Abstract: A solid state cooler device is disclosed that comprises a first normal metal pad, a first aluminum layer and a second aluminum layer disposed on the first normal metal pad and separated from one another by a gap, a first aluminum oxide layer formed on the first aluminum layer, and a second aluminum oxide layer formed on the second aluminum layer, and a first superconductor pad disposed on the first aluminum oxide layer and a second superconductor pad disposed on the second aluminum oxide layer. The device further comprises a first conductive pad coupled to the first superconductor pad, and a second conductive pad coupled to the second superconductor pad, wherein hot electrons are removed from the first normal metal pad when a bias voltage is applied between the first conductive pad and the second conductive pad.

Abstract: A semiconductor technology implemented high-frequency channelized filter includes a dielectric substrate with metal traces disposed on one of two major surfaces of the substrate. An input and output port disposed on the substrate and one of the metal traces carrying a high-frequency signal to be filtered between the input and output port. Other of the metal traces are connected to the one metal trace at intervals along the length of the one metal trace each providing a reactance to the high-frequency signal where the reactance varies with frequency and additional traces of the metal traces serving as a reference ground for the one metal trace and the other metal traces. A silicon enclosure mounted to the substrate with a first planar surface with cavities in the enclosure that extend through the first surface, and internal walls within the silicon enclosure defining the cavities. A layer of conductive metal covers the first planar surface, cavities and the internal walls.

Abstract: Vehicle capture assemblies and related devices, systems, and methods include one or more probe assemblies for engaging with and securing the target vehicle. The one or more probe assemblies may include one or more attenuation features or movable joints to enable and/or dampen movement of the one or more probe assemblies relative to a capture vehicle.

Abstract: A system for establishing and maintaining a chain of trust can include a root of trust (RoT) executing a root trusted server that pushes authenticated code and data into memory of a given node in a plurality of nodes. The RoT can also record a memory address range of a static portion of the authenticated code and a corresponding static data in the given node and cause the given node to execute the authenticated code in response to the pushing to establish a trusted relationship between the trusted server of the RoT and the given node. The root trusted server also monitors the given node to ensure that the given node executes trusted operations. The authenticated code in the memory of the given node can include a trusted server that pushes authenticated code into memory of another node in the plurality of nodes.

Abstract: One example includes a superconducting circuit. The circuit superconducting circuitry fabricated on a first surface of a circuit layer. The circuit layer includes a dielectric material. The circuit also includes a metal layer formed on a second surface of the circuit layer opposite the first surface and a through-substrate via (TSV) conductively coupled to the metal layer and extending through the circuit layer to the first surface. The circuit further includes a flux gasket conductively coupled to and extending from the TSV on the first surface proximal to the superconducting circuitry. The flux gasket can be configured to divert magnetic fields away from the superconducting circuitry.

Abstract: A Josephson junction (JJ) device is provided. The JJ device comprises an operating JJ, a first hydrogen-trapping JJ having a first end coupled to a first end of the operating JJ and a second end coupled to a first superconductor wire, and a second hydrogen-trapping JJ having a first end coupled to a second end of the operating JJ and a second end coupled to a second superconductor wire. The first hydrogen-trapping JJ and the second hydrogen-trapping JJ mitigates hydrogen diffusion into the operating JJ.

Abstract: One example includes a quantum lidar system. The system includes a beam generator configured to generate a signal beam and an idler beam and a beam combiner configured to generate a combined optical beam comprising the signal beam and the idler beam. The system also includes a lidar transmitter configured to transmit the combined optical beam to a target and a lidar receiver configured to receive the combined optical beam and a reflected beam of the combined optical beam reflected from the target to generate lidar data associated with the target.

Abstract: A method of forming a multi-chip system is disclosed. The method includes forming one or more bumps on respective conductive contact pads of a first electronic device, forming one or more mini-bumps on respective conductive contact pads of a second electronic device, and aligning respective one or more mini-bumps with respective one or more bumps. The method further includes performing a bump bonding process that exerts compression force on one or both the first electronic device and the second electronic device to compress the one or more mini-bumps into the one or more bumps to form one or more bump bond structures that bond the second electronic device to the first electronic device.

Abstract: Methods for fabricating high-temperature composite structures (e.g., structures comprising carbon-carbon composite materials or ceramic composite matrix (CMC) materials and configured for use at temperature at or exceeding about 2000° F. (1093° C.)) include forming precursor structures by additive manufacturing (“AM”) (e.g., “3D printing”). The precursor structures are exposed to high temperatures to pyrolyze a precursor matric material of the initial 3D printed structure. A liquid resin is used to impregnate the pyrolyzed structure, to densify the structure into a near-net final shape. Use of expensive and time-consuming molds and post-processing machining may be avoided. Large, unitary, integrally formed parts conducive for use in high-temperature environments may be formed using the methods of the disclosure.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) summer circuit having a characteristic impedance Z0 comprises first and second ports coupled by first and second resistances, respectively, to a junction. The circuit further comprises a series combination of a third resistance and a switch movable between open and closed positions and an amplifier having input and output terminals and operable in an off state and an on state wherein the series combination is coupled across the input and output terminals of the amplifier between the junction and a third port. The first resistance, second resistance, and the third resistance are all substantially equal to Z0/3. Further, when the switch is moved to the closed position and the amplifier is switched to the off state a passive mode of operation is implemented and when the switch is moved to the open position and the amplifier is switched to the on state an active mode of operation is implemented.

Abstract: An output-amplifier-based reciprocal quantum logic (RQL) bias-level sensor is used to measure and/or calibrate bias parameters of AC and/or DC bias signals provided to RQL circuitry. The bias signals can include an output amplifier output bias current. The bias-level sensor includes a stack of DC SQUIDs that are supplied their inputs from outputs of respective Josephson transmission lines (JTLs) to which the SQUIDs are transformer-coupled. Staging relative strengths of the bias taps of the JTLs, or the critical currents of the Josephson junctions in the DC SQUIDs, allows an output voltage signal of the bias-level sensor to be indicative of whether a provided bias value is an improvement or optimization of the bias value when varied over a range. The outputs of two such bias-level sensors driven by I and Q clocks can be compared to adjust AC bias amplitudes of the clocks. Relative clock phase can be similarly adjusted.

Abstract: Reciprocal quantum logic (RQL) bias-level sensors are fabricated on an RQL integrated circuit (IC) to sample AC or DC bias values provided to operational RQL circuitry on the RQL IC. The bias-level sensors, or samplers, include Josephson transmission lines (JTLs) or logic gates having strengthened or weakened bias taps as compared to bias taps of JTLs or logic gates in the operational RQL circuitry. Sampler JTLs or logic gates with weakened bias taps to AC clock resonators can have lower limits of their operational ranges placed near an optimal bias point at the centroid of the operating region of the operational RQL circuitry. Staging relative strengths of the bias taps of the samplers in an ensemble of samplers allows for outputs of wrapper circuitry to be indicative of whether a provided bias value is an improvement or optimization of the bias value when varied over a range.

Abstract: Shift register elements of a phase-mode bit-addressable sensing register sample varied AC or DC bias values provided to operational RQL circuitry on the RQL IC via clock resonators or DC bias lines. The shift register can be constructed of phase-mode D flip-flops and JTLs as data and clock lines. A method of using the sensing register includes shifting in a data bit pattern while a bias parameter (e.g., AC amplitude, DC value, or phase) is set to a nominal value; stopping the logical clock that controls the shifting of values through the sensing register, varying the bias parameter value, inputting one assertion SFQ pulse or reciprocal pulse pair into the logical clock, restoring the bias parameter to the nominal value, restarting the logical clock to shift out an output data bit pattern, and observing the output data bit pattern to determine the effect of the bias parameter value change.

Abstract: Pulse-generator-based reciprocal quantum logic (RQL) bias-level sensors are fabricated on an RQL integrated circuit (IC) to sample AC or DC bias values provided to operational RQL circuitry on the RQL IC. The bias-level sensors include pulse generators having strengthened or weakened bias taps (transformer couplings to RQL AC clock resonators or DC bias lines) as compared to bias taps of Josephson transmission lines in the operational RQL circuitry, or Josephson junctions (JJs) with larger or smaller critical currents as compared to JJs in the operational RQL circuitry. Pulse generators with weakened bias taps or larger JJs can have lower limits of their operational ranges placed near an optimal bias point at the centroid of the operating region of the operational RQL circuitry. The bias-level sensors can be staged by relative strength to indicate whether a provided bias value is an improvement when varied over a range.

Abstract: A thermal energy storage system including an enclosure having an internal volume. An incompressible phase change material (PCM) is provided within the internal volume of the enclosure, where the PCM contracts into a solid state when its temperature falls below a certain temperature and expands into a liquid state when its temperature goes above the certain temperature. An elastic bladder is positioned adjacent to the PCM within the internal volume of the enclosure and is filled with a compressible material, where the PCM pushes against the bladder when it is expanded to the liquid state and causes the compressible material to be compressed within the bladder and the enclosure.

Abstract: A method for generating light emission is provided. The method includes providing a transistor element including collector, emitter, and base regions, a quantum cascade region between the base and collector regions, and quantum well structures for interband emission within the base or emitter regions. A waveband controller applies, via first and second electrodes with respect to the collector and base regions, a first electrical signal to control a base-collector junction bias level and select between first and second base-collector bias levels. Selection of the first base-collector bias level causes at least one of the emitter and base regions to produce interband-based light emission having a first wavelength of a first wavelength band. Selection of the second base-collector bias level causes the quantum cascade region to produce intraband-based light emission having a second wavelength of a second wavelength band.

Abstract: Shift register elements of a phase-mode bit-addressable sensing register sample varied AC or DC bias values provided to operational RQL circuitry on the RQL IC via clock resonators or DC bias lines. The shift register can be constructed of phase-mode D flip-flops and JTLs as data and clock lines. A method of using the sensing register includes shifting in a data bit pattern while a bias parameter (e.g., AC amplitude, DC value, or phase) is set to a nominal value; stopping the logical clock that controls the shifting of values through the sensing register, varying the bias parameter value, inputting one assertion SFQ pulse or reciprocal pulse pair into the logical clock, restoring the bias parameter to the nominal value, restarting the logical clock to shift out an output data bit pattern, and observing the output data bit pattern to determine the effect of the bias parameter value change.

Abstract: In the described examples, a compiled image scaler includes a set of machine executable instructions that generate a scaled image that is a scaled version of a source image with integer and bitwise operations. The compiled image scaler employs filtering to blend colors of adjacent pixels in the source image to generate the scaled image, and each filtering operation concurrently scales three color channels of a pixel in the source image.

Abstract: A multilayered metal nanowire array including a plurality of stacked and separated nanowire array layers each including a plurality of vertically aligned metal nanowires, and a lateral interposer positioned in a gap between each pair of adjacent nanowire array layers and being thermally coupled to the nanowires in the adjacent layers so that the lateral interposers provide thermal conduction between the nanowire array layers and laterally across each nanowire array layer. The nanowire array layers between the interposers can have the same or different thicknesses, the diameter and density of the nanowires can be the same or different, and the nanowire metal can be the same or different.

Abstract: One example includes an atomic optical reference system. The system includes an optical system comprising a laser configured to generate an optical beam. The system also includes a vapor cell comprising alkali metal atoms that are stimulated in response to a modulated beam corresponding to an amplitude-modulated version of the optical beam. The system also includes a detection system configured to monitor at least one detection signal corresponding to light emitted from or absorbed by the vapor cell and to generate at least one feedback signal in response to the at least one detection signal. The system further includes a beam modulator configured to amplitude-modulate the optical beam to generate the modulated beam and to frequency shift the optical beam to generate an output beam having a stable frequency in response to the at least one feedback signal.