Intlvac researchers presented new developments in superconducting niobium nitride and tantalum nitride thin films at the 21st Canadian Semiconductor Science and Technology Conference.
Intlvac participated in the 21st Canadian Semiconductor Science and Technology Conference, held August 25–27, 2026, at the University of Ottawa’s STEM Complex. The company’s presentations highlighted advances in thin-film process development for quantum technologies, nanotechnology, semiconductors and microelectronics.
Paramita Bhattacharyya, Ph.D., presented Intlvac’s research on ultra-thin superconducting niobium nitride (NbN) films fabricated using reactive magnetron sputtering. The study examined how nitrogen flow, sputtering power, capping layers and buffer layers affect the films’ superconductivity and crystallographic structure. The research achieved a critical temperature of 9.4 K in a 5 nm NbN film, demonstrating the potential of these ultra-thin materials for quantum and nanotechnology applications.
Intlvac described the result as an important milestone in producing superconducting NbN films deposited at low temperatures. The experiment was conducted using Intlvac-built plasma-assisted reactive sputtering equipment. The company designs and manufactures the system’s critical components in-house, including sputter cathodes, optical controls, and ion and electron sources.
Intlvac Head of R&D Michaël Chesaux also presented research on tantalum nitride (TaN) thin films for semiconductor and microelectronics applications. This work investigated how nitrogen flow during plasma-assisted reactive magnetron sputtering influences the films’ structural, optical and electrical properties, including changes in bandgap and resistivity. The research was performed using Intlvac’s Nanochrome PARMS platform.
Together, the two presentations demonstrate the flexibility of Intlvac’s plasma-assisted reactive magnetron sputtering technology across superconducting, semiconductor and advanced nitride-film applications. They also reflect the company’s broader investment in process development, supported by thin-film laboratories and research teams in Canada and the United States.