Patent · US Expired

Active superconducting devices formed of thin films

US5019721A · kind A · utility

70Cited by
7References
33Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 18, 1989
Grant dateMay 28, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 18, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S505/874
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Active superconducting devices are formed of thin films of superconductor which include a main conduction channel which has an active weak link region. The weak link region is composed of an array of links of thin film superconductor spaced from one another by voids and selected in size and thickness such that magnetic flux can propagate across the weak link region when it is superconducting. Magnetic flux applied to the weak link region will propagate across the array of links causing localized loss of superconductivity in the links and changing the effective resistance across the links. The magnetic flux can be applied from a control line formed of a superconducting film deposited coplanar with the main conduction channel and weak link region on a substrate. The devices can be formed of any type to superconductor but are particularly well suited to the high temperature superconductors since the devices can be entirely formed from coplanar films with no overlying regions. The devices can be utilized for a variety of electrical components, including switching circuits, amplifiers, oscillators and modulators, and are well suited to microwave frequency applications.

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