Microwave switch having magnetically biased superconductive conductors

Claim 1

A microwave switch comprising: a first microwave line section; a bifurcaton of the first section into a first microwave line arm and a second microwave line arm, a rejoining of the two arms in a second microwave line section; phase-shifting means to place the signals, transmitted in each of the two arms and recombined at said rejoining point, in phase opposition; said phase-shifting means consisting of the first arm and of the second arm, the respective lengths of these two arms differing by a quantity which is substantially equal to an odd number of half wavelengths of operation of the switch, at least one of the two arms being capable of going reversibly from a normal state to a superconductive state at a critical temperature the impedances of these arms providing for a division of the power into two substanially equal parts at the position of the bifurcaiion when both arms are in the same state, control means to control the phase-shifting means; said conirol means governing the state of at least one of the two arms, an identity and a difference of state between the two arms providing respectivey for the opening and closing of the switch.