Tuning circuit with distributed tunnel junction elements and superconductor integrated circuit comprising the tuning circuit

A tuning circuit, comprising:

• at least a superconductor microstrip line;
• and
• at least two superconductor distributed tunnel junction elements,
• wherein the microstrip line and the tunnel junction elements are connected alternately and the tuning circuit acts as a mixer circuit, so that, when a signal and a local signal of different frequency with the signal are input, the frequency difference between the signal and a local oscillation signal is output.

A superconductor integrated circuit, comprising:

• at least one superconductor microstrip line;
• and
• at least two superconductor distributed tunnel junction elements, wherein
• the microstrip line and the tunnel junction elements are connected alternately;
• the microstrip line is composed of an upper strip line to act as the microstrip line and a lower electrode;
• the distributed tunnel junction elements are composed of an upper electrode, a lower electrode, and a distributed tunnel junction between the upper electrode and the lower electrode;
• a superconductor layer of a common electrode of the lower electrode of the tunnel junction elements and the lower electrode of the strip line is layered on a substrate;
• an insulation layer is layered on the superconductor layer of the common electrode;
• the tunnel junction and the upper electrode of the tunnel junction element are arranged on the common lower electrode through a contact hole of the insulation layer;
• and
• the upper line of the microstrip line contacts the upper electrode of the tunnel junction element through the contact hole of the insulation layer.