Superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) has extremely high magnetic field sensitivity, current sensitivity, and can detect a low-noise weak current signal. The SQUID current sensor has become the only option of the readout of low-noise detector, such as transition-edge sensor (TES). In this paper, a second-order gradiometric cross-coupled SQUID current sensor for TES application is developed. According to the requirements for TES detectors, the structure and various parameters of SQUID current sensor are designed. The SQUID loop, input coil and feedback coil of the SQUID current sensor all use the second-order gradiometric structure. All the couple ways between SQUID loop and input coil or feedback coil adopt cross-coupling mode in different planes, which can effectively weaken the parasitic capacitance. A second-order gradiometric cross-coupled SQUID current sensor based on Nb/Al-AlO<i>_x</i>/Nb Josephson junction is successfully fabricated on a silicon wafer by optimizing the process. The properties of the second-order gradiometric cross-coupled SQUID current sensor are measured at liquid helium temperature. The bias current of SQUID is 215 μA when the modulation depth of <i>V</i>-<i>Φ</i> modulation curve is maximum. The maximum modulation peak of SQUID is 31 μV. The flux-to-voltage transfer coefficient of SQUID is 108 μV/<i>Φ</i>₀. The input coil current sensitivity is 17 μA/<i>Φ</i>₀, the mutual inductance between SQUID loop and input coil is 117 pH. The current sensitivity of feedback coil is 86 μA/<i>Φ</i>₀, the mutual inductance between SQUID loop and feedback coil is 23 pH. The second-order gradiometric cross-coupled SQUID current sensor has a white flux noise of 2 μ<i>Φ</i>₀/<inline-formula><tex-math id="M3">\begin{document}$ \sqrt{{\rm{H}}{\rm{z}}} $\end{document}</tex-math><alternatives><graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="12-20201816_M3.jpg"/><graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="12-20201816_M3.png"/></alternatives></inline-formula> and a white current noise of 34 pA/<inline-formula><tex-math id="M4">\begin{document}$ \sqrt{{\rm{H}}{\rm{z}}} $\end{document}</tex-math><alternatives><graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="12-20201816_M4.jpg"/><graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="12-20201816_M4.png"/></alternatives></inline-formula> with 1/<i>f</i> corner frequency around 200 Hz. The result of noise level under the condition without magnetic shielding shows that the SQUID current sensor with second-order gradiometric cross-coupled structure has an excellent capability of weakening the environmental electromagnetic interference. In the future, we will further improve the mutual inductance of the second-order gradiometric cross-coupled SQUID current sensor between SQUID loop and input coil, optimize the size and critical current of Josephson junction, in order to improve the input sensitivity of SQUID device, reduce the current noise level and the 1/<i>f</i> corner frequency, and meet more requirements for TES applications.

Owing to the adjustable characteristics and superior etching properties of co-sputtered Nb x Si 1−x film, we are trying to fabricate Nb/Nb x Si 1−x /Nb Josephson junction arrays for voltage standard. It is important to find the suitable Nb x Si 1−x barrier for the junctions. Josephson junctions with different barrier content are fabricated. Current-voltage characteristics are measured and analyzed. It is demonstrated in this paper that critical current can be adjusted by using different barrier content and thickness. Shapiro steps of five hundred junctions in series are observed.

Josephson junction array chips for microvolt applications have been designed and fabricated. A voltage step as small as 1 µV has been observed for a single junction in the array when it is driven by 483.59 MHz microwave. By selecting different parts of the array, it can output a voltage from 1 µV to 256 µV. The flat region of the voltage steps is over 200 µA. This kind of array is useful for potential microvolt applications.

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