Superconducting switch
AssigneePsiquantum, Corp.
InventorsFaraz Najafi, Qiaodan Jin Stone
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The various embodiments described herein include methods, devices, and circuits for reducing switch transition time of superconductor switches. In some embodiments, an electrical circuit includes: (i) an input component configured to generate heat in response to an electrical input; and (ii) a first superconducting component thermally-coupled to the input component. The electrical circuit is configured such that, in the absence of the electrical input, at least a portion of the first superconducting component is maintained in a non-superconducting state in the absence of the electrical input; and, in response to the electrical input, the first superconducting component transitions to a superconducting state.
Claims20
An electrical circuit, comprising:
- an input component comprising a thermal detection element electrically coupled to a heat generating element, the input component configured to:
- generate heat, via the heat generating element, in an absence of a thermal input at the thermal detection element, and
- cease to generate the heat in response to receiving the thermal input at the thermal detection element;
- and
- a superconducting component thermally-coupled to and electrically-isolated from the input component, the superconducting component configured to transition from a non-superconducting state to a superconducting state in response to the input component ceasing to generate the heat;
- wherein the heat generated from the input component causes the at least a portion of the superconducting component to be in the non-superconducting state.
A method, comprising:
- maintaining a superconducting component in a non-superconducting state;
- while maintaining the superconducting component in the non-superconducting state, receiving a thermal input at an input component that is thermally-coupled to and electrically-isolated from the superconducting component;
- in response to receiving the thermal input, ceasing to generate heat at the input component;
- and
- in response to ceasing to generate the heat, transitioning the superconducting component from the non-superconducting state to a superconducting state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.