Patents Assigned to Superconductor Technologies, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11980106
    Abstract: A persistent current switch includes a superconducting wire including a substrate and a superconducting layer disposed on the substrate, and a heater. The superconducting wire includes a surface including a first portion and a second portion that are disposed apart from each other along a longitudinal direction of the superconducting wire. The first portion and the second portion face each other. The heater is sandwiched between the first portion and the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., RIKEN, Japan Superconductor Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi Yamaguchi, Kotaro Ohki, Tatsuoki Nagaishi, Yoshinori Yanagisawa, Mamoru Hamada
  • Publication number: 20220351880
    Abstract: A superconducting wire holding structure includes a holding member made of a first material, a superconducting wire disposed inside the holding member, and a filler made of a second material different from the first material. The superconducting wire includes a substrate, an intermediate layer formed on the substrate, a superconducting layer formed on the intermediate layer, and a first protective layer and a second protective layer that are formed on the superconducting layer. The superconducting layer includes a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion between the first portion and the second portion along a longitudinal direction of the superconducting wire. The first protective layer is formed on the first portion, and the second protective layer is formed on the second portion. The filler is filled between the third portion and the holding member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Applicants: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., RIKEN, Japan Superconductor Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi YAMAGUCHI, Kotaro OHKI, Tatsuoki NAGAISHI, Yoshinori YANAGISAWA, Mamoru HAMADA
  • Publication number: 20220344564
    Abstract: A persistent current switch includes a superconducting wire including a substrate and a superconducting layer disposed on the substrate, and a heater. The superconducting wire includes a surface including a first portion and a second portion that are disposed apart from each other along a longitudinal direction of the superconducting wire. The first portion and the second portion face each other. The heater is sandwiched between the first portion and the second portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Applicants: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., RIKEN, Japan Superconductor Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi YAMAGUCHI, Kotaro OHKI, Tatsuoki NAGAISHI, Yoshinori YANAGISAWA, Mamoru HAMADA
  • Patent number: 10446294
    Abstract: A coated conductor comprises a substrate supporting a ReBCO superconductor adapted to carry current in a superconducting state. The superconductor is characterized in having peaks in critical current (Jc) of at least 0.2 MA/cm2 in a magnetic field of about 1 Tesla when the field is applied normal to the surface of the superconductor and when the field is applied parallel to the surface of the superconductor, and further characterized in that the superconductor includes horizontal defects and columnar detects in a size and an amount sufficient to result in the said critical current response. The conductor is characterized in that the ratio of the height of the peaks in the Jc is in the range from 3:1 with the ratio of the field perpendicular (0 degrees) to the field parallel (+/?90 degrees) to the range from 3:1 with the ratio of the field parallel to the field perpendicular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Superconductor Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Jeong-Uk Huh
  • Patent number: 9564258
    Abstract: A coated conductor comprises a substrate supporting a ReBCO superconductor adapted to carry current in a superconducting state. The superconductor is characterized in having peaks in critical current (Jc) of at least 0.2 MA/cm2 in a magnetic field of about 1 Tesla when the field is applied normal to the surface of the superconductor and when the field is applied parallel to the surface of the superconductor, and further characterized in that the superconductor includes horizontal defects and columnar defects in a size and an amount sufficient to result in the said critical current response. The conductor is characterized in that the ratio of the height of the peaks in the Jc is in the range from 3:1 with the ratio of the field perpendicular (0 degrees) to the field parallel (+/?90 degrees) to the range from 3:1 with the ratio of the field parallel to the field perpendicular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Superconductor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeong-Uk Huh
  • Patent number: 9543754
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for protecting a superconducting coil, which method prevents damage to the superconducting coil caused by a quench or the like, in a new way, without using a voltage (a change in voltage) generated in the superconducting coil. Provided is the method for protecting a superconducting coil made by winding tape-like superconducting wire having a superconducting layer. Power from a power supply is shut off based on the magnitude of a screening field, which is a difference between a measured magnetic field B in a direction of a thickness of the superconducting wire at a predetermined position, and a magnetic field Bcal in the direction of the thickness of the superconducting wire calculated disregarding an effect of screening current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignees: National Institute for Materials Science, Japan Superconductor Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Davide Uglietti, Tsukasa Kiyoshi, Shinji Matsumoto, Mamoru Hamada
  • Publication number: 20140235451
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for protecting a superconducting coil, which method prevents damage to the superconducting coil caused by a quench or the like, in a new way, without using a voltage (a change in voltage) generated in the superconducting coil. Provided is the method for protecting a superconducting coil made by winding tape-like superconducting wire having a superconducting layer. Power from a power supply is shut off based on the magnitude of a screening field, which is a difference between a measured magnetic field B in a direction of a thickness of the superconducting wire at a predetermined position, and a magnetic field Bcal in the direction of the thickness of the superconducting wire calculated disregarding an effect of screening current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicants: Japan Superconductor Technology, Inc., National Institute for Materials Science
    Inventors: Davide Uglietti, Tsukasa Kiyoshi, Shinji Matsumoto, Mamoru Hamada
  • Patent number: 8716187
    Abstract: The films of this invention are high temperature superconducting (HTS) thin films specifically optimized for microwave and RF applications. In particular, this invention focuses on compositions with a significant deviation from the 1:2:3 stoichiometry in order to create the films optimized for microwave/RF applications. The RF/microwave HTS applications require the HTS thin films to have superior microwave properties, specifically low surface resistance, Rs, and highly linear surface reactance, Xs, i.e. high JIMD. As such, the invention is characterized in terms of its physical composition, surface morphology, superconducting properties, and performance characteristics of microwave circuits made from these films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Superconductor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Moeckly, Viktor Gliantsev, Shing-jen (Luke) Peng, Balam Willemsen
  • Patent number: 8607560
    Abstract: Methods for assembling a reciprocating body, such as a piston, within a bore using a design are described. The piston is substantially centered within the bore and then connected at one end through a rotational coupling to a substantially laterally fixed structure connected to the bore such that during normal operation the piston can rotate within the bore along the bore axis of symmetry but can no longer move laterally. Before fixing the rotational coupling, the piston is connected to an external gas source and substantially aligned along the bore axis of symmetry by a gas bearing having one or more gas bearing ports disposed toward the bore. During normal operation, the gas bearing provides a rotational force sufficient to realize a non-frictional bearing between the piston and the bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Superconductor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Andreas Fiedler
  • Patent number: 8290553
    Abstract: A device for fabricating thin films on a substrate includes a vacuum chamber, a rotatable platen configured to hold one or more substrates within the vacuum chamber, and a housing disposed within the vacuum chamber. The housing contains a heating element and is configured to enclose an upper surface of the platen and a lower portion configured to partially enclose an underside surface of the platen which forms a reaction zone. A heated evaporation cell is operatively coupled to the lower portion of the housing and configured to deliver a pressurized metallic reactant to the reaction zone. The device includes a deposition zone disposed in the vacuum chamber and isolated from the reaction zone and is configured to deposit a deposition species to the exposed underside of the substrates when the substrates are not contained in the reaction zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Superconductor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian H. Moeckly, Ward S. Ruby
  • Patent number: 8063714
    Abstract: A tunable RF filter comprises a signal transmission path having an input and output, a plurality of resonant elements disposed along the signal transmission path between the input and output, and a set of non-resonant elements coupling the resonant elements together to form a stop band having a plurality of transmission zeroes corresponding to respective frequencies of the resonant elements, and at least one sub-band between the transmission zeroes. The set of non-resonant elements comprises a first plurality of non-resonant elements respectively coupled in parallel with the resonant elements, and a second plurality of non-resonant elements respectively coupled in series with the resonant elements. The first plurality of non-resonant elements comprises at least one variable non-resonant element for selectively introducing at least one reflection zero within the stop band to create a pass band in one of the one sub-band(s) without varying any of the second plurality of non-resonant elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Superconductor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Genichi Tsuzuki, Balam A. Willemsen
  • Patent number: 8030925
    Abstract: A method of tuning a high temperature superconductor (HTS) resonator includes the steps of providing a HTS inductor and a HTS capacitor, the HTS capacitor being electrically connected to the HTS inductor. A tuning body is provided adjacent to the HTS inductor and the HTS capacitor. The relative position of the tuning body with respect to the HTS inductor and the HTS capacitor is altered so as to tune the resonator. A tunable resonant circuit is provided that includes a substrate having a planar surface. At least one resonator formed from HTS material is disposed on the substrate, the resonator having one or more turns that when combined, turn through greater than 360°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Superconductor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert B. Hammond, Jonathan Z. Sun, Douglas J. Scalapino, Timothy W. James, Lincoln C. Bourne
  • Patent number: 8022012
    Abstract: A device for fabricating thin films on a substrate includes a vacuum chamber, a rotatable platen configured to hold one or more substrates within the vacuum chamber, and a housing disposed within the vacuum chamber. The housing contains a heating element and is configured to enclose an upper surface of the platen and a lower portion configured to partially enclose an underside surface of the platen which forms a reaction zone. A heated evaporation cell is operatively coupled to the lower portion of the housing and configured to deliver a pressurized metallic reactant to the reaction zone. The device includes a deposition zone disposed in the vacuum chamber and isolated from the reaction zone and is configured to deposit a deposition species to the exposed underside of the substrates when the substrates are not contained in the reaction zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Superconductor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian H. Moeckly, Ward S. Ruby
  • Patent number: 7924114
    Abstract: A method of constructing a band-stop filter comprises designing a band-stop filter including a signal transmission path, resonant elements disposed along the signal transmission path, and non-resonant elements coupling the resonant elements together to form a stopband having transmission zeroes corresponding to respective frequencies of the resonant elements. The method further comprises changing the order in which the resonant elements are disposed along the signal transmission path to create different filter solutions, computing a performance parameter for each filter solution, comparing the performance parameters to each other, selecting one of the filter solutions based on this comparison, and constructing the band-stop filter using the selected filter solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Superconductor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Genichi Tsuzuki, Balam A. Willemsen
  • Patent number: 7894867
    Abstract: A narrowband filter comprises an input terminal, an output terminal, and an array of basic resonator structures coupled between the terminals to form a single resonator having a resonant frequency. The resonator array may be arranged in a plurality of columns of basic resonator structures, with each column of basic resonator structures having at least two basic resonator structures. The basic resonator structures in each column may be coupled between the terminals in parallel or in cascade. Two or more resonator arrays may be coupled to generate multi-resonator filter functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Superconductor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: George L. Matthaei, Balam A. Willemsen, Eric M. Prophet, Genichi Tsuzuki
  • Patent number: 7867950
    Abstract: The films of this invention are high temperature superconducting (HTS) thin films specifically optimized for microwave and RF applications. In particular, this invention focuses on compositions with a significant deviation from the 1:2:3 stoichiometry in order to create the films optimized for microwave/RF applications. The RF/microwave HTS applications require the HTS thin films to have superior microwave properties, specifically low surface resistance, Rs, and highly linear surface reactance, Xs, i.e. high JIMD. As such, the invention is characterized in terms of its physical composition, surface morphology, superconducting properties, and performance characteristics of microwave circuits made from these films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Superconductor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Moeckly, Viktor Gliantsev, Shing-jen (Luke) Peng, Balam Willemsen
  • Patent number: 7863999
    Abstract: A tunable RF filter comprises a signal transmission path having an input and output, a plurality of resonant elements disposed along the signal transmission path between the input and output, and a set of non-resonant elements coupling the resonant elements together to form a stop band having a plurality of transmission zeroes corresponding to respective frequencies of the resonant elements, and at least one sub-band between the transmission zeroes. The set of non-resonant elements comprises a first plurality of non-resonant elements respectively coupled in parallel with the resonant elements, and a second plurality of non-resonant elements respectively coupled in series with the resonant elements. The first plurality of non-resonant elements comprises at least one variable non-resonant element for selectively introducing at least one reflection zero within the stop band to create a pass band in one of the one sub-band(s) without varying any of the second plurality of non-resonant elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Superconductor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Genichi Tsuzuki, Balam A. Willemsen
  • Patent number: 7838780
    Abstract: Systems and methods for simple, efficient and/or cost effective manufacturing and assembly of electronic devices are provided. The various systems and methods of the invention may include various ways of coupling, attaching, and/or connecting the various components of the system to one another, for improved cost and ease of assembly. A number of clips may be used to attach together various parts of an electronic system and housing including circuit devices, enclosure lid and housing, and/or cabling. These clips may be screw-less, may be made of a resilient or spring material, designed so that they quickly snap into place so as to provide good mechanical strength and electrical connection. Various circuit elements may include planar circuits, and may include filters made of a high temperature superconductor material. A planar cable may be used for electrical connecting of components. These systems and devices may be used in, for example, wireless communication systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Superconductor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward R. Soares, Stacey M. Bilski, James R. Costa, Ken S. Ono
  • Patent number: 7825743
    Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for filter design, analysis and adjustment are provided. Various embodiments may include, for example, methods, systems and apparatus for electric signal filter tuning. Embodiments may also include design techniques for planar electric signal (e.g., RF signals) filter tuning. In at least an embodiment of the present invention a technique for filter tuning is provided which may include parameter extraction, optimization and tuning recipes techniques that may require only a single permanent filter tuning. In at least another embodiment a system and method of filter design, analysis and adjustment according to the present invention includes use of tuning that may be set using a mechanical scribing tool or a laser trimming device. In at least one other embodiment, a filter tuning technique may be provided and include providing trimming tabs on a resonator edge that may be disconnected or trimmed for filter tuning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Superconductor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Genichi Tsuzuki, Matthew P. Hernandez, Balam A. Willemsen
  • Patent number: 7719382
    Abstract: A tunable radio frequency (RF) filter is provided. The RF filter comprises a signal transmission path having an input and an output, a plurality of resonant elements disposed along the signal transmission path between the input and the output, and a plurality of non-resonant elements coupling the resonant elements together. The resonant elements are coupled together to form a stop band having a plurality of transmission zeroes corresponding to respective frequencies of the resonant elements, and at least one sub-band between the transmission zeroes. The non-resonant elements comprise at least one variable non-resonant element for selectively introducing at least one reflection zero within the stop band to create a pass band in one of the sub-bands(s). The variable non-resonant element(s) may be configured for displacing the reflection zero(es) along the stop band to selectively move the pass band within the one sub-band or within selected ones of the sub-bands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Superconductor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Genichi Tsuzuki, Balam A. Willemsen