A Thermally Modulated SINIS Trasconductance Amplifier

TL;DR

This paper presents a superconducting transconductance amplifier that uses thermal modulation of a SINIS structure, achieving high gain and transconductance at cryogenic temperatures with low power dissipation.

Contribution

The paper introduces a novel thermally modulated SINIS-based superconducting amplifier with high transconductance and gain, suitable for cryogenic applications.

Findings

Transconductance exceeds 4 mS at temperatures below 250 mK.

Current gain surpasses 45 dB.

Operational bandwidth up to 1 MHz with a cutoff around 10 MHz.

Abstract

We introduce a superconducting transconductance amplifier based on the thermal modulation of a SINIS (Superconductor-Insulator-Normal metal-Insulator-Superconductor) configuration. The device is composed of a normal metal island interfaced with two superconducting leads through tunnel barriers, establishing a voltage-biased symmetric SINIS setup. An additional NIS junction connects the island to a third superconducting lead, which serves as input. When the input voltage surpasses the superconducting gap, the resultant injection of quasiparticles increases the electronic temperature of the island, thereby modulating the SINIS current. We perform numerical analyzes of the device performance, influenced by input voltage, frequency, and bath temperature. At bath temperatures below 250 mK, the device shows a transconductance exceeding 4 mS and a current gain exceeding 45 dB. Both gain and transconductance maintain their levels up to 1 MHz, but decrease at higher frequencies, with a -3 dB cutoff around 10 MHz, and an average power dissipation of approximately 5 nW. Our simulations reveal a fully voltage-controlled, three-terminal superconducting amplifier characterized by high transconductance and gain, achieved through thermally mediated signal transduction. This architectural design presents a promising avenue for cryogenic amplification with reduced power dissipation and compatibility with current superconducting electronic systems.