Patent ID: 7365663

Claim:
A superconducting analog to digital converter (ADC) comprising: an input terminal for an application thereto of an analog input signal of varying amplitude; a first branch including a first Josephson junction (JJ) connected between said input terminal and a first output terminal; a second branch including a second Josephson junction (JJ) connected between said input terminal and a second output terminal; and flux bias means coupled between said first and second output terminals for forming a superconducting loop with said first and second branches; said flux bias means providing a bias current for said JJs wherein, in response to an analog voltage of varying amplitude applied at said input terminal, a stream of single flux quantum (SFQ) pulses is produced within the loop at a rate f1 which is proportional to the amplitude of the applied analog voltage and with the SFQ pulses being distributed alternatively at said first and second output terminals; wherein the superconducting loop functions as an analog to digital converter and as a frequency divider.