Electron beam excited superconducting analog-to-digital converter

A method for taking N bit digital samples of a time varying voltage signal, comprising the steps of:

• providing N superconducting transmission lines, the N superconducting transmission lines arranged adjacently and substantially in parallel with each other, forming a configuration with two characteristic directions, a y direction, along the direction of the lines, and an x direction, directed across the lines;
• imbedding 2N−1 Josephson Junctions (JJs) in series on each one of the N superconducting transmission lines, wherein the JJs forming a matrix over the configuration of the N superconducting transmission lines, placing the JJs as to yield N digit binary numbers in the x direction;
• and
• impinging an electron beam on the arrangement of the N superconducting transmission lines, the electron beam being deflected by a scanning voltage in the x direction, wherein the electron beam periodically impinging on each one of the N superconducting transmission lines, the electron beam also being receptive to displacement along the y direction in proportion to the size of the time varying voltage signal, and wherein the electron beam generating a voltage step on any one of the N superconducting transmission lines on condition of hitting any one of the JJs, whereby the voltage steps on the N lines yield a digital representation of the time varying voltage signal.