Digital logic gates using hot-phonon controlled superconducting nanotransistors

• Published in: IEEE transactions on applied superconductivity Vol. 13; no. 2; pp. 1104 - 1106
• Main Authors: Seung-Beck Lee, Hutchinson, G.D., Hasko, D.G., Williams, D.A., Ahmed, H.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.06.2003; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Circuit properties; Digital circuits; Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electrical machines; Electronic circuits; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Fabrication; Josephson junctions; Logic devices; Logic gates; Molecular electronics, nanoelectronics; Nanoscale devices; Phonons; Regulation and control; Resistors; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Superconducting devices; Superconducting epitaxial layers; Superconducting logic circuits; Patterning; Dry process; Heating element; Phonon; Logic gate; NOR circuit; Superconducting transistors; Nanoelectronics; Self aligned technology; Logic circuit; Current control; Weak links; Microelectronic fabrication; Reactive ion etching; Power consumption; Critical current; Manufacturing process; Hot-phonon; nanotransistors; Digital switching
• ISSN: 1051-8223; 1558-2515
• DOI: 10.1109/TASC.2003.814166

We describe the fabrication and digital switching operation of a NOR logic gate that uses a single, dual-input superconducting nanotransistor. The nanotransistor is a weak-link device that has integrated hot-phonon injectors to control its critical current. The fabrication process utilizes a self-aligned method, where the two heaters act as a mask for reactive ion etching to define the device pattern. This device is much simpler to fabricate than previously reported superconducting transistors and the principle of operation makes it possible to use a single nanotransistor, with multiple input heaters, as a NOR logic gate, allowing lower power consumption and improved levels of integration.