Waveform transition sensitive Josephson junction circuit having sense bus and logic applications

Abstract

A waveform transition sensitive Josephson junction circuit having sense bus and logic applications is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, a device capable of carrying Josephson current is shunted by a utilization circuit. Current flowing in the device is diverted to the utilization circuit in response to only one of a pair of transitions of a pulsed input applied to the device. On one transition of the applied pulsed input current, a current is induced in a current path which follows the input until the threshold of a switchable device in the current path is exceeded. The switchable device switches and the induced current drops to zero. If the current generated by the transition is in the opposite direction to current in the Josephson device, the Josephson device remains in its unswitched state. On the other transition of the pulsed input, the induced current follows the input and appears as an oppositely directed current in the Josephson device causing it to switch and deliver current to the utilization circuit. The switching of the switchable device when its threshold is exceeded reduces the induced current to zero. The current applied to the Josephson device and the input applied thereto may both be derived from pulsed sources with the Josephson devices of the circuit operating in latching or self-resetting modes.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A waveform transition sensitive circuit comprising: a device capable of carrying Josephson current,   a current source connected to said device to provide current flow therein of a given polarity,   a utilization circuit connected to said device,   at least a source of current pulses each of said pulses undergoing at least a pair of waveform transitions, and   means connected to said device and said at least a source of current pulses responsive to said at least a pair of waveform transitions for generating at least transition currents of said given polarity and of a polarity opposite to said given polarity in said device to switch it and deliver said current to said utilization device when said current in said device and a transition current of said at least transition currents are of the same polarity.   
     
     
       2. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 1 wherein said utilization circuit includes a load impedance shunting said device. 
     
     
       3. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 1 wherein said utilization circuit includes a transformer winding element disposed in series with said device said transformer winding element and said device being connected to said current source. 
     
     
       4. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 1 wherein said device is an in line gate. 
     
     
       5. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 1 wherein said device is an interferometer. 
     
     
       6. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 1 wherein said device is current injection interferometer. 
     
     
       7. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 1 wherein said current source is a source of direct current. 
     
     
       8. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 1 wherein said current source is a source of unipolar current pulses. 
     
     
       9. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 1 wherein said current source is a source of bipolar current pulses. 
     
     
       10. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 1 wherein said source of current pulses includes a source of unipolar current pulses. 
     
     
       11. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 1 wherein said source of current pulses includes a source of bipolar current pulses. 
     
     
       12. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 1 wherein said source of current pulses is a current sensing circuit which includes a sense line, a plurality of switchable devices capable of carrying Josephson current disposed in series in said sense line, each of said switchable devices being actuated by current flow in an associated memory cell, a sense current source connected to said sense line, a controllable switchable Josephson device connected in series with said current source and in parallel with said sense line and transformer means connected in series with said plurality of switchable devices. 
     
     
       13. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 1 wherein said means for generating transition currents includes at least a current path shunting said device, transformer means disposed in said at least a current path connected to said at least a source of current pulses and, at least a switchable device capable of carrying Josephson current disposed in said at least a current path which switches each time it encounters a waveform transition. 
     
     
       14. A waveform sensitive circuit according to claim 1 wherein said means for generating transition currents includes a pair of current paths shunting said device, tranformer means disposed in each of said pair of current paths connected to said at least a source of current pulses and a switchable device capable of carrying Josephson current disposed in each of said pair of current paths which switches each time it encounters a waveform transition. 
     
     
       15. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 2 wherein said load impedance is a resistance of ohmic value sufficient to render said device latching. 
     
     
       16. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 2 wherein said load impedance is a resistance of ohmic value sufficient to render said device self-resetting. 
     
     
       17. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 3 further including a driver device capable of carrying Josephson current disposed in series with said current source and in parallel with said device and said transformer winding element. 
     
     
       18. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 13 further including a resistor disposed in series in said at least a current path. 
     
     
       19. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 13 wherein the threshold current of said device is greater than the threshold current of said at least a switchable device. 
     
     
       20. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 14 further including a resistor disposed in series in each of said pair of current paths. 
     
     
       21. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 14 wherein the threshold current of said device is greater than the threshold current of said at least a switchable device. 
     
     
       22. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 17 wherein said transformer winding element is the primary of a transformer the secondary of which is in a current path disposed in parallel with another device similar to said device. 
     
     
       23. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 19 wherein the threshold current of said device is twice the threshold current of said at least a switchable device. 
     
     
       24. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 21 wherein the threshold current of said device is twice the threshold current of said at least a switchable device. 
     
     
       25. A waveform transition sensitive circuit comprising: a sense bus,   a plurality of devices capable of carrying Josephson current disposed in series in said sense bus,   a current source connected to said plurality of devices to provide current flow therein of a given polarity,   a utilization circuit connected to said plurality of devices,   a plurality of sources of current pulses each of said pulses undergoing a pair of waveform transitions, and   means connected between each of said plurality of devices and each one of said plurality of sources of current pulses, respectively, responsive to said pair of waveform transitions for generating transition currents of said given polarity and of a polarity opposite to said given polarity in each of said devices to switch it and deliver said current to said utilization device when said current in each of said devices and a transition current are of the same polarity.   
     
     
       26. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 25 wherein each of said plurality of sources of current pulses is a current sensing circuit which includes sense line, a plurality of switchable devices capable of carrying Josephson current disposed in series of said sense line, each of said switchable devices being actuated by current flow in an associated memory cell, a current source connected to said sense line, a controllable switchable Josephson device connected in series with said current source and in parallel with said sense line and transformer means connected in series with said plurality of switchable devices. 
     
     
       27. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 26 wherein said means for generating transition currents includes a current path shunting each of said plurality of devices, transformer means disposed in each said current path and in electromagnetically coupled relationship with said first mentioned transformer means and, a switchable device capable of carrying Josephson current disposed in said current path adapted to switch each time it encounters a waveform transition. 
     
     
       28. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 27 wherein said utilization circuit includes a transformer winding element disposed in series with said plurality of devices, said transducer element and said plurality of devices being connected to said current source. 
     
     
       29. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 28 further including a driver device capable of carrying Josephson current disposed in series with said current source and in parallel with said plurality of devices, said sense bus and said transformer winding element. 
     
     
       30. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 29 wherein said transformer winding element is the primary of a transformer the secondary of which is in another current path disposed in parallel with a device similar to each of said plurality of devices. 
     
     
       31. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 30 further including a switchable device capable of carrying Josephson current disposed in said another current path adapted to switch each time it encounters a waveform transition, a current source connected to said a device similar to each of said plurality of devices to provide current flow of given polarity therein and a utilization circuit connected to said device similar to each of said plurality of devices. 
     
     
       32. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 31 wherein the threshold current of each of said plurality of devices is twice the threshold current of each of said plurality of switchable devices. 
     
     
       33. A waveform transition sensitive circuit according to claim 31 further including a resistor disposed in series in said current path. .Iadd. 34. A logic circuit comprising: a device capable of carrying Josephson current,   a current source directly connected to said device to provide all of a first current from said source to said device,   a utilization circuit connected to said device,   a current path shunting said device said current path including a serially arranged resistor and another device capable of carrying Josephson current, and,   means directly connected to said current path for generating a second current in said device and in said another device to switch said devices and deliver at least said first current to said utilization circuit and interrupt at least said second current in said another device. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 35. A logic circuit according to claim 34 wherein said means for generating is a source of current pulses directly connected to said current path. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 36. A logic circuit comprising:   a device capable of carrying Josephson current,   a current source directly connected to said device to provide all of a first current from said source to said device,   a utilization circuit connected to said device,   a current path shunting said device said path including another device capable of carrying Josephson current, and,   means directly connected to said current path for generating a second current in said device and in said another device to switch said devices and deliver at least said first current to said utilization circuit and interrupt at least said second current in said another device. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 37. A logic circuit according to claim 36 wherein said means for generating is a source of current pulses directly connected to said current path. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 38. A logic circuit comprising:   a device capable of carrying Josephson current,   a current source connected to said device to provide a first current in said device,   a utilization circuit connected to said device,   a current path shunting said device said current path including a serially arranged resistor and another device capable of carrying Josephson current, and,   means directly connected between said resistor and said another device for generating a second current in said device and in said another device to switch said devices and deliver at least said first current to said utilization circuit and interrupt at least said second current in said another device. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 39. A logic circuit according to claim 38 wherein said means for generating is a source of current pulses directly connected between said resistor and said another device. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 40. A logic circuit comprising:   a device capable of carrying Josephson current,   a current source directly connected to said device to provide all of a first current from said source to said device,   a utilization circuit connected to said device,   a current path shunting said device said current path including an inductance and another device capable of carrying Josephson current, and,   means directly connected between said inductance and said another device for generating a second current in said device and in said another device to switch said devices and deliver at least said first current to said utilization circuit and interrupt at least said second current in said another device. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 41. A logic circuit according to claim 40 wherein said means for generating is a source of current pulses directly connected to said another device. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 42. A logic circuit comprising:   a device capable of gain and capable of carrying Josephson current,   a current source connected to said device to provide all of a first current from said source to said device,   a utilization circuit connected to said device,   a current path shunting said device said current path including another device capable of carrying Josephson current, and,   means directly connected to said current path for generating a pulsed control current in said current path so that in said device said first current and said control current add causing said device and said another device to switch delivering at least said first current to said utilization circuit. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 43. A logic circuit according to claim 42 wherein said current source is directly connected to said device. .Iaddend..Iadd. 44. A logic circuit according to claim 42 further including a resistor disposed in said current path in series with said another device. .Iaddend..Iadd. 45. A logic circuit according to claim 44 wherein said means for generating a pulsed control current is connected between said resistor and said another device. .Iaddend.