US5110034A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Superconducting bonds for thin film devices
Assignee: Quantum Design Inc
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Filing: 1990-08-30
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Granted: 1992-05-05
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Expires: 2010-08-30
Abstract
Abstract A method of bonding a superconductive ribbon lead to a superconducting bonding pad connected to superconducting circuitry. The thin ribbon is first coated with a fresh layer of the same material from which it is made and then a very thin layer of a noble metal is applied over that fresh layer. The bonding pad is also prepared with a very thin layer of the noble metal. Those coated surfaces are placed in facing contact and ultrasonically bonded.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael B. Simmonds
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 10:39
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10N; H10N60/00; H10N60/80; H10W; H10W72/00; H10W72/01; H10W72/015; H10W72/01565; H10W72/071; H10W72/075; H10W72/07531; H10W72/07532; H10W72/50; H10W72/521; H10W72/522; H10W72/531; H10W72/533; H10W72/534; H10W72/551; H10W72/552; H10W72/5522; H10W72/555; H10W72/90; H10W72/931; H10W72/932; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S505/00; Y10S505/825; Y10S505/917; Y10S505/927
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of bonding a superconductive electrical lead to a superconductive thin film pad on a substrate, said method comprising the steps of: forming a thin film bonding pad of superconductive material on the substrate, the pad having a contact surface; forming a thin ribbon of similar superconductive material, the ribbon having a facing surface; coating at least one of the pad contact surface and the ribbon facing surface with a very thin layer of a different material which readily coheres to the superconductive surface material; placing the different-material coated surface in contact with the c her superconductive material surface; and then bonding the thin ribbon to the bonding pad.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of bonding a superconductive electrical lead to a superconductive thin film pad on a substrate, said method comprising the steps of: forming a thin film bonding pad of superconductive material on the substrate, the pad having a contact surface; forming a thin ribbon of similar superconductive material, the ribbon having a facing surface; coating at least one of the pad contact surface and the ribbon facing surface with a very thin layer of a different material which readily coheres to the superconductive surface material; placing the different-material coated surface in contact with the c her superconductive material surface; and then bonding the thin ribbon to the bonding pad.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
101 words
A method of bonding a superconductive electrical lead to a superconductive thin film pad on an electrically insulating substrate, said method comprising the steps of: forming a thin film bonding pad of niobium on the substrate, the pad having a contact surface; forming a thin ribbon of niobium, the ribbon having a facing surface; coating at least one of the niobium pad contact surface and ribbon facing surface with a very thin layer of palladium; placing the palladium coated surface and the niobium surface of the other element in contact; and then ultrasonically bonding the thin ribbon to the bonding pad.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
101 words
A method of bonding a superconductive electrical lead to a superconductive thin film pad on an electrically insulating substrate, said method comprising the steps of: forming a thin film bonding pad of niobium on the substrate, the pad having a contact surface; forming a thin ribbon of niobium, the ribbon having a facing surface; coating at least one of the niobium pad contact surface and ribbon facing surface with a very thin layer of palladium; placing the palladium coated surface and the niobium surface of the other element in contact; and then ultrasonically bonding the thin ribbon to the bonding pad.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method recited in claim 2, and comprising the further step of coating the other of the contacting niobium surfaces with palladium prior to the placing step.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method recited in claim 2, wherein the ribbon is about an order of magnitude thicker than the bonding pad.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method recited in claim 2, wherein the bonding pad is about five orders of magnitude thicker than the palladium coating.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method recited in claim 2, wherein the niobium film bonding pad has a thickness ranging between 300 nm and 600 nm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method recited in claim 2, wherein the niobium ribbon has a thickness ranging between 0.00003 and 0.0003 inch.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method recited in claim 2, wherein the palladium layer is about 10 nm thick.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method recited in claim 2, and comprising the further step of coating one surface of the niobium ribbon with a layer of niobium before applying the palladium coating thereover.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method recited in claim 9, wherein the coating of niobium on the niobium ribbon ranges between 1 and 500 nm thick and the palladium layer is about 10 nm thick.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method recited in claim 1, wherein the thin film bonding pad superconductive material is a refractory metal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method recited in claim 11, wherein the superconductive metal is niobium.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method recited in claim 11, wherein the superconductive metal is tantalum.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method recited in claim 1, wherein the different material is a noble metal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method recited in claim 11, wherein the noble metal is palladium.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method recited in claim 11, wherein the noble metal is platinum.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method recited in claim 11, wherein the noble metal is gold.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method recited in claim 1, wherein the ribbon is about an order of magnitude thicker than the bonding pad.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method recited in claim 1, wherein the bonding pad is about five orders of magnitude thicker than the different material coating.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method recited in claim 1, and comprising the further step of coating the other of the pad contact surface and the ribbon facing surface with a very thin layer of the different material.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method recited in claim 1, wherein the bonding step is accomplished ultrasonically.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method recited in claim 1, and comprising the further step of coating the ribbon with a layer of the same superconductive material before applying the different material coating thereover.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method recited in claim 1, wherein the bonding pad has a thickness ranging between 300 nm and 600 nm.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method recited in claim 1, wherein the ribbon has a thickness ranging between 0.00003 and 0.0003 inch.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method recited in claim 1, wherein the different material coating is about 10 nm thick.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method recited in claim 22, wherein the superconductive material coating ranges between 1 and 500 nm thick and the different material coating is about 10 nm thick.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-05-05 | 1995-11-04 | 1996-05-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-05-05 | 1999-11-04 | 2000-05-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-05-05 | 2003-11-04 | 2004-05-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |