Abstract: A reactor apparatus includes a first chamber coupled to a first source of vacuum, a monitor chamber isolated from the first chamber and coupled to a second source of vacuum, and at least one removable deposition monitor disposed in the monitor chamber.

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.

Abstract: This invention enables high temperature superconducting (HTS) metal oxide materials ReBa2Cu3Ox ((RE)BCO) to carry high superconducting currents at high current densities under high magnetic field (?3 Tesla), in all orientations of the field, and at high temperatures (65 Kelvin). The superconductor is adapted to carry current in a superconducting state, with the superconductor having a current (I) carrying capacity of at least 250 A/cm width, in a field of 3 Tesla (T), at 65 Kelvin (K), at all angles relative to the coated conductor. More preferably, the current carrying capacity extends through the range of substantially 250 A/cm to 500 A/cm. Excellent performance is achieved by use of intrinsic pinning centers in the HTS compound. The invention preferably does not require the addition of extra elements or compounds or particles to the superconducting compound during synthesis, nor does it require extra process steps.

Abstract: A reactor apparatus includes a first chamber coupled to a first source of vacuum, a monitor chamber isolated from the first chamber and coupled to a second source of vacuum, and at least one removable deposition monitor disposed in the monitor chamber.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Abstract: A reactor apparatus includes a first chamber coupled to a first source of vacuum, a monitor chamber isolated from the first chamber and coupled to a second source of vacuum, and at least one removable deposition monitor disposed in the monitor chamber.

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.

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.

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.

Abstract: A narrowband filter tuned at a center frequency. The filter comprises an input terminal, an output terminal, and a plurality of resonators coupled in cascade between the input terminal and the output terminal. Each of the resonators is tuned at a resonant frequency substantially equal to the center frequency. The resonant frequencies of a primary set of the resonators and a secondary set of the resonators are of different orders.

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°.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.