Abstract: A method and apparatus to provide appropriate coupling between resonators in an HTS microstrip filter are disclosed. Primary and secondary couplings between a pair of resonators are utilized. With a given spacing, the primary coupling is fixed, while the secondary coupling can have different magnitude. In addition, the secondary coupling can have the same phase or opposite phase as the primary coupling. With different combinations, large or small bandwidth filters can be made without very small or very large spacing between resonators. The same cross coupling layout configuration may be designed to achieve either positive or negative results.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing dynamic and remote tuning of a cryo-cooled bandpass filter is disclosed. The device includes resonator element and a voltage sensitive element as part of the capacitance in a narrow band filter circuit. A varactor such as a GaAs varactor may be used. Alternatively, a capacitor having a voltage-sensitive dielectric such as SrTiO3 may be used. A computer may be connected to the varactor to provide for automated tuning. The voltage-sensitive capacitor may be integral with the resonator element. The invention provides for remote and dynamic tuning of a narrow bandpass filter while located within its sealed cryo-cooled environment.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a multicomponent thin film, such as a superconducting thin film, on a substrate includes a holder for holding at least one substrate and a deposition/reaction vessel. The deposition/reaction vessel has at least three zones, each zone being separated from adjacent zones by a wall. The zones include at least two deposition zones, where each deposition zone is configured and arranged to deposit a deposition material on the at least one substrate, and at least one reaction zone for reacting the deposition material with a reactant. The apparatus is configured and arranged to rotate the at least one substrate sequentially through the plurality of zones to form a thin film on the substrate. In some embodiments of the apparatus, the deposition/reaction vessel includes a same number of deposition zones and reaction zones which may be alternating deposition and reaction zones.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing dynamic and remote tuning of a cryo-cooled bandpass filter is disclosed. The device includes resonator element and a voltage sensitive element as part of the capacitance in a narrow band filter circuit. A varactor such as a GaAs varactor may be used. Alternatively, a capacitor having a voltage-sensitive dielectric such as SrTiO3 may be used. A computer may be connected to the varactor to provide for automated tuning. The voltage-sensitive capacitor may be integral with the resonator element. The invention provides for remote and dynamic tuning of a narrow bandpass filter while located within its sealed cryo-cooled environment.

Abstract: A resonator of a planar circuit type is provided for receiving a signal from an input end and transmitting a signal to an output end. The resonator includes: (a) a dielectric substrate; (b) a ground plane including a layer of conductive material formed on the bottom surface of the substrate; (c) an inductor formed on the top surface of the substrate and connected to the input and output ends; and (d) a series capacitor connected in parallel to the inductor, wherein the series capacitor includes two patches of conductive material formed on the top surface of the substrate, each patch being connected to one respective end of the resonator. Each patch also forms a shunt capacitor with the ground plane, and the capacitance of the shunt capacitor constitutes the majority of capacitance between the ground plane and the end of the resonator that is connected to the patch. The conductive material may be a superconductor, including oxide superconductors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing dynamic and remote tuning of a cryo-cooled bandpass filter is disclosed. The device includes resonator element and a voltage sensitive element as part of the capacitance in a narrow band filter circuit. A varactor such as a GaAs varactor may be used. Alternatively, a capacitor having a voltage-sensitive dielectric such as SrTiO3 may be used. A computer may be connected to the varactor to provide for automated tuning. The voltage-sensitive capacitor may be integral with the resonator element. The invention provides for remote and dynamic tuning of a narrow bandpass filter while located within its sealed cryo-cooled environment.

Abstract: A resonator and filter including the resonator is disclosed. The resonator (100) includes an open conductive loop (100) with folded transmission line segments (124, 134) extending from the adjacent ends of the loop. Of each transmission line segment, the portion emanating from the respective end of the loop is positioned generally along-side the corresponding portion of the other transmission line segment. That is, the two transmission line segments are folded away from each other. The resonator can be generally elongated in shape, with the loop at one end of the long axis and the transmission line segments at the other. The transmission line segments occupy a footprint (W2) that is not substantially greater than the width of the loop (W1). The filter includes multiple resonators of the invention, each resonator being coupled to at least another or the resonators. The resonators can be positioned in a side-by-side fashion, with the long axes of the resonators parallel or anti-parallel to one another.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing dynamic and remote tuning of a cryo-cooled bandpass filter is disclosed. The device includes resonator element and a voltage sensitive element as part of the capacitance in a narrow band filter circuit. A varactor such as a GaAs varactor may be used. Alternatively, a capacitor having a voltage-sensitive dielectric such as SrTiO3 may be used. A computer may be connected to the varactor to provide for automated tuning. The voltage-sensitive capacitor may be integral with the resonator element. The invention provides for remote and dynamic tuning of a narrow bandpass filter while located within its sealed cryo-cooled environment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing dynamic and remote tuning of a cryo-cooled bandpass filter is disclosed. The device includes resonator element and a voltage sensitive element as part of the capacitance in a narrow band filter circuit. A varactor such as a GaAs varactor may be used. Alternatively, a capacitor having a voltage-sensitive dielectric such as SrTiO3 may be used. A computer may be connected to the varactor to provide for automated tuning. The voltage-sensitive capacitor may be integral with the resonator element. The invention provides for remote and dynamic tuning of a narrow bandpass filter while located within its sealed cryo-cooled environment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to control intermodulation in a circuit for filtering over the air signals by creating an asymmetric resonator is disclosed. By creating the asymmetric resonator, the intermodulation from out of band signals is reduced while keeping the filter size relatively unchanged. In general, the intermodulation is reduced by lowering the current density in the resonator (e.g., so as to maintain the linearity of the electrical characteristics of the resonator), and more specifically by utilizing the principle that the inductive elements in a resonator experience the largest current changes. Therefore, the size of the inductor is changed in order to accommodate the larger power. An additional feature of the present invention is that not every inductive element of the filter needs to be enlarged. Generally only the first (or alternatively the first and second) resonators need to be increased in size. Another feature of the present invention is the physical order in which the filters are laid out.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to provide appropriate coupling between resonators in an HTS microstrip filter are disclosed. Primary and secondary couplings between a pair of resonators are utilized. With a given spacing, the primary coupling is fixed, while the secondary coupling can have different magnitude. In addition, the secondary coupling can have the same phase or opposite phase as the primary coupling. With different combinations, large or small bandwidth filters can be made without very small or very large spacing between resonators. The same cross coupling layout configuration may be designed to achieve either positive or negative results.

Abstract: A device and method for tuning a planar filter through a wide range of center frequencies are disclosed. The tuning assembly includes a superconductive tuning tip and an actuator configured and adapted to move the tuning tip through a sufficient range of distances from a resonator or a portion thereof to vary the resonant frequency of the resonator by at least about 10% of the untuned frequency in at least one increment of 0.01% or smaller. An actuator and a position-sensor can be employed in a closed loop feedback system to control the position of the tuning tips. The present invention also provides a method of tuning a filter that includes moving a tuning tip through a sufficient range of distances from a resonator to vary the resonant frequency of the resonator by at least about 10% in at least one increment of 0.01% or smaller.

Abstract: A closed conductive loop for use in planar circuits to realize shunt capacitors instead of conductive patches is disclosed. The closed conductive loop may be formed on a planar substrate or extend to multiple conductive layers in a multi-layer circuit. The use of closed conductive loops as shunt capacitors offers possibilities of more flexible circuit layout, reduced circuit footprint and comparable or improved performance as compared to using conductive patches as shunt capacitors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to control intermodulation in a circuit for filtering over the air signals by creating an asymmetric resonator is disclosed. By creating the asymmetric resonator, the intermodulation from out of band signals is reduced while keeping the filter size relatively unchanged. In general, the intermodulation is reduced by lowering the current density in the resonator (e.g., so as to maintain the linearity of the electrical characteristics of the resonator), and more specifically by utilizing the principle that the inductive elements in a resonator experience the largest current changes. Therefore, the size of the inductor is changed in order to accommodate the larger power. An additional feature of the present invention is that not every inductive element of the filter needs to be enlarged. Generally only the first (or alternatively the first and second) resonators need to be increased in size. Another feature of the present invention is the physical order in which the filters are laid out.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a multicomponent thin film, such as a superconducting thin film, on a substrate includes a holder for holding at least one substrate and a deposition/reaction vessel. The deposition/reaction vessel has at least three zones, each zone being separated from adjacent zones by a wall. The zones include at least two deposition zones, where each deposition zone is configured and arranged to deposit a deposition material on the at least one substrate, and at least one reaction zone for reacting the deposition material with a reactant. The apparatus is configured and arranged to rotate the at least one substrate sequentially through the plurality of zones to form a thin film on the substrate. In some embodiments of the apparatus, the deposition/reaction vessel includes a same number of deposition zones and reaction zones which may be alternating deposition and reaction zones.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing dynamic and remote tuning of a cryo-cooled bandpass filter is disclosed. The device includes resonator element and a voltage sensitive element as part of the capacitance in a narrow band filter circuit. A varactor such as a GaAs varactor may be used. Alternatively, a capacitor having a voltage-sensitive dielectric such as SrTiO3 may be used. A computer may be connected to the varactor to provide for automated tuning. The voltage-sensitive capacitor may be integral with the resonator element. The invention provides for remote and dynamic tuning of a narrow bandpass filter while located within its sealed cryo-cooled environment.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a multicomponent thin film, such as a superconducting thin film, on a substrate includes a holder for holding at least one substrate and a deposition/reaction vessel. The deposition/reaction vessel has at least three zones, each zone being separated from adjacent zones by a wall. The zones include at least two deposition zones, where each deposition zone is configured and arranged to deposit a deposition material on the at least one substrate, and at least one reaction zone for reacting the deposition material with a reactant. The apparatus is configured and arranged to rotate the at least one substrate sequentially through the plurality of zones to form a thin film on the substrate. In some embodiments of the apparatus, the deposition/reaction vessel includes a same number of deposition zones and reaction zones which may be alternating deposition and reaction zones.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a method and apparatus to control non-adjacent cross-coupling in a micro-strip filter. In instances of weak cross-coupling, such as a filter circuit on a high dielectric constant substrate material (e.g., LaAIO3 with dielectric constant of 24), a closed loop is used to inductively enhance the cross-coupling. The closed loop increases the transmission zero levels. For strong cross-coupling cases, such as a filter circuit on a lower dielectric constant substrate material (e.g., MgO with dielectric constant of 9.6), a capacitive cross-coupling cancellation mechanism is introduced to reduce the cross-coupling. In the latter instance, the transmission zero levels are moved down.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a super-narrow band filter using frequency dependent L-C components. The invention utilizes a frequency dependent L-C circuit with a positive slope k for the inductor values as a function of frequency. The positive k value allows the realization of a very narrow-band filter.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention is directed to on-chip high-frequency, low-jitter clock circuits including long Josephson junction (LJJ) oscillators usable as clock sources. LJJ oscillators embodying the invention may be formed using either “linear” or “annular” long Josephson junctions. This invention enables the generation and distribution of a stable high-frequency on-chip single flux quantum (SFQ) clock. The on-chip clock circuit may include a clock selector circuit and a clock distribution scheme and may be integrated with RSFQ circuits and/or with a wideband analog-to-digital converter (ADC) comparator. The invention also includes a new fluxon “sender” circuit suitable for synchronizing the LJJ oscillator with another oscillator, either on-chip or external to the chip. The new sender circuit may also enable the realization of a novel phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit.