# US 12,009,819 B2 · Superconducting logic components

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- Number: US 12,009,819 B2
- Document ID: US12009819B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/222,657
- Filed: 2021-04-05
- Published: 2021-10-21
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2018-02-14
- Assignees: Psiquantum, Corp.
- Applicants: Psiquantum Corp.
- Inventors: Faraz Najafi; Qiaodan Jin Stone
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009819B2

## CPC

- G01J 1/42: using electric radiation detectors (optical or mechanical part G01J1/04; by comparison with a reference light or electric value G01J1/10)
- H03K 19/195: using superconductive devices
- G01J 1/44: Electric circuits {(for command of an exposure part G03B7/02)}
- H10N 60/30: Devices switchable between superconducting and normal states
- H10N 60/84: Switching means for devices switchable between superconducting and normal states
- G01J 2001/442: {Single-photon detection or photon counting}
- G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N)
- H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M)
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

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.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The circuit component of claim 1, wherein a first heat source of the plurality of heat sources comprises a photon detector.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The circuit component of claim 1, wherein the circuit component is configured to operate as a photon counter.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The circuit component of claim 1, wherein the superconductor comprises a thin film of superconducting material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The circuit component of claim 1, 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.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The circuit component of claim 5, 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.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The circuit component of claim 5, 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.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The circuit component of claim 1, wherein each heat source comprises a superconductor.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The circuit component of claim 1, 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.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The circuit component of claim 1, wherein at least one terminal is coupled to a reference node.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The circuit component of claim 1, wherein the output component is coupled to the first circuit via at least one terminal.