Signal amplitude discriminator having a plurality of superconducting loops arranged to respond to the magnetic field produced by the signal

Claim 1

A SIGNAL AMPLITUDE DECTOR ADAPTED TO OPERATE AT A GIVEN LOW TEMPERATURE COMPRISING A FIRST CONDUCTOR HAVING A FINITE RESISTANCE AT SAID GIVEN TEMPERATURE, MEANS COUPLED TO SAID FIRST CONDUCTOR FOR CAUSING A PREDETERMINED CURRENT TO FLOW THEREIN, A SECOND CONDUCTOR CONNECTED IN PARALLEL WITH A PORTION OF SAID FIRST CONDUCTOR AND COMPOSED A SUPERCONDUCTOR MATERIAL WHICH IS NORMALLY SUPERCONDUCTIVE AT SAID GIVEN LOW TEMPERATURE, A THIRD CONDUCTOR CONNECTED IN PARALLEL WITH ANOTHER PORTION OF SAID FIRST CONDUCTOR AND COMPOSED OF A SUPERCONDUCTIVE MATERIAL WHICH NORMALLY SUPERCONDUCTIVE AT SAID GIVEN LOW TEMPERATURE, A FOURTH CONDUCTOR ADJACENT TO AND IN MAGNETIC FIELD APPLYING RELATIONSHIP TO SAID SECOND AND THIRD CONDUCTORS, AND MEANS COUPLED TO SAID FOURTH CONDUCTOR FOR CAUSING A CURRENT FLOW THEREIN WHICH IS PROPORTIONAL TO THE AMPLITUDE OF THE SIGNAL TO THE DETECTED, SAID SECOND, THIRD AND FOURTH CONDUCTORS BEING POSITIONED IN A PREDETERMINED RELATIONSHIP WHEREBY THE MAGNETIC FIELD PRODUCED BY SAID CURRENT FLOW IN SAID FOURTH CONDUCTOR IS DIFFERENTIALLY COUPLED TO SAID SECOND AND THIRD CONDUCTORS TO PRODUCE DIFFERENT INTENSITIES OF MAGNETIC FIELD THEREIN.