Integrated superconducting sampling oscilloscope

An integrated superconducting sampling oscilloscope, including a sampling gate connected to additional electronics, comprising:

• means for producing a first trigger signal;
• means for sensing said first trigger signal, said means for sensing producing a pulse signal when said first trigger signal is sensed;
• means for gating said pulse signal, said means for gating producing an output signal when said pulse signal exists concurrently with a gating event;
• means for producing a second trigger signal, having a variable delay, from said output signal of said means for gating wherein said means for producing said second trigger signal comprises,
• a first superconductor device having a predetermined switching threshold, said first superconductor device producing a first switching signal if said output signal of said means for gating exceeds said predetermined switching threshold,
• means for receiving said first switching signal and producing a resonance signal;
• and
• a second superconductor device having a second switching threshold, said second superconductor device receiving said resonance signal and producing said second trigger signal when said resonance signal exceeds said second switching threshold;
• means for receiving said second trigger signal and producing a strobe pulse signal to the sampling gate in response to receipt of said second trigger signal;
• and
• means for receiving said first trigger signal and producing a signal having a fixed delay signal to the sampling gate.

An integrated superconducting sampling oscilloscope, including a sampling gate connected to additional electronics, comprising:

• means for producing a first trigger signal;
• means for sensing said first trigger signal, said means for sensing producing a pulse signal when said first trigger signal is sensed wherein said means for sensing said trigger signal comprises,
• a superconductor device producing said pulse signal when said first trigger signal exceeds a predetermined threshold, and
• means for biasing said superconductor device, said means for biasing setting said predetermined threshold;
• means for gating said pulse signal, said means for gating producing an output signal when said pulse signal exists concurrently with a gating event;
• means for producing a second trigger signal, having a variable delay, from said output signal of said means for gating wherein said means for producing said second trigger signal comprises,
• a first superconductor device having a predetermined switching threshold, said first superconductor device producing a first switching signal if said output signal of said means for gating exceeds said threshold,
• means for receiving said first switching signal and producing a resonance signal, and
• a second superconductor device having a second switching threshold, said second superconductor device receiving said resonance signal and producing said second trigger signal when said resonance signal exceeds said second switching threshold;
• means for receiving said second trigger signal and producing a strobe pulse signal to the sampling gate in response to receipt of said second trigger signal;
• and
• means for receiving said first trigger signal and producing a signal having a fixed delay signal to the sampling gate.

A device for producing an output signal from an input signal at an electrically variable time delay, comprising:

• first superconductor device, having a switching threshold for receiving the input signal, said superconducting device producing a switching signal when said input signal exceeds said threshold;
• means for receiving said switching signal connected to said first superconductor device and producing a resonance signal from said switching signal;
• and
• second superconductor device connected to said means for receiving and having a second switching threshold, said second superconductor device producing the output signal when said resonance signal exceeds said second switching threshold.

A signal processor for producing two output signals from an input signal, comprising:

• first means for receiving the input signal;
• second means for producing a first output signal responsive to the input signal, said second means being coupled to said first means, and adapted to introduce a fixed time delay to the input signal;
• and
• third means for producing a second output signal from said input signal, said third means being coupled to said first means, said third means comprising,
• a trigger recognizer that produces a trigger output signal when said input signal exceeds a threshold value,
• a hold off gate, coupled to said trigger recognizer, that produces a hold off output signal when said trigger signal exists concurrently with a predetermined event,
• a delay generator, coupled to said hold off gate, that receives said hold off output signal and produces a delay output whereby said delay introduced by said delay generator is electrically variable, and
• a strobe pulse generator coupled to said delay generator, said strobe pulse generator receives said delay output and produces a strobe pulse output as the second output signal in response to said delay output.

A signal processor for producing two output signals from one input signal in a sampling oscilloscope, the signal processor being disposed on a single chip and comprising:

• first means for receiving the input signal;
• second means for producing a first output signal responsive to the input signal, said second means being coupled to said first means, and adapted to introduce a fixed time delay to the input signal;
• and
• third means for producing a second output signal from said input signal, said third means being coupled to said first means, said third means comprising,
• a trigger recognizer that produces a trigger output signal when said input signal exceeds a threshold value,
• a hold off gate, coupled to said trigger recognizer, that produces a hold off output signal when said trigger signal exists concurrently with a predetermined event,
• a delay generator, coupled to said hold off gate, that receives said hold off output signal and produces a delay output whereby said delay introduced by said delay generator is electrically variable, and
• a strobe pulse generator coupled to said delay generator, said strobe pulse generator receives said delay output and produces a strobe pulse output as second output signal in response to said delay output.