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US3825906A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Superconductive shift register utilizing josephson tunnelling devices

Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1973-06-29
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Granted: 1974-07-23
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Expires: 1993-06-29
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Abstract

Abstract A two-phase superconductive shift register using Josephson tunnelling devices is provided wherein a plurality of shift register stages each includes a first and second branch in parallel to which a DC current is supplied. A Josephson tunnelling device is located in each branch which operates in its no voltage state when the DC current is applied thereto. A first and second input means is provided for switching one of the Josephson tunnelling devices in accordance with an input to cause the input current to flow through the other branch. A first and second coupling means are located between the stages of the shift register, the first coupling means coupling the first branch circuits of successive stages and the second coupling means coupling second branch circuits of successive stages. The coupling means are energized in response to phase time pulses and current flow in the preceding stage causing the Josephson device in the next stage to switch to its finite voltage stage thereby causing the current to flow in the opposite branch in the next stage.

Inventors

  • 👤 H Hamel
  • 👤 C Kunzinger
  • 👤 W Stelzenmuller

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 18:12
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11C; G11C19/00; G11C19/32; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S505/00; Y10S505/825; Y10S505/83

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 184 words
A two-phase shift register using Josephson tunnelling devices comprising: a plurality of shift register stages; a current source for providing DC current to each of said shift register stages; a first and second branch circuit in parallel in each of said shift register states; a first and second Josephson tunnelling device located in said first and second branch circuits, respectively, said devices operating in their no-voltage state; a first and second input means for setting the associated Josephson junction to its finite voltage state causing the input current to flow in the opposite branch; a first and second coupling means located between the first and second branches, respectively, of the stages of said shift register; a source of phase time pulses, said first and second coupling means between successive stages being energized alternately by a current pulse at the opposite phase times; and said first and second coupling means responding simultaneously to said phase time pulse and to the branch circuit in which the current flows in the preceding stage thereby causing the current to flow in the opposite branch in the succeeding state.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 184 words
A two-phase shift register using Josephson tunnelling devices comprising: a plurality of shift register stages; a current source for providing DC current to each of said shift register stages; a first and second branch circuit in parallel in each of said shift register states; a first and second Josephson tunnelling device located in said first and second branch circuits, respectively, said devices operating in their no-voltage state; a first and second input means for setting the associated Josephson junction to its finite voltage state causing the input current to flow in the opposite branch; a first and second coupling means located between the first and second branches, respectively, of the stages of said shift register; a source of phase time pulses, said first and second coupling means between successive stages being energized alternately by a current pulse at the opposite phase times; and said first and second coupling means responding simultaneously to said phase time pulse and to the branch circuit in which the current flows in the preceding stage thereby causing the current to flow in the opposite branch in the succeeding state.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 48 words
A two phase shift using Josephson tunnelling devices according to claim 1, wherein said first and second coupling means each consists of a Josephson device having a bypass circuit connected thereacross through which a current pulse passes when the Josephson device is switched to its finite voltage state.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 51 words
A two phase shift register using Josephson tunnelling devices according to claim 1, wherein said current is applied in series to the successive stages and in parallel to the branches within each stage, said current in the successive stages passing through the branch having a Josephson device in the no-voltage state.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 25 words
A two phase shift register using Josephson tunnelling devices according to claim 1, wherein said first and second branch circuits in parallel constitute superconductive circuits.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 68 words
A two phase shift register using Josephson tunnelling devices according to claim 1, wherein said first and second Josephson tunnelling devices in said first and second branch circuits, respectively, comprise two stripline conductors separated by an insulator barrier so that tunnelling takes place through said barrier to give a zero voltage current up to a critical current value beyond which the device switches into a finite voltage state.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 58 words
A two phase shift register using Josephson tunnelling devices according to claim 2, wherein said first and second coupling means each further include a bypass circuit connected across said Josephson tunnelling device and having a terminating resistance therein, said bypass circuit forming the input to the Josephson device of said branch circuit associated therewith in the next stage.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 70 words
A two phase shift register using Josephson tunnelling devices according to claim 6, wherein the first and second coupling means bypass circuit produces a magnetic field when the current flows therethrough which lowers the critical current value of the associated Josephson tunnelling device in the next stage causing it to switch to its finite voltage state thereby causing the current to switch to the other branch of said next stage.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3281609A Cited
US3626391A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1977-07-22 1978-01-21 1978-07-23 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1981-07-22 1982-01-21 1982-07-23 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1985-07-22 1986-01-21 1986-07-23 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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