US 10,785,891 B1 · Superconducting computing system in a liquid hydrogen environment

Abstract

Superconducting computing system housed in a liquid hydrogen environment and related aspects are described. An example superconducting computing system includes a housing, arranged inside a liquid hydrogen environment, where a lower pressure is maintained inside the housing than a pressure outside the housing. The superconducting computing system further includes a substrate, arranged inside the housing, having a surface, where a plurality of components attached to the surface is configured to provide at least one of a computing or a storage functionality, and the substrate further comprises a plurality of circuit traces for interconnecting at least a subset of the plurality of the components. The housing is configured such that each of the plurality of components is configured to operate at a first temperature, where the first temperature is below 4.2 Kelvin, despite the liquid hydrogen environment having a second temperature greater than 4.2 Kelvin.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A superconducting computing system comprising:

a housing, arranged inside a liquid hydrogen environment, wherein a lower pressure is maintained inside the housing than a pressure outside the housing, wherein the lower pressure is in a range between 10−3 Torr to 10−10 Torr, and wherein the inside of the housing is accessible via a transfer system;
a substrate, arranged inside the housing, having a surface, wherein a plurality of superconducting components, attached to the surface, is configured to provide at least one of a computing or a storage functionality, and wherein the substrate further comprises a plurality of circuit traces for interconnecting at least a subset of the plurality of the superconducting components, wherein the housing is configured such that each of the plurality of superconducting components is configured to operate at a first temperature, wherein the first temperature is below 4.2 Kelvin, despite the liquid hydrogen environment having a second temperature greater than 4.2 Kelvin;
and
a thermal shield configured to provide thermal isolation between at least the plurality of superconducting components arranged inside the housing and the liquid hydrogen environment.

1 more element

A superconducting computing system comprising:

a housing, arranged inside a liquid hydrogen environment, wherein a lower pressure is maintained inside the housing than a pressure outside the housing, wherein the lower pressure is in a range between 10−3 Torr to 10−10 Torr, and wherein the inside of the housing is accessible via a transfer system;
a first substrate, inside the housing, arranged in a first plane having a first surface parallel to the first plane, wherein a first plurality of superconducting components, attached to the first surface, is configured to provide at least one of a computing or a storage functionality;
a second substrate, inside the housing, arranged in a second plane, parallel to the first plane, the second substrate having a second surface parallel to the second plane, wherein a second plurality of superconducting components, attached to the second surface, is configured to provide at least one of the computing functionality or the storage functionality, and wherein the first substrate further comprises a first plurality of circuit traces for interconnecting at least a subset of the first plurality of the superconducting components, and wherein the second substrate further comprises a second plurality of circuit traces for interconnecting at least a subset of the second plurality of the superconducting components, wherein liquid helium inside the housing is configured to cool the environment inside the housing such that each of the first plurality of superconducting components and the second plurality of superconducting components is configured to operate at a first temperature, wherein the first temperature is below 4.2 Kelvin, despite the liquid hydrogen environment having a second temperature greater than 4.2 Kelvin;
and
a thermal shield configured to provide thermal isolation between at least the first plurality of superconducting components and at least the second plurality of superconducting components arranged inside the housing and the liquid hydrogen environment.

2 more elements

A superconducting computing system comprising:

a first storage tank;
a second storage tank containing hydrogen in a liquefied state, wherein the second storage tank is arranged inside the first storage tank;
a supply line for supplying hydrogen to the second storage tank;
a boil-off gas discharge line for removing boil-off gas from the second storage tank;
a cryostat wall, arranged inside the second storage tank, wherein a vacuum is maintained inside a space enclosed by the cryostat wall, wherein the vacuum corresponds to a pressure in a range between 10−3 Torr to 10−10 Torr;
a substrate, inside the cryostat wall, wherein a plurality of superconducting components, coupled to the substrate, is configured to provide at least one of a computing or a storage functionality;
and
a cooling system configured to maintain a temperature inside the cryostat wall below 4.2 Kelvin.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Superconducting computing system in a liquid hydrogen environment

Life of this patent

Superconducting computing system in a liquid hydrogen environment

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20