US3906231A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Doped Josephson tunneling junction for use in a sensitive IR detector
Assignee: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
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Filing: 1974-03-19
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Granted: 1975-09-16
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Expires: 1994-03-19
Abstract
Abstract A superconductive tunneling device having a modified tunnel barrier capable of supporting Josephson tunneling current is provided. The tunnel barrier located between a pair of electrodes includes a molecular species which is capable of coupling incident radiation of a spectrum characteristic of the molecular species into the tunnel barrier. The coupled radiation modulates the known Josephson characteristics of the superconducting device. As a result of the present invention, a superconductive tunneling device can be tuned or made sensitive to a particular radiation associated with the dopant molecular species. The present invention is particularly useful in providing an improved infrared detector. The tunnel barrier region can be, for example, an oxide of an electrode or frozen gas. The molecular species can be intermixed with the barrier region such as the frozen gas or deposited as one or more layers of molecules on the barrier region. The deposited molecules of the molecular species are unbonded and capable of responding to a radiation characteristic of the molecules. Semi-conductor material can be utilized as the molecular species to provide an increased selective bandwidth response. Finally, appropriate detector equipment can be utilized to measure the modulation of any of the Josephson characteristics such as critical current, voltage steps, Lambe-Jaklevic peaks and plasma frequency.
Inventors
- 👤 James C Administrator Fletcher
- 👤 Melvin M Saffren
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 09:33
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10N; H10N60/00; H10N60/10; H10N60/12; G; G01; G01J; G01J5/00; G01J5/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
95 words
A superconductive tunneling device capable of supporting Josephson tunneling current therethrough, comprising: a first superconducting electrode; a second superconducting electrode; a tunnel barrier sufficiently thin to allow Josephson tunneling current therethrough located between said first and second electrodes; and means for increasing the sensitivity of said tunneling device to specific ranges of incident radiant energy including a molecular species added to the tunnel barrier and located between said first and second electrodes to form active coupling sites capable of coupling incident radiant energy of a spectrum characteristic of said molecular species into said tunnel barrier.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
95 words
A superconductive tunneling device capable of supporting Josephson tunneling current therethrough, comprising: a first superconducting electrode; a second superconducting electrode; a tunnel barrier sufficiently thin to allow Josephson tunneling current therethrough located between said first and second electrodes; and means for increasing the sensitivity of said tunneling device to specific ranges of incident radiant energy including a molecular species added to the tunnel barrier and located between said first and second electrodes to form active coupling sites capable of coupling incident radiant energy of a spectrum characteristic of said molecular species into said tunnel barrier.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The superconductive tunneling device of claim 1 wherein said tunnel barrier is a frozen gas.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The superconductive tunneling device of claim 1 wherein said molecular species is approximately a monolayer of molecules.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The superconducting tunneling device of claim 1 wherein said tunnel barrier is an oxide of one of the electrode material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The superconductive tunneling device of claim 1 wherein said first and second electrodes are lead and said tunnel barrier is lead oxide having a thickness in a range approximately between 0 and 50 Angstroms.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The superconductive tunneling device of claim 1 wherein said molecular species is a semi-conductor material between said electrodes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The superconductive tunneling device of claim 1 further including an antennule attached to said tunnel barrier for directing incident radiant energy into said tunnel barrier.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The superconductive tunneling device of claim 7 wherein said antennule is a portion of said tunnel barrier extending beyond at least one of said electrodes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The superconductive tunneling device of claim 2 wherein said frozen gas is inert.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The superconductive tunneling device of claim 2 wherein said frozen gas is argon.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The superconductive tunneling device of claim 2 wherein said molecular species is adsorbed onto said frozen gas.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The superconductive tunneling device of claim 2 wherein said molecular species is intermixed in an unbonded state throughout said tunnel barrier.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
113 words
A radiation detecting apparatus capable of detecting a specific spectrum of incident radiation comprising: a superconductive tunneling device having a first and second superconducting electrode and a tunnel barrier sufficiently thin to allow Josephson tunneling current therethrough located between said first and second electrodes; means for increasing the sensitivity of said tunneling device to specific ranges of radiant energy incluDing a molecular species added to the tunnel barrier and located between said first and second electrodes to form active coupling sites capable of coupling incident radiation of a spectrum characteristic of said molecular species into said tunnel barrier; and means for indicating the presence of said coupled incident radiation in said tunnel barrier.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
113 words
A radiation detecting apparatus capable of detecting a specific spectrum of incident radiation comprising: a superconductive tunneling device having a first and second superconducting electrode and a tunnel barrier sufficiently thin to allow Josephson tunneling current therethrough located between said first and second electrodes; means for increasing the sensitivity of said tunneling device to specific ranges of radiant energy incluDing a molecular species added to the tunnel barrier and located between said first and second electrodes to form active coupling sites capable of coupling incident radiation of a spectrum characteristic of said molecular species into said tunnel barrier; and means for indicating the presence of said coupled incident radiation in said tunnel barrier.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The radiation detecting apparatus of claim 13 wherein said tunnel barrier is a frozen gas.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The radiation detecting apparatus of claim 13 wherein said molecular species is approximately a monolayer of molecules.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
The radiation detecting apparatus of claim 13 wherein said first and second electrodes are lead and said tunnel barrier is lead oxide having a thickness in a range approximately between 0 and 50 Angstroms.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
The radiation detecting apparatus of claim 13 wherein said tunnel barrier is an oxide of one of the electrode material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
The radiation detecting apparatus of claim 13 wherein said molecular species is a semi-conductor material between said electrodes.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The radiation detecting apparatus of claim 13 further including an antennule attached to said tunnel barrier for directing incident radiant energy into said tunnel barrier.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
13 words
The radiation detecting apparatus of claim 14 wherein said frozen gas is inert.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
13 words
The radiation detecting apparatus of claim 14 wherein said frozen gas is argon.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
The radiation detecting apparatus of claim 14 wherein said molecular species is adsorbed onto said frozen gas.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
The radiation detecting apparatus of claim 14 wherein said molecular species is intermixed in an unbonded state throughout said tunnel barrier.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
54 words
The radiation detecting apparatus of claim 13 further including a plurality of said superconductive tunneling devices each having a different molecular species in their respective tunnel barrier forming an array and means for indicating the respective presence of coupled incident radiation of a spectrum characteristic of said molecular species in each respective tunnel barrier.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
The radiation detecting apparatus of claim 13 wherein the means for indicating the presence of said coupled incident radiation in said tunnel barrier includes means for measuring a voltage signal.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
34 words
The radiation detecting apparatus of claim 13 wherein the means for indicating the presence of said coupled incident radiation in said tunnel barrier includes means for measuring the plasma frequency of said tunnel barrier.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
30 words
The radiation detecting apparatus of claim 13 wherein the means for indicating the presence of said coupled incident radiation in said tunnel barrier includes means for measuring the critical current.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
51 words
The radiation detecting apparatus of claim 13 wherein the means for indicating the presence of said coupled incident radiation in said tunnel barrier includes means for sequentially applying said incident radiation and amplifier means connected to said sequential means for providing an output signal representative of the presence of said radiation.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
83 words
A superconductive tunneling device capable of supporting Josephson tunneling current therethrough, comprising: a first superconducting electrode; a second superconducting electrode; a frozen gas tunnel barrier sufficiently thin to allow Josephson tunneling current therethrough located between said first and second electrodes; and means for increasing the sensitivity of said tunneling device to incident radiant energy including a molecular species located between said first and second electrodes capable of coupling incident radiant energy of a spectrum characteristic of said molecular species into said tunnel barrier.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
83 words
A superconductive tunneling device capable of supporting Josephson tunneling current therethrough, comprising: a first superconducting electrode; a second superconducting electrode; a frozen gas tunnel barrier sufficiently thin to allow Josephson tunneling current therethrough located between said first and second electrodes; and means for increasing the sensitivity of said tunneling device to incident radiant energy including a molecular species located between said first and second electrodes capable of coupling incident radiant energy of a spectrum characteristic of said molecular species into said tunnel barrier.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-15 | 1979-03-17 | 1979-09-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-15 | 1983-03-17 | 1983-09-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-15 | 1987-03-17 | 1987-09-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |