Patents by Inventor Michael J. Scharen

Michael J. Scharen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6590471
    Abstract: An electrical interconnect provides a path between cryogenic or cryocooled circuitry and ambient temperatures. As a system, a cryocable 10 is combined with a trough-line contact or transition 20. In the preferred embodiment, the cryocable 10 comprises a conductor 11 disposed adjacent an insulator 12 which is in turn disposed adjacent another conductor 13. The components are sized so as to balance heat load through the cryocable 10 with the insertion loss. In the most preferred embodiment, a coaxial cryocable 10 has a center conductor 11 surrounded by a dielectric 12 (e.g. Teflon™) surrounded by an outer conductor 13 which has a thickness between about 6 and 20 microns. The heat load is preferably less than one Watt, and most preferably less than one tenth of a Watt, with an insertion loss less than one decibel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Superconductor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Scharen, Wallace Kunimoto, Angela May Ho
  • Patent number: 6154103
    Abstract: An electrical interconnect provides a path between cryogenic or cryocooled circuitry and ambient temperatures. As a system, a cryocable 10 is combined with a trough-line contact or transition 20. In the preferred embodiment, the cryocable 10 comprises a conductor 11 disposed adjacent an insulator 12 which is in turn disposed adjacent another conductor 13. The components are sized so as to balance heat load through the cryocable 10 with the insertion loss. In the most preferred embodiment, a coaxial cryocable 10 has a center conductor 11 surrounded by a dielectric 12 (e.g. Teflon.TM.) surrounded by an outer conductor 13 which has a thickness between about 6 and 20 microns. The heat load is preferably less than one Watt, and most preferably less than one tenth of a Watt, with an insertion loss less than one decibel. In another aspect of the invention, a trough-line contact or transition 20 is provided in which the center conductor 11 is partially enveloped by dielectric 12 to form a relatively flat portion 28.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Superconductor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Scharen, Wallace Kunimoto, Angela May Ho
  • Patent number: 5857342
    Abstract: A temperature controlled cryogenic package system for efficiently and precisely monitoring and controlling the operating temperature of a high temperature superconductor circuit placed on a substrate. The cryogenic package system comprises a heating element formed on the same substrate as the high temperature superconductor circuit, a control circuit capable of activating and deactivating the heating element, and a temperature sensor placed in thermal proximity to the high temperature superconductor circuit. The temperature sensor monitors the operating temperature of the high temperature superconductor circuit, and conveys temperature information to the control circuit. The control circuit activates or deactivates the heating element according to the warming or cooling effect that is necessary in order to maintain the high temperature superconductor circuit within a predetermined temperature range, where the range of temperature fluctuation is within plus or minus 0.1 K of a predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Superconductor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephan M. Rohlfing, Roger J. Forse, Michael J. Scharen, Wallace Kunimoto
  • Patent number: 5856768
    Abstract: An electrical interconnect provides a path between cryogenic or cryocooled circuitry and ambient temperatures. As a system, a cryocable 10 is combined with a trough-line contact or transition 20. In the preferred embodiment, the cryocable 10 comprises a conductor 11 disposed adjacent an insulator 12 which is in turn disposed adjacent another conductor 13. The components are sized so as to balance heat load through the cryocable 10 with the insertion loss. In the most preferred embodiment, a coaxial cryocable 10 has a center conductor 11 surrounded by a dielectric 12 (e.g. Teflon.TM.) surrounded by an outer conductor 13 which has a thickness between about 6 and 20 microns. The heat load is preferably less than one Watt, and most preferably less than one tenth of a Watt, with an insertion loss less than one decibel. In another aspect of the invention, a trough-line contact or transition 20 is provided in which the center conductor 11 is partially enveloped by dielectric 12 to form a relatively flat portion 28.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Assignee: Superconductor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory L. Hey-Shipton, Wallace Y. Kunimoto, Michael J. Scharen, Stephan M. Rohlfing, David J. Kapolnek
  • Patent number: 5818097
    Abstract: A temperature controlled cryogenic package system for efficiently and precisely monitoring and controlling the operating temperature of a high temperature superconductor circuit placed on a substrate. The cryogenic package system comprises a heating element formed on the same substrate as the high temperature superconductor circuit, a control circuit capable of activating and deactivating the heating element, and a temperature sensor placed in thermal proximity to the high temperature superconductor circuit. The temperature sensor monitors the operating temperature of the high temperature superconductor circuit, and conveys temperature information to the control circuit. The control circuit activates or deactivates the heating element according to the warming or cooling effect that is necessary in order to maintain the high temperature superconductor circuit within a predetermined temperature range, where the range of temperature fluctuation is within plus or minus 0.1 K of a predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Superconductor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephan M. Rohlfing, Roger J. Forse, Michael J. Scharen, Wallace Kunimoto