# US 5,350,739 A · Reflective HTS switch > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,350,739 A - Document ID: US5350739A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 07/950,570 - Filed: 1992-09-24 - Granted: 1994-09-27 - Earliest claimed: 1992-09-24 - Assignees: The United States of America as repesented by the United States Department of Energy - Inventors: Jon S. Martens; Vincent M. Hietala; Gert K. G. Hohenwarter - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5350739A ## CPC - H01P 1/10: for switching or interrupting {(in systems using reflection or reradiation of radio, acoustic or other waves G01S7/034)} - H03K 17/92: by the use, as active elements, of superconductive devices - H10N 60/35: Cryotrons - Y10S 505/86: Gating, i.e. switching circuit - Y10S 505/866: Wave transmission line, network, waveguide, or microwave storage device - H01P: WAVEGUIDES; RESONATORS, LINES, OR OTHER DEVICES OF THE WAVEGUIDE TYPE (operating at optical frequencies G02B) - 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 - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract A HTS switch includes a HTS conductor for providing a superconducting path for an electrical signal and an serpentine wire actuator for controllably heating a portion of the conductor sufficiently to cause that portion to have normal, and not superconducting, resistivity. Mass of the portion is reduced to decrease switching time. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A high temperature superconducting (HTS) microwave switch comprising: HTS conductor means for providing a superconducting path for a microwave signal, said means including a switching portion having a reduced cross-sectional area relative to the remainder of said conductor means; actuation means for controllably heating said portion of said conductor means sufficiently to cause said portion to have normal, and not superconducting, resistivity; and second conductor means spaced from and parallel to said HTS conductor means, said HTS conductor means and said second conductor means comprising a transmission line for said microwave signal; whereby said switch transmits the signal when said actuation means is not heating said portion, and reflects the signal when said actuation means is heating said portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The HTS switch of claim 1 wherein said actuation means comprises a normal conducting wire adjacent said portion of said HTS conductor means; whereby an electric signal through said wire heats said portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The HTS switch of claim 1 wherein said wire is arranged in a serpentine path across said portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The HTS switch of claim 3 wherein said wire is separated from said portion by a dielectric layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The HTS switch of claim 4 wherein said wire and said portion are covered by a thermal insulator. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The HTS switch of claim 5 wherein the width of said portion of HTS conductor means is less than the width of said HTS conductor on either side of said portion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The HTS switch of claim 6 wherein the thickness of said portion of HTS conductor means is less than the thickness of said HTS conductor on either side of said portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The HTS switch of claim 7 wherein said HTS conductor means is on a substrate, the thickness of said substrate at said portion being less than the thickness of said substrate on either side of said portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The HTS switch of claim 2 wherein said HTS conductor means is on a substrate, the thickness of said substrate at said portion being less than the thickness of said substrate on either side of said portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The HTS switch of claim 9 wherein the thickness of said portion of HTS conductor means is less than the thickness of said HTS conductor on either side of said portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The HTS switch of claim 10 wherein said actuation means comprises a normal conducting wire adjacent said portion of said HTS conductor means; whereby an electric signal through said wire heats said portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The HTS switch of claim 11 wherein said wire is arranged in a serpentine path across said portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The HTS switch of claim 12 wherein said wire is separated from said portion by a dielectric layer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The HTS switch of claim 13 further comprising means for cooling said HTS conductor means to approximately 77 K. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The HTS switch of claim 1 wherein said second conductor means forms a coplanar waveguide with said HTS conductor means. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The HTS switch of claim 9 wherein said second conductor means is on said substrate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The HTS switch of claim 16 wherein said second conductor means forms a coplanar waveguide with said HTS conductor.