• 한국초전도학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국초전도학회 1999년도 High Temperature Superconductivity Vol.IX
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• pp.48-53
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• 1999

We demonstrate small-scale high-T$_c$ superconductor RSFQ(Rapid Single Flux Quantum) circuits using multilayer bicrystal technology. An RSFQ balanced comparator is demonstrated with good current resolution, and its operating conditions are discussed in some detail. A single-loop delta-sigma modulator is realized adding a feedback loop to the comparator. The effect of the feedback is confirmed by dc measurement and simulation. A design of an RSFQ toggle flip-flop with the same multilayer bicrystal technology is suggested.

• Progress in Superconductivity
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• 제3권1호
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• pp.17-22
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• 2001

Practical implementation of the SFQ technology in most application requires more than single-chip-level circuit complexity. Multiple chips have to be integrated with a technology that is reliable at cryogenic temperatures and supports an inter-chip data transmission speed of tens of GHz. In this work, we have studied two basic issues in building large RSFQ circuits. The first is the reliable inter-chip SFQ pulse transfer technique using Multi-Chip-Module (MCM) technology. By noting that the energy contained in an SFQ pulse is less than an attojoule, it is not very surprising that the direct transmission of a single SFQ pulse through MCM solder bump connectors can be difficult and an innovative technique is needed. The second is the recycling of the bias currents. Since RSFQ circuits are dc current biased the large RSFQ circuits need serial biasing to reduce the total amount of current input to the circuit.

• Progress in Superconductivity
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• 제8권2호
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• pp.181-185
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• 2007

For more than two decades Nb trilayer ($Nb/Al_2O_3/Nb$) process has been serving as the most stable fabrication process of the Josephson junction integrated circuits. Fast development of semiconductor fabrication technology has been possible with the recent advancement of the fabrication equipments. In this work, we took an advantage of advanced fabrication equipments in developing a superconducting Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) by using Nb trilayers. The ALU is a core element of a computer processor that performs arithmetic and logic operations on the operands in computer instruction words. We used DC magnetron sputtering technique for metal depositions and RF sputtering technique for $SiO_2$ depositions. Various dry etching techniques were used to define the Josephson junction areas and film pattering processes. Our Nb films were stress free and showed the $T{_c}'s$ of about 9 K. To enhance the step coverage of Nb films we used reverse bias powered DC magnetron sputtering technique. The fabricated 1-bit, 2-bit, and 4-bit ALU circuits were tested at a few kilo-hertz clock frequency as well as a few tens giga-hertz clock frequency, respectively. Our 1-bit ALU operated correctly at up to 40 GHz clock frequency, and the 4-bit ALU operated at up to 5 GHz clock frequency.

• 한국초전도저온공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국초전도저온공학회 2002년도 학술대회 논문집
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• pp.109-110
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• 2002

The purpose of a superconductive DC/SFQ circuit is to produce a controlled number of picosecond single flux quantum pulses at the output when a slowly changing DC current is applied to the input. In this work, we have designed and simulated a DC/SFQ circuit based on Nb/Al$O_{x}$/Nb Josephson junction technology. From the simulation, we could obtain the margins for various circuit parameters. And also we have successfully operated a DC/SFQ circuit which was fabricated with the same design. The margin for the input bias current of the circuit was observed to be of $\pm$60%, which was very close to the simulated value.

• 한국초전도ㆍ저온공학회논문지
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.44-47
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• 2003

There are several simulation programs in studying superconductor RSFQ (Rapid Single flux Quantum) electronic devices, which include WRspice, WinS, PSCAN, and JSIM. Even though different research groups use different simulation programs, it is not well known about which program gives the simulation results closer to the measurement values. In this work, we used both WRspice and WinS to simulate RSFQ OR gate and to compare the results from the different simulations. This comparison would help in deciding which program is better in the RSFQ circuit design. In the confluence buffer, which is the one of the main components of the DR gate, the measured bias margins were ${\times}23.2%$, while the margins from the simulations were ${\pm}35.56%$ from WRspice and it 53.1% from WinS. However, with the actual fabricated circuit parameters WRspice gave ${\pm}27%$. In WinS the circuit did not operate. We concluded that WRspice is more reliable.

• Progress in Superconductivity
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.21-25
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• 2003

We have designed and simulated an 1-bit ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit) by using a half adder. An ALU is the part of a computer processor that carries out arithmetic and logic operations on the operands in computer instruction words. The designed ALU had limited operation functions of OR, AND, XOR, and ADD. It had a pipeline structure. We constructed an 1-bit ALU by using only one half adder and three control switches. We designed the control switches in two ways, dc switch and NDRO (Non Destructive Read Out) switch. We used dc switches because they were simple to use. NDRO pulse switches were used because they can be easily controlled by control signals of SET and RESET and show fast response time. The simulation results showed that designed circuits operate correctly and the circuit minimum margins were ＋/-27%. In this work, we used simulation tools of XIC and WRSPICE. The circuit layouts were also performed. The circuits are being fabricated.

• 한국초전도ㆍ저온공학회논문지
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.17-20
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• 2005

We has designed, fabricated, and measured a Single flux quantum (SFQ) toggle flip-flop (TFF). The TFF is widely used in superconductive digital electronics circuits. Many digital devices, such as frequency counter, counting ADC and program counter be used TFF Specially, a program counter may be constructed based on TFF We have designed the newly TFF and obtained high bias margins on test. In this work, we used two circuit simulation tools, WRspice and Julia, as circuit optimization tools. We used XIC for a layout tool. Newly designed TFF had minimum bias margins of +/- $37\%$ and maximum bias margins of +/-$37\%$(enhanced from +/- $37\%$). The designed circuits were fabricated by using Nb technology The test results showed that the re-optimized TFF operated correctly on 100kHz and had a very wide bias margins of +/- $53\%$.

• Progress in Superconductivity
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.37-41
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• 2002

In this work. we have designed two different kinds of Rapid Single Flux Quantum (RSFQ) OR-gates. One was based on the already developed RSFQ cells and the other was aimed to develop a more compact version. In the first circuit, we used a combination of two D Flip-Flops and a merger and in the other circuit we used a combination of RS Flip-Flops and Confluence Buffer. We tested the circuit performance by using the simulation tools, Xic and Wrspice. We obtained the operation margins of the circuit elements by a margin calculation program, and we obtained the minimum operation margins of $\pm$30%. The circuits were laid out, aimed to fabricate by using the existing KRISS Nb process. KRISS Nb process includes the $Nb／Al_2$$O_3$／Nb trilayer fabricated by DC magnetron sputtering and the reactive ion etching technique for the definition of the features. The major tools used in the layouts were Xic and L-meter.

• Progress in Superconductivity
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.157-161
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• 2008

Due to high speed operations and ultra low power consumptions RSFQ logic circuit is a very good candidate for future electronic device. The focus of the RSFQ circuit development has been on the advancement of analog-to-digital converters and microprocessors. Recent works on RSFQ ALU development showed the successful operation of an 1-bit block of ALU at 40 GHz. Recently, the study of an RSFQ analog-to-digital converter has been extended to the development of a single chip RF digital receiver. Compared to the voltage logic circuits, RSFQ circuits operate based on the pulse logic. This naturally leads the circuit structure of RSFQ circuit to be pipelined. Delay time on each pipelined stage determines the ultimate operating speed of the circuit. In simulations, a two junction Josephson transmission line's delay time was about 10 ps, a splitter's 14.5 ps, a switch's 13 ps, a half adder's 67 ps. Optimization of the 4-bit ALU circuit has been made with delay time consideration to operate comfortably at 10 GHz or above.

• 한국초전도저온공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국초전도저온공학회 2003년도 추계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.117-119
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• 2003

We have designed fabricated, and tested an RSFQ(Rapid Single Flux Quantum) 1-bit ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit). The 1-bit ALU was composed of a half adder and three SFQ DC switches. Three DC switches were attached to the two output ports of an ALU for the selection of each function from the available functions that were AND, OR, XOR and ADD. And we also attached two DC switches at the input ports of the half adder so that the input data were controlled using the function generators operating at low speed while we tested the circuit at high speed. The test bandwidth was from 1KHz to 5 ㎓. The chip was tested at the liquid helium temperature of 4.2 K.