SUPERCONDUCTING CONSTANT VOLTAGE GENERATOR

摘要

A superconducting circuit that may be utilized as an ultra-high sensitivity voltmeter or a generator generating a voltage having a substantially constant amplitude. A superconductive material having a weak link positioned therein with a voltage of unknown magnitude applied across the weak link. An oscillator has its output coupled to the weak link so that the output signal of the oscillator generates an oscillating current through it. The voltage of unknown magnitude causes an oscillating current to be generated through the weak link with a frequency proportional to the unknown magnitude of the voltage. The weak link mixes the frequency of the two currents and a demodulator detects the frequency of the oscillating current produced by the voltage of unknown magnitude. When the circuit is to be employed as a voltmeter, a frequency meter may be connected to the demodulating means which has a scale readable in voltage units. If the circuit is to be employed as a generator of a voltage having a substantially constant amplitude, a standard frequency may be fed to a comparator that also receives the output from the demodulator. The output from the comparator may be fed back to the weak link and the amplitude of the voltage having a substantially constant magnitude may be read out across a circuit component connected to the superconducting material.