Patent EP0380128A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0380128A2
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EP
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Superconducting device
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
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Filing: 1990-01-26
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-01-26
Abstract
Abstract A superconducting structure is formed in such a manner that at least an insulating layer (30) is sandwiched between two superconductor layers (10, 20) but the superconductor layers are electrically coupled with each other, and a superconducting device including the superconducting structure is constructed so as to perform a switching operation for an electric signal, to detect a light signal, and to detect the intensity of a magnetic field. Another superconducting device is formed so that two superconductor layers (3, 12) are put in direct contact with each other, and a tunnel current between the superconductor layers can be controlled. Further, a superconductor structure is formed which includes a plurality of superconductor layers and has a superconducting transition temperature or superconducting critical current higher than that of each superconductor layer, and a superconducting device including this superconducting structure can operate at a relatively high temperature. Furthermore, a superconducting circuit device is formed which can emit a coherent electromagnetic wave having a wavelength of the order of 10 µm on the basis of the difference in energy gap between adjacent superconductor layers (22, 23). Additionally, novel oxide superconductor materials are disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Masahiko Hiratani
- 👤 Shinichiro Saitoh
- 👤 Katsuki Miyauchi
- 👤 Tsuyoshi Seko
- 👤 Toshikazu Nishino
- 👤 Hideaki Nakane
- 👤 Mutsuko Hatano
- 👤 Haruhiro C/O Hitachi Daini Kyoshinryo Hasegawa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 04:03
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10N; H10N60/00; H10N60/01; H10N60/0268; H10N60/10; H10N60/12; H10N60/124; H10N60/80; H10N60/85; H10N60/855; H10N60/857; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S505/00; Y10S505/775; Y10S505/776; Y10S505/779
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 45
Claim 1
Independent Claim
93 words
A superconducting structure comprising: a first thin film (10) made of a superconductive material of the n-conductive type; a second thin film (20) made of a superconductive material of the p-conductive type; and a third layer (11, 30, 21) sandwiched between the first and second thin films and formed of at least one of a semiconductor layer (11, 21) and an insulating layer (30), the first and second thin films being electrically coupled with each other through the third layer so that a current can flow between the first and second thin films.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
93 words
A superconducting structure comprising: a first thin film (10) made of a superconductive material of the n-conductive type; a second thin film (20) made of a superconductive material of the p-conductive type; and a third layer (11, 30, 21) sandwiched between the first and second thin films and formed of at least one of a semiconductor layer (11, 21) and an insulating layer (30), the first and second thin films being electrically coupled with each other through the third layer so that a current can flow between the first and second thin films.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
141 words
A superconducting structure comprising: a first thin film (102) made of a superconductive material of the first conductive type; a second thin film (101, 103) formed of at least one of a semiconductive layer (101) and a conductive layer (103), each of the semiconductive layer and the conductive layer having the second conductive type; and a third layer (121, 130, 111) sandwiched between the first and second thin films and formed of at least one of a semiconductor layer (121, 111) and an insulating layer (130), the first and second thin films being electrically coupled with each other through the third layer so that a current can flow between the first and second thin films, at least a portion of the second thin film being endowed with superconductivity which diffuses from the first thin film due to the superconducting proximity effect.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
141 words
A superconducting structure comprising: a first thin film (102) made of a superconductive material of the first conductive type; a second thin film (101, 103) formed of at least one of a semiconductive layer (101) and a conductive layer (103), each of the semiconductive layer and the conductive layer having the second conductive type; and a third layer (121, 130, 111) sandwiched between the first and second thin films and formed of at least one of a semiconductor layer (121, 111) and an insulating layer (130), the first and second thin films being electrically coupled with each other through the third layer so that a current can flow between the first and second thin films, at least a portion of the second thin film being endowed with superconductivity which diffuses from the first thin film due to the superconducting proximity effect.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A superconducting structure according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the superconductive material used is an oxide superconductor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
A superconducting device including the superconducting structure (100) according to Claim 1 or 2 for causing a current to flow between the first and second thin films, wherein the current is mainly composed of a tunnel current flowing through the third layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A superconducting device according to Claim 4, wherein one of the first and second thin films is used as means for injecting a quasi particle into the other thin film.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
A superconducting device for light detection including the superconducting structure (100) according to Claim 1 or 2, and means (7) for illuminating the superconducting structure with light (8).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
A superconducting device for detecting the intensity of a magnetic field including a superconducting structure (100) according to Claim 1 or 2, and means (9) for applying a magnetic field to the superconducting structure.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
54 words
A superconducting device comprising: a first superconductor layer (3) of the p-conductive type; a second superconductor layer (12) kept in contact with the first superconductor layer and having the n-conductive type; and a control electrode (6) applied with a voltage to control a superconducting tunnel current flowing between the first and second superconductor layers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
54 words
A superconducting device comprising: a first superconductor layer (3) of the p-conductive type; a second superconductor layer (12) kept in contact with the first superconductor layer and having the n-conductive type; and a control electrode (6) applied with a voltage to control a superconducting tunnel current flowing between the first and second superconductor layers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
A superconducting device according to Claim 8, wherein at least one of the first and second superconductor layers is made of an oxide superconductor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
A superconducting device according to Claim 8, wherein the control electrode (6) is provided over the first and second superconductor layers in such a manner that an insulating film (32) is interposed between the control electrode and the superconductor layers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
58 words
A superconducting device according to Claim 8, wherein at least two contact portions are formed between the first and second superconductor layers, and each of control electrodes (61, 62) is provided over a corresponding one of the contact portions in such a manner that an insulating film (32) is interposed between the control electrodes and the contact portions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
82 words
A superconducting structure comprising: a first layer (3) made of a superconductive material of the first conductive type; and a second layer (12) made of a superconductive material of the second conductive type opposite to the first conductive type, the second layer being put in direct contact with the first layer or an insulating layer being sandwiched between the first and second layers, a current being caused to flow in directions substantially parallel to the interface between the first and second layers.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
82 words
A superconducting structure comprising: a first layer (3) made of a superconductive material of the first conductive type; and a second layer (12) made of a superconductive material of the second conductive type opposite to the first conductive type, the second layer being put in direct contact with the first layer or an insulating layer being sandwiched between the first and second layers, a current being caused to flow in directions substantially parallel to the interface between the first and second layers.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
A superconducting structure according to Claim 12, wherein the thickness of each of the first and second layers is made less than a value which is ten times as large as the superconducting coherent length in a corresponding one of the first and second layers.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
A superconducting device including the superconducting structure according to Claim 12, and means for causing a current to flow in directions substantially parallel to the interface between the first and second layers.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
60 words
A superconducting device according to Claim 14, wherein a control electrode (6) is provided at one of the top and bottom of the superconducting structure through a layer (32) higher in resistivity than the first and second layers of the superconducting structure, and the current flowing in the superconducting structure is controlled by a current given to the control electrode.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
53 words
A superconducting device according to Claim 14, wherein a control electrode (16) is provided at one of the top and bottom of the superconducting structure through a layer higher in resistivity than the superconducting structure, and the current flowing in the superconducting structure is controlled by a voltage applied to the control electrode.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
71 words
A superconducting circuit device for generating an electromagnetic wave, comprising: a first superconductor layer (23) of the p-conductive type; a second superconductor layer (22) of the n-conductive type, the second superconductor layer being kept in contact with the first superconductor layer; and a resonator for electromagnetic wave; wherein said device emits an electromagnetic wave having a wavelength corresponding to the difference in energy gap between the first and second superconductor layers.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
71 words
A superconducting circuit device for generating an electromagnetic wave, comprising: a first superconductor layer (23) of the p-conductive type; a second superconductor layer (22) of the n-conductive type, the second superconductor layer being kept in contact with the first superconductor layer; and a resonator for electromagnetic wave; wherein said device emits an electromagnetic wave having a wavelength corresponding to the difference in energy gap between the first and second superconductor layers.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
46 words
A superconducting circuit device according to Claim 17, wherein at least two superconductor layers (23, 24) of the p-conductive type are provided, and an electromagnetic wave having a wavelength corresponding to the difference in energy gap between the superconductor layers of the p-conductive type is emitted.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
44 words
A superconducting circuit device according to Claim 17, wherein at least two superconductor layers of the n-conductive type are provided, and an electromagnetic wave having a wavelength corresponding to the difference in energy gap between the superconductor layers of the n-conductive type is emitted.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
A superconducting circuit device according to Claim 17, wherein the resonator serves as an electromagnetic wave emitting path.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
29 words
A superconducting circuit device according to Claim 17, wherein an electromagnetic waveguide is connected directly to the resonator, or connected to the resonator through an electromagnetic wave emitting path.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
21 words
A superconducting circuit device according to Claim 17, wherein each of the first and second superconductor layers is a thin film.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
23 words
A superconducting circuit device according to Claim 17, wherein each of the first and second superconductor layers is made of an oxide superconductor.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
57 words
An oxide superconductor having a composition expressed by a chemical formula Ln 2-x M x CuO y , where Ln indicates at least one element selected from a group consisting of Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd and Er, and M indicates at least one element selected from a group consisting of Th, Tl, Pb and Bi.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
57 words
An oxide superconductor having a composition expressed by a chemical formula Ln 2-x M x CuO y , where Ln indicates at least one element selected from a group consisting of Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd and Er, and M indicates at least one element selected from a group consisting of Th, Tl, Pb and Bi.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
17 words
An oxide superconductor according to Claim 24, wherein x lies in a range from 0.05 to 0.4.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
17 words
An oxide superconductor according to Claim 25, wherein x lies in a range from 0.15 to 0.2.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
22 words
An oxide superconductor according to any one of Claims 24 to 26, wherein y satisfies a relation 3.5 ≦ y ≦ 4.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
52 words
An oxide superconductor having a composition expressed by a chemical formula A 2-x N x CuO y , where A indicates at least one of Sr and Ca, and N indicates an element which can maintain a desired fundamental crystal structure and is able to have a valency more than two (2).
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
52 words
An oxide superconductor having a composition expressed by a chemical formula A 2-x N x CuO y , where A indicates at least one of Sr and Ca, and N indicates an element which can maintain a desired fundamental crystal structure and is able to have a valency more than two (2).
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
34 words
An oxide superconductor according to Claim 28, wherein the N-element is at least one element selected from a group consisting of La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Tl, Pb, Bi, Y and In.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
19 words
An oxide superconductor according to Claim 28 or 29, wherein x lies in a range from 0.05 to 0.4.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
17 words
An oxide superconductor according to Claim 30, wherein x lies in a range from 0.15 to 0.2.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
22 words
An oxide superconductor according to any one of Claims 28 to 31, wherein y satisfies a relation 2.6 ≦ y ≦ 3.0.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
50 words
An oxide superconductor having a composition expressed by a chemical formula A 1-x N′CuO y′ , where A indicates at least one of Sr and Ca, and N′ indicates an element which can maintain a desired fundamental crystal structure and is able to have a valency more than two (2).
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
50 words
An oxide superconductor having a composition expressed by a chemical formula A 1-x N′CuO y′ , where A indicates at least one of Sr and Ca, and N′ indicates an element which can maintain a desired fundamental crystal structure and is able to have a valency more than two (2).
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
34 words
An oxide superconductor according to Claim 33, wherein the N′-element is at least one element selected from a group consisting of La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Tl, Pb, Bi, In and Y.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
18 words
An oxide superconductor according Claim 33 or 34, wherein x lies in a range from 0.05 to 0.4.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
17 words
An oxide superconductor according to Claim 35, wherein x lies in a range from 0.15 to 0.2.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
22 words
An oxide superconductor according to any one of Claims 33 to 36, wherein y′ satisfies a relation 1.7 ≦ y′ ≦ 2.0.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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