x superconducting resonators

Abstract

The promise of tantalum for realizing superconducting quantum devices has generated interest in its compound films, particularly nitrides. Among these, cubic-phase tantalum carbonitride (TaCxN1−x) offers reduced susceptibility to oxidation and a high critical temperature, yet its microwave properties remain largely unexplored. Here, we investigate plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition of cubic-phase TaCxN1−x thin films for superconducting microwave circuits. Structural and transport measurements reveal nanocrystalline morphology with sub-10 nm grains and superconductivity in the dirty limit. Coplanar waveguide resonators exhibit moderately high kinetic inductance (16.8 pH/sq for 30 nm films) with potential for enhancement through dimensional scaling. The films also support high internal quality factors exceeding 105 at 50 mK in the single-photon regime, comparable to granular aluminum. Loss analysis identifies the two-level systems as the dominant limiting mechanism, with potential for further reduction through interface engineering. These results establish atomic layer deposited TaCxN1−x as a promising material for scalable, low-loss, high-inductance superconducting circuits.