Diode devices based on superconductivity

• US 10,454,014 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2018
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Psiquantum, Corp.
• Original Assignee: Psiquantum, Corp.
• Inventors: Najafi, Faraz, Ziai, Syrus
• Primary Examiner(s): Reames, Matthew L
• Application Number:
  US16/182,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20190140157A1
• Time in Patent Office: 350 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/1055 characterized by the resin layer, i.e. interlayer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/26 with at least one layer which influences the bonding during the lamination process, e.g. release layers or pressure equalising layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6835 using temporarily an auxiliary support
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/6835 used as a support during build up manufacturing of active devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68395 using peeling wheel
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/24 solid or gel at the normal operating temperature of the device H01L23/3135 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1266 the substrate on which the devices are formed not being the final device substrate, e.g. using a temporary substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/861 Diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 60/01 Manufacture or treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 60/20 Permanent superconducting devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 60/30 Devices switchable between superconducting and normal states
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 60/82 Current path
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 60/83 Element shape

Abstract

An electronic device (e.g., a diode) is provided that includes a substrate and a patterned layer of superconducting material disposed over the substrate. The patterned layer forms a first electrode, a second electrode, and a loop coupling the first electrode with the second electrode by a first channel and a second channel. The first channel and the second channel have different minimum widths. The device further includes a magnet that applies a magnetic field to the loop, which produces an expulsion current in the loop that travels toward the second electrode in the first channel and toward the first electrode in the second channel. For a range of current magnitudes, when the magnetic field is applied to the patterned layer of superconducting material, the conductance from the first electrode to the second electrode is greater than the conductance from the second electrode to the first electrode.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a substrate;

a patterned layer of superconducting material disposed over the substrate, the patterned layer forming;

a first electrode;

a second electrode; and

a loop coupling the first electrode with the second electrode by a first channel and a second channel, wherein the first channel has a first minimum width and the second channel has a second minimum width that is distinct from the first minimum width;

a magnet configured to apply a magnetic field to the loop in the patterned layer of superconducting material, wherein the magnetic field produces an expulsion current in the loop that travels toward the second electrode in the first channel and toward the first electrode in the second channel;

wherein, for a range of current magnitudes, when the magnetic field is applied to the patterned layer of superconducting material, the conductance from the first electrode to the second electrode is greater than the conductance from the second electrode to the first electrode.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the first minimum width is greater than the second minimum width.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein:

the second channel is configured to transition to a resistive state upon application of a current from the second electrode to the first electrode having a magnitude in the range of current magnitudes.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein:

upon the application of the current from the second electrode to the first electrode, the first channel is configured to transition to a resistive state in response to the second channel transitioning to a resistive state.

5. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein:

when the current is applied from the second electrode to the first electrode, a portion of the current is initially distributed through the second channel; and

the second channel is configured so that, when the current is applied from the second electrode to the first electrode, the portion of the current initially distributed through the second channel, added to the expulsion current in the second channel, results in a current density in the second channel that exceeds a critical current density of the superconducting material.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein:

the second channel is configured so that, when the current is applied from the first electrode to the second electrode, the portion of the current initially distributed through the second channel, reduced by the expulsion current in the second channel, results in a current density in the second channel that remains below a critical current density of the superconducting material.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the loop has a shape comprising an outer ellipse and an inner ellipse that is eccentric to the outer ellipse resulting in the distinct first minimum width and the second minimum width of the first channel and the second channel, respectively.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second channel has a notch formed therein resulting in the first minimum width being less than the second minimum width.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the magnet is an electromagnet.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the electromagnet is fabricated on the substrate to form an integral part of the electronic device, the electromagnet comprising:

one or more coils of wire; and

circuitry to provide current to the one or more coils of wire.

11. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the electromagnet is configured to apply a tunable magnetic field to the patterned layer of superconducting material to tune the range of current magnitudes for which the conductance from the first electrode to the second electrode is greater than the conductance from the second electrode to the first electrode.

12. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the magnet is a permanent magnet.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the permanent magnet comprises one or more magnetic layers disposed over the substrate, the one or more magnetic layers collectively having a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.

14. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the magnet is integrated with the electronic device on the substrate.

15. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising an inductive element.

16. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a two-terminal device.

17. A method, comprising:

obtaining an electronic device that includes;

a substrate; and

a patterned layer of superconducting material disposed over the substrate, the patterned layer forming;

a first electrode;

a second electrode; and

a loop coupling the first electrode with the second electrode by a first channel and a second channel, wherein the first channel has a first minimum width and the second channel has a second minimum width that is distinct from the first minimum width;

applying a magnetic field over the loop in the patterned layer of superconducting material; and

while the magnetic field is applied over the loop;

applying a first current from the first electrode to the second electrode, whereby the superconducting material in the loop remains in a superconducting state; and

applying the first current from the second electrode to the first electrode, whereby the superconducting material in the loop transitions into a non-superconducting state.