US 10,361,703 B2Granted

Superconducting logic circuits

AssigneePsiquantum, Corp.

InventorFaraz Najafi

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Abstract

The various embodiments described herein include methods, devices, and systems for implementing logic gates. In one aspect, a circuit includes: (1) superconducting components; (2) heat sources, each coupled to a corresponding superconducting component and configured to selectively provide heat to that component; and (3) a current source coupled to the superconducting components and configured to selectively provide: (a) a first current to bias the components such that combination of the first current and heat from any heat source causes the components to transition to a non-superconducting state; and (b) a second current to bias the components such that (i) combination of the second current and heat from each heat source causes the components to transition to the non-superconducting state, and (ii) a combination of the second current and heat from only a subset of the heat sources does not cause the components to transition to the non-superconducting state.

Claims23

Dependent claims

An electric circuit, comprising:

a plurality of superconducting components, each superconducting component of the plurality of superconducting components having a first terminal and a second terminal;
a plurality of current sources, each current source of the plurality of current sources electrically-connected to the first terminal of a corresponding superconducting component of the plurality of superconducting components and configured to selectively provide a first current;
a bias current source electrically-connected to the respective first terminal of each of the plurality of superconducting components, the bias current source configured to selectively provide:
a second current adapted to bias the plurality of superconducting components such that a combination of the second current and the first current from any current source of the plurality of current sources causes the plurality of superconducting components to transition from a superconducting state to a non-superconducting state;
and
a third current adapted to bias the plurality of superconducting components such that (1) a combination of the third current and the first current from each current source of the plurality of current sources causes the plurality of superconducting components to transition from the superconducting state to the non-superconducting state, and (2) a combination of the third current and the first current from each current source of only a subset of the plurality of current sources does not cause the plurality of superconducting components to transition to the non-superconducting state;
and
an output node adapted to output a respective current while the plurality of superconducting components is in the non-superconducting state.

5 more elements

An electric circuit, comprising:

a plurality of superconducting components, each superconducting component of the plurality of superconducting components having a corresponding shared channel;
a plurality of current sources, each current source of the plurality of current sources configured to selectively provide a first current and coupled to a corresponding superconducting component of the plurality of superconducting components such that the first current flows through the shared channel of the corresponding superconducting component while the corresponding superconducting component is in a superconducting state;
a bias current source configured to selectively provide a second current and a third current and coupled to each of the plurality of superconducting components such that the second current and the third current flow through the shared channel of respective superconducting components of the plurality of superconducting components while the respective superconducting components are in the superconducting state;
wherein the second current is adapted to bias the plurality of superconducting components such that a combination of the second current and the first current from any current source of the plurality of current sources exceeds a respective transition current for the main channel of each of the plurality of superconducting components, thereby causing the plurality of superconducting components to transition from a superconducting state to a non-superconducting state;
and
wherein the third current is adapted to bias the plurality of superconducting components such that (1) a combination of the third current and the first current from each current source of the plurality of current sources exceeds the respective transition current for the main channel of each of the plurality of superconducting components, thereby causing the plurality of superconducting components to transition from the superconducting state to the non-superconducting state, and (2) a combination of the third current and the first current from each current source of only a subset of the plurality of current sources does not exceed the respective transition current for the main channel of each of the plurality of superconducting components;
and
an output node adapted to output a respective current while the plurality of superconducting components is in the non-superconducting state.

5 more elements

An electric circuit, comprising:

a plurality of superconducting components, the plurality of superconducting components including at least three superconducting components;
a plurality of current sources, each current source of the plurality of current sources coupled to a corresponding superconducting component of the plurality of superconducting components and configured to selectively provide a first current;
a bias current source coupled to each of the plurality of superconducting components, the bias current source configured to selectively provide:
a second current adapted to bias the plurality of superconducting components such that a combination of the second current and the first current from any current source of the plurality of current sources causes the plurality of superconducting components to transition from a superconducting state to a non-superconducting state;
and
a third current adapted to bias the plurality of superconducting components such that (1) a combination of the third current and the first current from each of a subset of the plurality of current sources causes the plurality of superconducting components to transition from the superconducting state to the non-superconducting state, and (2) a combination of the third current and the first current from each of less than the subset of the plurality of current sources does not cause the plurality of superconducting components to transition to the non-superconducting state, wherein the subset of the plurality of current sources includes at least two current sources;
and
a fourth current adapted to bias the plurality of superconducting components such that (1) a combination of the fourth current and the first current from each current source of the plurality of current sources causes the plurality of superconducting components to transition from the superconducting state to the non-superconducting state, and (2) a combination of the fourth current and the first current from less than each of the plurality of current sources does not cause the plurality of superconducting components to transition to the non-superconducting state;
and
an output node adapted to output a respective current while the plurality of superconducting components is in the non-superconducting state;
whereby the electric circuit functions as a logical OR gate while the bias current source provides the second current;
whereby the electric circuit functions as a logical majority gate while the bias current source provides the third current;
and
whereby the electric circuit functions as a logical AND gate while the bias current source provides the fourth current.

11 more elements

An electric circuit, comprising:

a plurality of superconducting components;
a plurality of heat sources, each heat source of the plurality of heat sources thermally-coupled to, and electrically-insulated from, a corresponding superconducting component of the plurality of superconducting components and configured to selectively provide heat to the corresponding superconducting component;
a bias current source coupled to the plurality of superconducting components, the bias current source configured to selectively provide:
a first current adapted to bias the plurality of superconducting components such that combination of the first current and heat from any heat source of the plurality of heat sources causes the plurality of superconducting components to transition from a superconducting state to a non-superconducting state;
and
a second current adapted to bias the plurality of superconducting components such that (1) a combination of the second current and heat from each heat source of the plurality of heat sources causes the plurality of superconducting components to transition from the superconducting state to the non-superconducting state, and (2) a combination of the second current and heat from each heat source of only a subset of the plurality of heat sources does not cause the plurality of superconducting components to transition to the non-superconducting state;
and
an output node adapted to output a respective current while the plurality of superconducting components is in the non-superconducting state.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/151,180Filed 3 Oct 2018 · us provisional application
Priority: 5 Oct 2017
Published: US 2019/0109595 A111 Apr 2019
Granted: 23 Jul 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification15 codes

H03K 19/195
Using specified components: using superconductive devices
H03K 19/1954
Using superconductive devices: with injection of the control current
H03K 19/1958
Using superconductive devices: hybrid configuration, i.e. using electromagnetic coupling and injection of the control current
H03K 19/20
Logic circuits, i.e. having at least two inputs acting on one output ; Inverting circuits: characterised by logic function, e.g. AND, OR, NOR, NOT…

Family

Application62/568,677Us provisional application · filed 5 Oct 2017
Application62/585,519Us provisional application · filed 13 Nov 2017
Application62/630,657Us provisional application · filed 14 Feb 2018
US 2019/0109595 A1Pre-grant publication · published 11 Apr 2019
US 10,361,703 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.