Superconducting logic components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021328591-A1
Application number	US-202117222657-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 5, 2021
Priority date	Feb 14, 2018
Publication date	Oct 21, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

The various embodiments described herein include methods, devices, and systems for operating superconducting circuitry. In one aspect, a superconducting component includes: (1) a superconductor having a plurality of alternating narrow and wide portions, each wide portion having a corresponding terminal; and (2) a plurality of heat sources, each heat source thermally coupled to a corresponding narrow portion such that heat from the heat source is transmitted to the corresponding narrow portion; where the plurality of heat sources is electrically isolated from the superconductor.

First claim

1 . (canceled)

2 . A circuit component, comprising:
a first circuit, including:
a superconductor having a plurality of alternating narrow and wide portions, including a plurality of narrow portions each having a first width and opposing ends connected to respective wide portions, and a plurality of wide portions each having a second width greater than the first width, two or more of the wide portions each having a corresponding terminal; and
a plurality of heat sources, each heat source thermally coupled to a corresponding narrow portion such that heat from the heat source is transmitted to the corresponding narrow portion; and
an output component coupled to the first circuit, the output component configured to determine a number of the plurality of narrow portions of the superconductor in a non-superconducting state.

3 . The circuit component of claim 2 , wherein a first heat source of the plurality of heat sources comprises a photon detector.

4 . The circuit component of claim 2 , wherein the circuit component is configured to operate as a photon counter.

5 . The circuit component of claim 2 , wherein the superconductor comprises a thin film of superconducting material.

6 . The circuit component of claim 2 , wherein the circuit component is configured such that, in response to the transmitted heat, a corresponding narrow portion transitions from a superconducting state to a non-superconducting state.

7 . The circuit component of claim 6 , wherein wide portions connected to the corresponding narrow portion are configured to remain in a superconducting state while the corresponding narrow portion transitions from the superconducting state to the non-superconducting state.

8 . The circuit component of claim 6 , where the wide portions are configured to thermally isolate the narrow portions from one another so that heat coupled to a respective narrow portion by a corresponding heat source is not sufficient to cause a neighboring narrow portion to transition from a superconducting state to a non-superconducting state.

9 . The circuit component of claim 2 , wherein each heat source comprises a superconductor.

10 . The circuit component of claim 2 , wherein at least one terminal is coupled to a current source configured to supply a current such that a respective narrow portion of the superconductor is in a superconducting state prior to a corresponding heat source of the plurality of heat sources transmitting heat to the respective narrow portion.

11 . The circuit component of claim 2 , wherein at least one terminal is coupled to a reference node.

12 . The circuit component of claim 2 , wherein the output component is coupled to the first circuit via at least one terminal.

Assignees

• Psiquantum Corp

Inventors

• Najafi Faraz
• Jin Stone Qiaodan

Classifications

• G01J2001/442

  Single-photon detection or photon counting · CPC title

• H03K19/195 Primary

  using superconductive devices · CPC title

• G01J1/44

  Electric circuits {(for command of an exposure part G03B7/02)} · CPC title

• H01L39/10

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L39/16

  Electricity · mapped topic