A device for single-photon detection comprising two superconducting detectors, a bias-current source, a filter element and a readout circuit. Each detector forms a detection area for absorption of incident photons and is connected in parallel; each detector being maintained below its critical temperature and provided with an electrical bias current situated close to and below its critical current so as to be maintained in a non-resistive superconducting state, and configured to transition, at photon absorption, from the non-resistive state to a resistive state due to an increase in current density within the detector above the critical current. The readout circuit senses a voltage change corresponding to the, allowing creation of an event signal for each absorption of an incident photon by a detector. The device includes a current-redistribution portion for redistributing current arising after absorption of incident photons so as to avoid increases in current density above the critical current.

A transistor includes (i) a first wire including a semiconducting component configured to operate in an on state at temperatures above a semiconducting threshold temperature and (ii) a second wire including a superconducting component configured to operate in a superconducting state while: a temperature of the superconducting component is below a superconducting threshold temperature and a first input current supplied to the superconducting component is below a current threshold. The semiconducting component is located adjacent to the superconducting component. In response to a first input voltage, the semiconducting component is configured to generate an electromagnetic field sufficient to lower the current threshold such that the first input current exceeds the lowered current threshold.

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. For a range of current magnitudes, when a 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.

An electric circuit includes a first superconducting component, a second superconducting component, a first electrically-insulating component that thermally couples the first superconducting component and the second superconducting component such that heat produced in response to the first superconducting component transitioning to a non-superconducting state is transferred through the first electrically-insulating component to the second superconducting component, and a photon detector coupled to the first superconducting component. The photon detector is configured to output a first current to the first superconducting component upon detection of a threshold number of photons. The electric circuit further includes an output component coupled to the second superconducting component. The output component is configured to be responsive to a voltage drop across the second superconducting component.

According to one embodiment, a superconducting element used as a pixel for detecting a particle is disclosed. The superconducting element includes at least one superconducting strip. The at least one superconducting strip includes a superconducting portion extending in a first direction, including first and second ends and made of a first superconducting material, a first conductive portion connected to the first end of the superconducting portion, and a second conductive portion connected to the second end of the superconducting portion. A superconducting region of the superconducting portion is configured to be dived when the particle is made incident on the superconducting portion along the first direction via the first conductive portion.

Various implementations described herein are related to a device having multiple conductive terminals formed with a superconductive material. The device may include at least one switching layer formed with correlated-electron material (CEM) that is disposed between the multiple conductive terminals. The CEM may comprise carbon or a carbon based compound. The device may refer to a switch structure or similar.

A system includes a plurality of superconducting wires connected in parallel with one another. The plurality of superconducting wires includes a first superconducting wire and a second superconducting wire. The plurality of superconducting wires are configured to, while receiving a bias current provided to the parallel combination of the plurality of superconducting wires, operate in a superconducting state in the absence of a trigger current. The first superconducting wire is configured to, while receiving the bias current, transition to a non-superconducting state in response to receiving the trigger current. The second superconducting wire is configured to, while receiving the bias current, transition to a non-superconducting state in response to the first superconducting wire transitioning to the non-superconducting state.

A programmable circuit includes a superconducting component arranged in a multi-dimensional array of alternating narrow and wide portions. The programmable circuit further includes a plurality of heat sources, each heat source configured to selectively provide heat to a respective narrow portion sufficient to transition the respective narrow portion from a superconducting state to a non-superconducting state. The programmable circuit further includes a plurality of electrical terminals, each electrical terminal coupled to a respective wide portion of the multi-dimensional array.

A system (100) for controlling temperature of a persistent current switch (120) operating in a background magnetic field includes a heat exchanger (138), a loop tube (135), a ball valve (245) and multiple electromagnets (251, 252). The heat exchanger disperses heat to a cryocooler (106). The loop tube enables flow of coolant to convectively transfer thermal energy generated by the persistent current switch to the heat exchanger. The ball valve is integrated with the loop tube between the persistent current switch and the heat exchanger, and contains a ferromagnetic ball (250). The electromagnets are positioned outside the loop tube adjacent to the ball valve, where energizing a first electromagnet of the multiple electromagnets magnetically moves the ferromagnetic ball to a first position opening the loop tube and enabling the flow of the coolant, and energizing a second electromagnets magnetically moves the ferromagnetic ball to a second position closing the loop tube and blocking the flow of the coolant.

An electric circuit includes one or more photon detector components and a superconducting logic gate component coupled to respective outputs of the one or more photon detector components. The electric circuit further includes a bias source electrically coupled to the superconducting logic gate component, the bias source configured to provide a bias current adapted to cause the superconducting logic gate component to function as a logical gate. The electric circuit also includes an optical switch component electrically coupled to an output of the superconducting logic gate component.