Vertical Nb Josephson junctions fabricated by direct metal deposition on both surfaces of freestanding graphene layers

Abstract Vertical integration of superconducting electronics requires fabrication strategies that preserve pristine interfaces while accommodating oxidation-sensitive elemental superconductors. However, existing van der Waals-based vertical Josephson junctions largely rely on transfer-based assembly schemes that are incompatible with elemental materials such as niobium (Nb). Here, we introduce a freestanding van der Waals membrane architecture that enables deposition-based fabrication of vertical Josephson junctions through double-sided processing of a single suspended two-dimensional layer. Using multilayer graphene suspended across lithographically defined through-holes in a SiN _x membrane, we realize vertical Nb/multilayer graphene/Nb Josephson junctions without ambient exposure of buried interfaces. The resulting devices exhibit clear Josephson coupling, including reproducible supercurrents and a temperature dependence of the critical current consistent with short-junction behavior. Well-defined magnetic interference patterns governed by the membrane-defined aperture geometry, together with sub-gap features that track a Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer (BCS)-like superconducting gap, further confirm the junction quality. This platform establishes a scalable route to vertical superconducting devices based on oxidation-sensitive elemental superconductors and van der Waals materials.