Patent · US Expired

Superconducting device

US4831421A · kind A · utility

19Cited by
6References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 28, 1988
Grant dateMay 16, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 28, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10N60/128

Abstract

A switch is provided that introduces quasiparticles at an asymmetric location into a reduced cross-sectional area microbridge link that is part of an output path. The quasiparticles nucleate a small region of normal resistivity and the normal region propagates to produce normal resistivity in the entire reduced cross-sectional area microbridge link. The asymmetry of the location provides input-output isolation. The high critical current, high resistivity material for the reduced cross-section member provides high current and voltage gain and the small size provides high speed. In one structure, an input film conductor is asymmetrically, centrally positioned in an insulator stack and a microbridge like is positioned on a beveled side of the stack with the input conductor in tunneling relationship with part of the narrow portion of the microbridge link. Decoupling between input and output sufficient to permit one switch to drive several others is provided. Voltage gain can be sufficient to serve as an interface between superconducting device and semiconductor circuitry.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.