Our research team proposes to exploit superconducting digital circuits to address critical measurement challenges required for “Unleashing the Wireless Broadband Revolution” as called upon by the 2010 Presidential Memorandum. We will generate high-purity, quantum-accurate, ac wave­form standards at frequencies up to 200 GHz by in­corporating on-chip circuits that utilize single-flux quantum (SFQ) logic, a technology that has demonstrated circuit speeds up to 700 GHz and is currently under intense research as a solution for ultralow power computing. These precision NIST waveform synthesizers will assist the vibrant communications industry as they develop improved transmitters, receivers, and other devices to further spectrum utilization, monitoring, and sharing in the highly commercialized frequency bands as well as future ones (e.g., mm-wave “5G” spectrum).

Opportunities for this position exist in the areas of microwave and digital circuit design, device fabrication (in NIST’s Boulder state-of-the-art cleanroom), and development of precision measurement techniques based the prototype superconducting SFQ circuits that work at microwave and mm-wave frequencies. Since the goal is to develop both measurement techniques, devices and instruments as potential standards, the researcher will work collaboratively with NIST staff in both the Physical Measurement Laboratory (PML) and the new Communications Technology Laboratory (CTL).

 

Keywords:

Superconductors; Logic; Digital; Spectrum sharing; Wireless; Broadband; Waveform synthesis;

Citizenship:  Open to U.S. citizens

Level:  Open to Postdoctoral applicants