Laser activated superconducting switch
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorAlfred A. Wolf
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Abstract
A superconducting switch or bistable device comprising a superconductor in a cryogen maintaining a temperature just below the transition temperature, having a window of the proper optical frequency band for passing a laser beam which may impinge on the superconductor when desired. The frequency of the laser is equal to or greater than the optical absorption frequency of the superconducting material and is consistent with the ratio of the gap energy of the switch material to Planck's constant, to cause depairing of electrons, and thereby normalize the superconductor. Some embodiments comprise first and second superconducting metals. Other embodiments feature the two superconducting metals separated by a thin film insulator through which the superconducting electrons tunnel during superconductivity.
Claims9
A laser activated superconducting switch comprising:
- a superconducting material in the form of a strip cut to have opposing ends physically and electrically separated from each other, and maintained at a temperature below its critical transition temperature to thereby be superconducting;
- a ceramic piece interposed between the opposing ends and substantially flush with the surfaces of said superconducting material strip for electrical insulation and mechanical support;
- a cryogenic container for containing said superconducting material;
- a window in said container in optical alignment with said conductor and of such material as will transmit the frequency of a desired laser beam;
- a laser outside said container emitting a low power beam, and having a frequency at or above the optical frequency of said superconducting material, to pass through said window when desired to impinge upon said superconducting material to normalize the same;
- whereby said switch may be normalized remotely and no heating in said superconducting material occurs within said container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.