Method for making a superconducting gradiometer having a three-dimensional structure and associated connecting lines for a device for measuring weak magnetic fields

For manufacturing a gradiometer having a three-dimensional structure for a device for measuring magnetic fields with field intensities down to below 10-10 T, the superconducting gradiometer coils are arranged on a support body and are coupled by means of superconducting connecting lines and a coupling coil to a superconducting quantum interference element (SQUID) which is located on a substrate body of its own. These gradiometers should be capable of being linked to the respectively assigned SQUID in a simple manner. For this purpose, the gradiometer coils and at least the associated connecting lines are applied onto a common three-dimensional support body in at least one coating operation which is either preceded by a lithographic process for the fixation of the position of the corresponding conductor runs, or is followed by an etching process.