US 4,608,296 A · Superconducting films and devices exhibiting AC to DC conversion

Abstract

Superconducting films and devices are provided which exhibit an AC to DC conversion effect of an RF AC input signal. The films can be microscopically inhomogeneous with granular or columnar microstructures in layered or nonlayered structures, which provide the conversion effect with and without an applied magnetic field. The films also can be multilayer films which provide the conversion effect with a magnetic field applied to the films. The multilayer films are substantially compositionally homogeneous within the layers and the microscopically inhomogeneous films are substantially compositionally homogeneous throughout, but include structural inhomogeneities.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A superconducting film comprising:

a non-equilibrium structure providing local variations in superconducting transition temperature, said structure formed from at least two components, at least one of said components being a metallic material and at least one of said components being a non-metallic material, said structure including a plurality of regions exhibiting characteristic lengths in at least two directions through the structure of less than 500 Angstroms to provide AC to DC conversion of an RF AC signal imposed on the structure in the absence of a magnetic field applied thereto, said structure having an oxygen content throughout the structure of less than ten percent, said structure includes a microscopically inhomogeneous microstructure providing said characteristic length and said microstructure being a columnar microstructure.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Superconducting films and devices exhibiting AC to DC conversion

Life of this patent

Superconducting films and devices exhibiting AC to DC conversion

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13