Wave Transmission Line, Network, Waveguide, Or Microwave Storage Device: (class 333/99s) Patents (Class 505/866)
  • Patent number: 5703020
    Abstract: A MMIC high Tc superconducting ferroelectric phase shifter is comprised of as microstrip line on a film of a single crystal ferroelectric material. To operate the phase shifter over a desired bandwidth a quadrature band pass filter, having 1,2,3, . . . coupled lines, is coupled to the phase shifter. The microstrip lines are comprised of a high Tc superconductor such as YBCO, TBCCO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Inventor: Satyendranath Das
  • Patent number: 5679624
    Abstract: A number of MMIC ferroelectric variable time delay devices are presented. Each embodiment has a microstrip configuration deposited on a ferroelectric film which is deposited on a high Tc superconductor substrate connected to the ground. A bias electric field changes the permittivity of the ferroelectric material. As a result, a variable time delay is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Inventor: Satyendranath Das
  • Patent number: 5629266
    Abstract: Electromagnetic resonators according to the invention comprise a first body, exemplarily a split thin ring, that is disposed between two planar field confining plates. The thickness (t) of the first body is less (typically less than 1/2 or 1/10) of the outer radius (R) of the body, and the distance between the first body and the confining plates is less than R. In preferred embodiments the first body comprises superconducting material. Resonators according to the invention can be readily assembled into relatively compact filters that are easily tunable, can have large quality factor, and offer the possibility of single mode operation. Such filters can advantageously be used in, e.g., wireless communications systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Assignees: Lucent Technologies Inc., Illinois Superconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Robert D. Lithgow, Eva Koh, Malcolm E. Lines, George E. Peterson
  • Patent number: 5618777
    Abstract: Lumped element electrical components, such as inductors and capacitors, are formed to include high temperature superconducting materials. In the preferred embodiment, thin film epitaxial high temperature superconductors are patterned to form capacitors and inductors on low loss substrates. Preferably, a ground plane is formed on the back side of the substrate, most preferably being formed of high temperature superconducting material, or other highly conductive materials such as gold or copper. Various advantageous structures include a planar spiral structure, a zig-zag serpentine structure, a single coil structure and a double coil structure. Single layer and multilayer structures are included. Improved narrow bandpass filters and high Q resonator structures are formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1997
    Assignee: Superconductor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory L. Hey-Shipton, Roger J. Forse, David L. Skoglund
  • Patent number: 5616539
    Abstract: Lumped element electrical components, such as inductors and capacitors, are formed to include high temperature superconducting materials. In the preferred embodiment, thin film epitaxial high temperature superconductors are patterned to form capacitors and inductors on low loss substrates. Preferably, a ground plane is formed on the back side of the substrate, most preferably being formed of high temperature superconducting material, or other highly conductive materials such as gold or copper. Various advantageous structures include a planar spiral structure, a zig-zag serpentine structure, a single coil structure and a double coil structure. Single layer and multilayer structures are included. Improved narrow bandpass filters, bandreject filters and high Q resonator structures are formed. Chebyshev bandpass filters are formed from multiple series connected zig-zag filter structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1997
    Assignee: Superconductor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory L. Hey-Shipton, Stephan M. Rohlfing, George L. Matthaei, Roger J. Forse
  • Patent number: 5616538
    Abstract: A bandpass filter comprises multiple side-coupled strip line resonators wherein the resonators are staggered or offset with respect to their nearest neighbors by substantially 1/4 wavelength or less. In the preferred embodiment, the strip line bandpass filter structure has substantially parallel resonators arrayed with substantially constant spacing between the resonators with 1/4 wavelength overlap or less. Generally, the amount of stagger between nearest neighbors is reduced for resonators toward the center of the filter. Coupling between resonators is controlled by varying the relative amount of stagger between resonators. The resonators may be formed from normal metal or superconducting materials, such as YBCO or thallium containing superconductors. A strip line structure may be formed by utilizing two mirror structures each comprising a substrate having a ground plane and a patterned staggered resonator array formed on the substrate on a side opposite the ground plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1997
    Assignee: Superconductor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory L. Hey-Shipton, George L. Matthaei
  • Patent number: 5616540
    Abstract: A filter for processing electromagnetic signals has a housing with resonators located inside the cavity of that housing. The resonators, which may be made in part from superconducting material, have rounded exterior surfaces without corners to provide a more desirable coating surface and uniform electric field around the resonators. The filter housing may be composed of a plurality of housing cells, each containing a resonator. These cells can be removably attached to other cells so that resonators may be added to or removed from the filter as may be required for a particular application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1997
    Assignee: Illinois Superconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Robert D. Lithgow, James M. Peters
  • Patent number: 5610567
    Abstract: The present invention is a superconducting radiofrequency window assembly for use in an electron beam accelerator. The srf window assembly (20) has a superconducting metal-ceramic design. The srf window assembly (20) comprises a superconducting frame (30), a ceramic plate (40) having a superconducting metallized area, and a superconducting eyelet (50) for sealing plate (40) into frame (30). The plate (40) is brazed to eyelet (50) which is then electron beam welded to frame (30). A method for providing a ceramic object mounted in a metal member to withstand cryogenic temperatures is also provided. The method involves a new metallization process for coating a selected area of a ceramic object with a thin film of a superconducting material. Finally, a method for assembling an electron beam accelerator cavity utilizing the srf window assembly is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1997
    Assignee: Southeastern Universities Research Assn., Inc.
    Inventors: Harry L. Phillips, Thomas S. Elliott
  • Patent number: 5604375
    Abstract: A superconducting active lumped component for microwave device application including a dielectric substrate, a first superconducting portion of an oxide superconductor provided on said dielectric substrate, an insulator layer formed on the first superconducting portion and a second conductive portion arranged on the insulator layer in which the conductivity of the first superconducting electrode and the dielectric property of the insulator layer can be changed by a dc bias voltage applied between the first and the second conductive portion so that capacitance and/or inductance and/or microwave resistance can be changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1997
    Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., University of Maryland
    Inventors: Alp T. Findikoglu, Michitomo Iiyama
  • Patent number: 5589440
    Abstract: High Tc superconducting limiters are designed to operate at two or more levels of input signals. In one waveguide embodiment, multiple half wavelength branch waveguide lines are connected to a main waveguide line. The half wavelength lines are terminated with tuned circuits of a capacitance, made of a ferroelectric material, and an inductance provided by a waveguide line. In another waveguide embodiment, the branch lines are terminated in tuned cavities each having a ferroelectric material. In a microstrip embodiment, multiple half wavelength branch ferroelectric lines of different impedances are connected to a main line. In a second microstrip line embodiment, tuned circuits, with differing L and C values, are connected to a main transmission line through a half a wavelength branch transmission line. The capacitance is made of a ferroelectric material. The conductor, deposited on the microstrip lines, and the waveguides are made of a single crystal high Tc superconductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Inventor: Satyendranath Das
  • Patent number: 5585330
    Abstract: A high-temperature superconductor (HT.sub.c S) in a microstrip configurat which is electrically related to a superconducting coupler and which is controlled by a heater disposed over the superconducting microstrip line. This limiter configuration is used in a series configuration with other circuitry and utilizes the low loss characteristics of the HT.sub.c S material and the wide bandwidth characteristics of microstrip. The structure itself is a five layer microstrip geometry which includes a normal metal ground plane; a dielectric substrate disposed on the metal ground plane; a superconducting microstrip transmission disposed on the substrate; a dielectric film layer disposed on the superconducting microstrip; and a heating element disposed on the dielectric film layer and over the superconducting microstrip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1996
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Roland Cadotte, Jr., Richard W. Babbitt, Xiaoguang G. Sun
  • Patent number: 5585331
    Abstract: Microwave bandpass filters contain dielectric resonators mounted in dielectric blocks, which are in turn mounted in cavities. There can be more than one dielectric resonator per cavity. Significant size reduction has been achieved over prior art filters. The filters can be operated at cryogenic temperatures and since the results attainable at cryogenic temperatures are repeatable, the filters can be tuned at cryogenic temperatures and returned to room temperature before being returned to cryogenic temperatures for operating purposes. When operated at cryogenic temperatures, the filters contain shorting plates having high temperature superconducting material thereon. The filters can be constructed with various configurations and can be operated in either a single mode or a dual-mode. Previous single mode or dual-mode dielectric resonator filters are larger in size and mass than the filters of the present application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1996
    Assignee: Com Dev Ltd.
    Inventors: Raafat R. Mansour, Van Dokas
  • Patent number: 5543386
    Abstract: A joint device structure for capacitive microwave coupling of a superconducting device arranged on a substrate with room temperature circuitry; including a superconducting wave guide of an oxide superconductor on said substrate from one side to the superconducting device launching microwave to the superconducting device, a pair of superconducting groundplanes of an oxide superconductor arranged at an end of the superconducting wave guide sandwiching the end of the superconducting wave guide with a little gap and a microwave probe-head connected to the room temperature circuitry arranged above the superconducting wave guide with a coupling gap having three probing pins corresponding to the superconducting wave guide and the superconducting groundplanes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1996
    Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., University of Maryland
    Inventors: Alp T. Findikoglu, Takao Nakamura
  • Patent number: 5538941
    Abstract: A superconductor/insulator metal oxide hetero structure for electric field tunable microwave device, including a dielectric substrate, a first superconducting electrode of an oxide superconductor provided on said dielectric substrate, an insulating layer formed on the first superconducting electrode and a second electrode arranged on the insulating layer in which the conductivity of the first superconducting electrode and/or the dielectric property of the insulating layer can be changed by a dc bias voltage applied between the first and the second electrodes so that surface resistance and/or surface reactance can be changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: University of Maryland
    Inventors: Alp T. Findikoglu, Thirumalai Venkatesan
  • Patent number: 5532210
    Abstract: Periodic and pseudo-periodic slow wave structures comprising a plurality of adjacent sections, each section comprising a dielectric ring in contact with a disk coated with high temperature superconducting thin film, having coupling between the sections and tunable phase velocity for use in particle accelerators and traveling wave tubes are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1996
    Assignee: E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventor: Zhi-Yuan Shen
  • Patent number: 5512539
    Abstract: A microwave component includes a superconducting signal conductor formed on a first dielectric substrate, and a superconducting ground conductor formed on a second dielectric substrate. The first dielectric substrate is stacked on the superconducting ground conductor of the second dielectric substrate. Each of the superconducting signal conductor and the superconducting ground conductor is formed of an oxide superconductor thin film of which crystals are orientated in such a manner that the c-planes of the crystals are parallel to the direction in which an electro-magnetic field generated by microwave launched to the microwave component changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1996
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Matsuura, Kenjiro Higaki, Hideo Itozaki
  • Patent number: 5504059
    Abstract: There is disclosed a superconducting microwave component including a first substrate of a dielectric material with a conductor line of an oxide superconductor formed in a required pattern on the surface, a second substrate of a dielectric with a grounding conductor of an oxide superconductor formed on the surface, and a third substrate of a dielectric which is laid on the first and the second substrates, with the third substrate sandwiched between the first and the second substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1996
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenjiro Higaki, Hideo Itozaki
  • Patent number: 5498771
    Abstract: Microwave bandpass filters contain dielectric resonators mounted in dielectric blocks, which are in turn mounted in cavities. There can be more than one dielectric resonator per cavity. Significant size reduction has been achieved over prior art filters. The filters can be operated at cryogenic temperatures and since the results attainable at cryogenic temperatures are repeatable, the filters can be tuned at cryogenic temperatures and returned to room temperature before being returned to cryogenic temperatures for operating purposes. When operated at cryogenic temperatures, the filters contain shorting plates having high temperature superconducting material thereon. The filters can be constructed with various configurations and can be operated in either a single mode or a dual-mode. Previous single mode or dual-mode dielectric resonator filters are larger in size and mass than the filters of the present application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: Com Dev Ltd.
    Inventors: Raafat R. Mansour, Van Dokas
  • Patent number: 5496795
    Abstract: The design of a high Tc superconducting band pass tunable ferroelectric filter (TFF) is presented. The band pass TFF consists of an edge coupled filter on a ferroelectric substrate. Each input and output microstrip line is a quarter wavelength long. Each intermediate microstrip line is a half wavelength long with the first quarter wavelength being coupled to the preceding microstrip line and the remaining quarter wavelength being coupled to the succeeding microstrip line. Each microstrip line is connected, through an LC filter, to a common bias voltage source. Application of a bias voltage changes the frequency of operation of the filter. For matching the impedances of the input and output of the filter to the impedances of an input and output circuit respectively, matching ferroelectric quarter wavelength transformers are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Inventor: Satyendranath Das
  • Patent number: 5496797
    Abstract: There is disclosed a superconducting microwave component including a first substrate having a conductor line formed of an oxide superconductor on the surface thereof, a second substrate having a grounding conductor formed of an oxide superconductor on the surface thereof, and a package of a conducting material housing the first and the second substrates so that they are substantially parallel with each other. At least one portion of the grounding conductor is in contact with the inside of the package, through surface contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenjiro Higaki, Hideo Itozaki
  • Patent number: 5496796
    Abstract: The design of a high Tc superconducting band reject tunable ferroelectric filter (TFF) is presented. The band reject TFF consists of a main microstrip line on a dielectric substrate. One or more half wavelength microstrip resonators, on a ferroelectric substrate, is coupled to the main microstrip line. At a resonant frequency of a resonator, a short circuit is presented on the main microstrip line resulting in a rejection of signal of that frequency. By applying a bias voltage to a resonator, the frequency of the resonator and, as such, the reject band of the filter is changed. Different resonators can be tuned to different frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Inventor: Satyendranath Das
  • Patent number: 5484764
    Abstract: A filter for an electromagnetic signal is formed of a set of planar resonators, preferably of superconductor material, interspersed among a set of electrically conductive sheets, outermost ones of the sheets serving as ground planes, and the inner ones of the sheets having irises for coupling electromagnetic power between the resonators. The resonators and the sheets have a planar shape, are parallel to each other, and are stacked one upon the other. Dielectric material insulates and serves to support the resonators and the sheets in their respective locations. There are at least two resonators in the set of resonators, and at least one inner sheet of the set of sheets. A first coupling element serves to couple an electromagnetic signal to a first resonator of filter to excite in the first resonator a first mode of electromagnetic vibration in a plane defined by the axis and a point of coupling of the first coupling element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1996
    Assignee: Space Systems/Loral, Inc.
    Inventors: Slawomir J. Fiediuszko, John A. Curtis
  • Patent number: 5484765
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for gyromagnetic interaction between the electromagnetic field generated by an electromagnetic signal conducted by a superconductor and the magnetization contained in a magnetic structure. A ferrite magnetic structure is disposed in close proximity to a superconductor conducting the electromagnetic signal. A magnetization is induced in the magnetic structure with a geometry such that the magnetic flux is confined within the magnetic structure or eliminated from the magnetic structure so as not to produce an external magnetic field to interfere with the superconducting properties of the superconductor. The electromagnetic field of the signal conducted by the superconductor interacts gyromagnetically with the magnetization of the magnetic structure, inducing a phase shift in the electromagnetic signal traversing the superconductor. Thus, the invention induces a phase shift in the signal with minimum insertion loss due to electrical resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1996
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Gerald F. Dionne, Daniel E. Oates
  • Patent number: 5472935
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to ferroelectric and superconducting thin films used in combination to produce low-loss passive microwave and millimeter wave devices which are frequency tuneable. Various metal oxide superconducting and ferroelectric thin films can be deposited in numerous multilayer geometries via a variety of deposition techniques to produce devices which can manipulate microwave and millimeter wave signals through the application of voltage bias signals across the ferroelectric films. Numerous superconducting microwave and millimeter wave devices, including delay lines, phase shifters, resonators, oscillators, filters, electrically-small antennas, half-loop antennas, directional couplers, patch antennas, and various radiative gratings, are made frequency-tuneable by utilizing voltage-tuneable capacitor structures fabricated from voltage-biased ferroelectric thin films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Inventors: Robert M. Yandrofski, John C. Price, Frank Barnes, Allen M. Hermann, James F. Scott
  • Patent number: 5459123
    Abstract: A cylindrical cavity is loaded with a ferroelectric rod and is resonant at the dominant mode. The loaded cylidrical cavity is a band pass filter. As a bias voltage is applied across the ferroelectric rod, its permittivity changes resulting in a new resonant frequency for the loaded cylindrical cavity. The ferroelectric rod is operated at a temperature slightly above its Curie temperature. The loaded cylindrical cavity is kept at a constant designed temperature. The cylindrical cavity is made of conductors, a single crystal high Tc superconductor including YBCO and a single crystal dielectric, including sapphire and lanthanum aluminate, the interior conducting surfaces of which are deposited with a film of a single crystal high Tc superconductor. Embodiments also include waveguide single and multiple cavity type tunable filters. Embodiments also include tunable band reject filters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1995
    Inventor: Satyendranath Das
  • Patent number: 5457087
    Abstract: A dielectric resonator apparatus for measuring the parameters of high temperature superconducting thin film is disclosed having improved means for positioning the dielectric and substrates, holding the resonator components in place during use, suppressing undesirable modes, adjusting the magnetic dipole coupling, and coupling to an electrical circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1995
    Assignee: E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Robert G. Dorothy, Viet X. Nguyen, Zhi-Yuan Shen
  • Patent number: 5451567
    Abstract: The high power ferroelectric RF phase shifter contains a ferroelectric material in a microstrip line section. Between the ferroelectric phase shifter and the input, there is a ferroelectric matching transformer. Between the ferroelectric phase shifter and the output, there is a quarter wave ferroelectric matching transformer. A bias field is connected across the top and bottom surfaces of the ferroelectric material. When a bias field is applied across the ferroelectric material, the permittivity is reduced and as such the velocity of propagation is increased. This causes an increase in the effective electrical length of the phase shifter. Increasing the bias voltage increases the phase shift. The ferroelectric RF phase shifter may be constructed of a ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC). The ferroelectric material is operated above its Curie temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Inventor: Satyendranath Das
  • Patent number: 5413983
    Abstract: A tetrahedral junction waveguide switch having a first length of hollow rangular waveguide and a second length of hollow rectangular waveguide adjacent each other with a ferrite rod longitudinally disposed therebetween. A magnetic field is created by a superconducting switching coil placed around the junction of the two lengths of waveguide. The normally magnetically biased ferrite rod permits electromagnetic wave energy to be transmitted through the first and second lengths of waveguide. An open circuit control means selectively and controllably interrupts the current flowing around the superconducting switching coil causing the longitudinal magnetic field to be removed from the normally magnetically biased ferrite rod. The waveguide switch is thereby placed in a cut off, nontransmission, or reflective mode preventing transmission of electromagnetic wave energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Richard A. Stern, Richard W. Babbitt, Thomas E. Koscica
  • Patent number: 5409889
    Abstract: The Ferroelectric high Tc superconductor RF Phase Shifter contains a ferroelectric medium and a film of a single crystal high Tc superconductor is used as the conductors. Between the ferroelectric medium and the input, there is a quarter-wave, dielectric or ferroelectric or the same material as used for the phase shifter, matching transformer. Between the ferroelectric medium and the output, there is a quarter-wave, dielectric, ferroelectric or the same material as used for the phase shifter, matching transformer. A bias field is connected across the top and bottom surfaces of the active ferroelectric medium. When a bias field is applied across the surfaces of the ferroelectric medium, the permittivity is reduced and as such the velocity of propagation is increased. This causes an increase in the effective electrical length of the phase shifter or a phase difference or time delay. Increasing the bias voltage increases the phase shift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1995
    Inventor: Satyendranath Das
  • Patent number: 5407905
    Abstract: To reduce losses of commercial room temperature couplers, high Tc superconducting waveguides and waveguide flanges are used for couplers. There are two approaches for making these high Tc superconducting waveguide structures. One is to use a single crystal such as YBaCuO (YBCO), cut and machine the crystal to the desired shape, and use high Tc superconducting flanges. In the second method, a good quality dielectric, such as sapphire is used and cut and machined to the desired shape. The conducting surfaces are coated with a single crystal high Tc superconducting material such as YBCO. The waveguides are brazed together. Low loss is important particularly for high power couplers. Significant amount of RF power is lost even with a low loss coupler. The high Tc superconducting couplers will provide a significant benefit in high power RF systems handling power levels such as 0.5 megawatts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1995
    Inventor: Satyendranath Das
  • Patent number: 5407904
    Abstract: To reduce the losses, high Tc superconductive waveguide filters are disclosed. There are two approaches to make the filters. In the first approach, all waveguide sections, irises, flanges are made of a single crystal high Tc superconductor. The single crystal is machined to the desired shape and size, the pieces are brazed and connected with flanges. In the second approach all waveguide sections, irises and flanges are made of a single crystal dielectric material the conducting surfaces of which are deposited with a film of a single crystal high Tc superconductor. The waveguide sections, irises and flanges are connected together by brazing or by a similar method. There are two basic types, (1) band pass and (2) band reject, of filters. In the band pass type, a series of resonators are placed one after another with a separation, typically, of three quarters of a wavelength between the centers of adjacent resonators. In the band reject filters, the resonators are in branch lines, i.e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1995
    Inventor: Satyendranath Das
  • Patent number: 5397769
    Abstract: A microwave resonator includes a superconducting signal conductor formed on a first dielectric substrate, and a superconducting ground conductor formed on a second dielectric substrate. The first dielectric substrate is stacked on the superconducting ground conductor of the second dielectric substrate. A temperature adjustable heater is mounted near to the second dielectric substrate, so that the resonating frequency .function..sub.o of the microwave resonator can be easily adjusted by controlling the temperature of the superconducting conductors by the adjustable heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1995
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenjiro Higaki, Akihiro Moto, Hideo Itozaki
  • Patent number: 5391543
    Abstract: A microwave resonator includes a superconducting signal conductor formed on a first dielectric substrate, and a superconducting ground conductor formed on a second dielectric substrate. The first dielectric substrate is stacked on the superconducting ground conductor of the second dielectric substrate. A rod is adjustably provided to be able to penetrate into an electromagnetic field created by a microwave propagation through the superconducting signal conductor, so that the resonating frequency .function..sub.0 of the microwave resonator can be easily adjusted by controlling the position of a tip end of the rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenjiro Higaki, Akihiro Moto, Hideo Itozaki
  • Patent number: 5385883
    Abstract: The present invention is a superconducting opto-electronic phase shifter which is achieved by illuminating a superconducting microstrip line, which is fabricated on a dielectric substrate, with an optical beam of a predetermined intensity and shape. Because the superconducting microstrip will exhibit a local surface resistance when and where illuminated, the microstrip line will be artificially narrowed thereby producing a phase shift. This occurs because as the width of a superconducting microstrip line narrows the velocity of the carder signal increases. Therefore, if the illumination of the superconducting microstrip line causes a local surface resistance, then the surface impedance of the microstrip line is increased causing the effective width of the microstrip line to decrease. Hence, the artificial decrease in the width of the microstrip will cause the phase of the carrier signal to shift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Erik H. Lenzing, Charles D. Hechtman
  • Patent number: 5350739
    Abstract: A HTS switch includes a HTS conductor for providing a superconducting path for an electrical signal and an serpentine wire actuator for controllably heating a portion of the conductor sufficiently to cause that portion to have normal, and not superconducting, resistivity. Mass of the portion is reduced to decrease switching time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1994
    Assignee: The United States of America as repesented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Jon S. Martens, Vincent M. Hietala, Gert K. G. Hohenwarter
  • Patent number: 5347242
    Abstract: A superconducting accelerating tube which is constructed by welding and connecting a plurality of half cells (11) formed of superconductor material in a dish form having a substantially constant wall thickness of the material, and having a small-diameter portion (11a) and a large-diameter portion (11b) and in which the shell diameter periodically varies. The half cells (11) are welded together via ring-shaped connecting members (12) formed of superconducting material and disposed between the small-diameter portions (11a), and the half cell (11) and connecting member (12) are formed of Nb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Shimano, Misao Sakano, Shinichi Mukoyama
  • Patent number: 5339457
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a superconductive electromagnetic wave mixer comprising a local-oscillator section and a receiving section, said receiving section serving as a section at which an electromagnetic wave from the local-oscillator section and an externally originating electromagnetic wave are combined. The local-oscillator section and said receiving section are each formed by at least one Josephson junction employing at least one oxide superconductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takehiko Kawasaki, Katsuhiko Shinjo, Keisuke Yamamoto, Norio Kaneko
  • Patent number: 5328893
    Abstract: Active superconductive devices are formed having a variable conductive element in electromagnetic contact with a superconductor. In one embodiment, a variable ohmic conductive device, such as a photoconductor, is placed adjacent a superconductor. By varying the optical radiation on the photoconductor, the electromagnetic environment adjacent the superconductor is changed, resulting in changed electrical properties. The superconductor may be patterned as a reject filter, with a photoconductor forming a microwave switch. Alternatively, a delay line plus variable ohmic element forms a phase shifter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1994
    Assignee: Superconductor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Z. Sun, Robert B. Hammond, Douglas J. Scalapino
  • Patent number: 5324713
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a superconducting microwave resonator, to holding devices for those resonators, and to their methods of manufacture. The superconducting microwave resonator employs at least two superconducting films on substrates positioned on a dielectric. The holding devices include a variety of configurations, such as, a spring loaded device. The superconducting microwave resonators have Q values of as high as microwave resonators formed of Nb, but operate at much higher temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1994
    Assignee: E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventor: Zhi-Yuan Shen
  • Patent number: 5319313
    Abstract: An accelerator includes a beam tube having a cavity with a central axis along which particles can be accelerated. A radio frequency power coupling device couples the cavity to a high frequency power source. The coupling device includes a coaxial waveguide having a central axis, an outer conductor and an inner conductor. The outer conductor is fixed relative to the cavity defining an angle between the central axis of the cavity and the central axis of the coaxial waveguide. An external drive moves the inner conductor along the central axis of the coaxial waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1994
    Assignees: Siemens AG, The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Hanspeter Vogel, Dietmar Kiehlmann, Peter Schafer, Ernst Haebel, John McGill
  • Patent number: 5306406
    Abstract: A method of providing a thin film for lining quarter-wave resonant cavities of copper comprises the deposition of a superconducting material, in particular niobium, in the form of a micro-layer having a substantially constant thickness covering both the cylindrical surface of the cavity and its bottom formed of a plane plate, by biased-diode d.c. sputtering through emitting cathodes in a form fitting geometrically the surfaces to be lined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1994
    Assignee: Instituto Nazionale DiFisica Nucleare
    Inventors: Vincenzo Palmieri, Renato Preciso, Vladimir L. Ruzinov
  • Patent number: 5304960
    Abstract: An electronically controlled ferroelectric RF switch is an active medium formed from a ferroelectric material the permittivity, and as such the refractive index, of which may be varied by varying the strength of an electric field in which it is immersed. The ferroelectric RF switch includes the ferroelectric material having electrodes or conductors mounted thereon that are connected to an adjustable d.c. or a.c. voltage source. The switch may be placed in an RF transmission line that includes appropriate input and output impedance matching devices such as quarterwave transformers. The active medium of the RF switch is constructed of two prismatic structures of a ferroelectric material. When the two prisms are at the same zero bias voltage, then the RF energy passing through the switch is not deflected and the switch is in the OFF condition. Application of a bias voltage reduces the permittivity and the refractive index of the outer prismatic structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1994
    Inventor: Satyendranath Das
  • Patent number: 5296457
    Abstract: A microwave cavity including a pair of opposing clamshell halves, such halves comprised of a metal selected from the group consisting of silver, copper, or a silver-based alloy, wherein the cavity is further characterized as exhibiting a dominant TE.sub.011 mode is provided together with an embodiment wherein the interior concave surfaces of the clamshell halves are coated with a superconductive material. In the case of copper clamshell halves, the microwave cavity has a Q-value of about 1.2.times.10.sup.5 as measured at a temperature of 10K and a frequency of 10 GHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1994
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: D. Wayne Cooke, Paul N. Arendt, Helmut Piel
  • Patent number: 5291157
    Abstract: Electronic circuit node structures which minimize parasitic capacitance in linear path and angular circuit topographies for high frequency circuits are described. The electronic circuit comprises at least two signal conductor elements and an active or passive circuit element on a substrate. The conductor elements are arranged to define a gap between their ends. The circuit element bridges the gap. In one embodiment, the longitudinal axes of the conductor elements are laterally offset and generally parallel. The conductors are arranged to form the gap between adjacent edges on the ends of the conductors. The circuit element is arranged to bridge the gap. The other conductor edges near the gap are arranged at angles which increase the distance between them. In another embodiment, the conductor elements form an angle with the gap at the apex. The circuit element bridges the gap between the conductor edges nearest the apex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1994
    Assignee: AEL Defense Corp.
    Inventor: Leon Riebman
  • Patent number: 5285067
    Abstract: Highly sensitive infrared detectors can be made from superconducting micrrip transmission lines, having a single ground plane, a dielectric substrate on the ground plane, and a thin film path of superconducting oxide on the substrate. These microstrip transmission lines can be fabricated into resonant or non-resonant structures. The detectors operate by detecting changes in a microwave signal transmitted through the microstrip, measures in the amplitude, frequency or time domains. An embodiment of this invention is an asymmetric ring interferometer, with or without a metal segment in the shorter leg of the interferometer. Another embodiment of this invention is a meander path transmission line, which, in certain configurations, may be used as a single element array with very high resolution in the direction parallel to the meander lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1994
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: James C. Culbertson, Harvey S. Newman, Jeffrey M. Pond, Stuart A. Wolf, Ulrich Strom
  • Patent number: 5280013
    Abstract: A superconducting electronic circuit device, useful when impedance matching is desired, especially suited to microwave frequencies, consisting of a thin dielectric layer with superconducting layers on both sides. A superconductor such as Yttrium Barium Copper Oxide (YBCO) is formed on a first substrate such as lanthanum aluminate. A protective layer like gold is deposited on the YBCO and a second carrier substrate is bonded to the protected YBCO. The first substrate is then thinned into a thin dielectric film and a second layer of superconductor is epitaxially grown thereon to create the desired circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 18, 1994
    Assignee: Conductus, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Newman, Aharon Kapitulnik, Brady F. Cole, Randy W. Simon
  • Patent number: 5258626
    Abstract: A superconducting network which, through the use of optical illumination, can form a selectable array of superconducting microstrip transmission lines or other electrical elements. The invention uses optical illumination to produce quasiparticles which cause selected physical parts of the network to be electrically nonconductive and thereby define the nonilluminated conductor's shape, physical size, and electrical characteristics. Network reconfigurability to produce several different devices and functions from a single high or low temperature superconductive chip is a disclosed utilization of the invention. The employed optical illumination produces phase change within the superconducting material to provide specific chip architectures. Reconfiguring of the device characteristics is achieved by changing the optical input intensity, spatial orientation, wavelength or combinations of these factors. A plurality of delay line configurations are disclosed as examples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1993
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Andrew H. Suzuki, Joseph E. Brandelik
  • Patent number: 5244869
    Abstract: A superconducting microwave selective filter system having a superconducting filter connected to receive RF signals and perform filtering before the RF signals are applied to nonlinear circuitry such as receiver protectors and low noise amplifiers. A single pole n throw point switch selects a desired one of the filters to provide a receiver with a desired frequency, such as an active radar frequency. The low loss and high dynamic range of a superconducting filter permits these filters to be employed in the front end of the system before system nonlinear circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1993
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: John F. Billing
  • Patent number: 5231078
    Abstract: A thin-film superconducting LC network comprising a dielectric substrate having first and second oppositely disposed surfaces, a first thin-film superconducting conductor on one of the surfaces defining an inductor, second and third thin-film superconducting conductors on said first and second surfaces, respectively, said second and third conductors opposing each other and having at least a portion of the dielectric substrate therebetween to form a capacitor, and thin-film superconducting conductor for interconnecting the inductor and capacitor to form a desired LC network. In one embodiment, the substrate between the second and third conductors have a thickness less than the thickness of the substrate between the first conductor and it oppositely disposed surface. In another embodiment, the inductor is defined by a plurality of closely spaced adjacent turns and a channel is disposed within the substrate between the adjacent turns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1993
    Assignee: AEL Defense Corp.
    Inventors: Leon Riebman, Eitan Gertel
  • Patent number: 5215959
    Abstract: A structure having a surface exposed to electromagnetic radiation in the microwave or millimeter-wave spectrum wherein discrete elements including a high-temperature superconducting film formed on a substrate are disposed on the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1993
    Assignee: University of California, Berkeley
    Inventor: Theodore Van Duzer