IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,336,195
Granted Patent B2
US 12,336,195 · App. 17/682,587 · Granted Jun 17, 2025

Trench capacitor device for superconducting electronic circuit and superconducting qubit device

Inventor: Anton Potocnik (Leuven, BE)
Assignee: IMEC VZW
H10D1/042G06N10/00H10D1/716H10N60/805H10N69/00H01L23/49888H01L23/53285H10D64/608H10N60/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,336,195
App. No.
17/682,587
Granted
Jun 17, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The disclosure relates to a trench capacitor device for a superconducting electronic circuit. The trench capacitor device includes a substrate, a first capacitor electrode, and a second capacitor electrode, each electrode including a superconductor and extending into the substrate. The first electrode is circumferentially enclosed by the second electrode such that an inwardly facing surface of the second electrode faces an outwardly facing surface of the first electrode.

Claims (31)

1. A trench capacitor device comprising:

a substrate;

a first electrode comprising a superconductor and extending into the substrate, wherein the first electrode is arranged in a first trench extending into the substrate from a first side towards a second side of the substrate; and

a second electrode comprising a superconductor and extending into the substrate, the first electrode being circumferentially enclosed by the second electrode such that an inwardly facing surface of the second electrode faces an outwardly facing surface of the first electrode, wherein the second electrode is arranged in a second trench extending into the substrate from the second side towards the first side.

2. The trench capacitor device according to claim 1 , wherein the inwardly facing surface and the outwardly facing surface are separated by a dielectric material of the substrate.

3. The trench capacitor device according to claim 1 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are separated by crystalline silicon.

4. The trench capacitor device according to claim 1 , wherein the inwardly facing surface and the outwardly facing surface are separated by an air gap.

5. The trench capacitor device according to claim 1 , wherein the inwardly facing surface and the outwardly facing surface are separated by a vacuum.

6. The trench capacitor device according to claim 1 , wherein the first electrode has a rounded cross-sectional shape.

7. The trench capacitor device according to claim 1 , wherein the second electrode has a rounded tubular cross-sectional shape.

8. The trench capacitor device according to claim 1 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are coaxially arranged.

9. The trench capacitor device according to claim 1 , wherein the first electrode has a decreasing radial dimension along a first direction from a first side of the substrate towards a second side of the substrate.

10. The trench capacitor device according to claim 9 , wherein the second electrode has a decreasing wall thickness along a second direction from the second side towards the first side.

11. The trench capacitor device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a first ground plane arranged on a first side of the substrate;

a second ground plane arranged on a second side of the substrate opposite the first side;

a first Josephson junction connected between the first electrode and the second electrode and arranged on the first ground plane;

a third electrode comprising a superconductor, wherein the third electrode is in contact with the first ground plane and extends into the substrate;

a fourth electrode comprising a superconductor, wherein the fourth electrode is in contact with the second ground plane and extends into the substrate, the third electrode being circumferentially enclosed by the fourth electrode such that an inwardly facing surface of the fourth electrode faces an outwardly facing surface of the third electrode; and

a second Josephson junction connected between the third electrode and the fourth electrode and arranged on the first ground plane.

12. A superconducting qubit device comprising:

a trench capacitor device comprising:

a substrate;

a first electrode comprising a superconductor and extending into the substrate; and

a second electrode comprising a superconductor and extending into the substrate, the first electrode being circumferentially enclosed by the second electrode such that an inwardly facing surface of the second electrode faces an outwardly facing surface of the first electrode; and

a Josephson junction connected between the first electrode and the second electrode of the trench capacitor device.

13. The superconducting qubit device according to claim 12 , further comprising a first ground plane arranged on a first side of the substrate and a second ground plane arranged on a second side, wherein a lower electrode layer of the Josephson junction abuts the first ground plane, the second electrode abuts the second ground plane, and the first electrode is connected to an upper electrode layer of the Josephson junction.

14. The superconducting qubit device according to claim 13 , wherein a portion of the second electrode extends completely through the substrate to abut the first ground plane.

15. The superconducting qubit device according to claim 13 , further comprising a superconductor via arranged to extend through the substrate to interconnect the first ground plane and the second ground plane.

16. The superconducting qubit device according to claim 13 , further comprising a feedline arranged on the first side and capacitively coupled to the trench capacitor device.

17. The superconducting qubit device of claim 12 , wherein the first electrode is arranged in a first trench extending into the substrate from a first side towards a second side of the substrate, and wherein the second electrode is arranged in a second trench extending into the substrate from the second side towards the first side.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 4, 2022
From: POTOCNIK, ANTON
To: IMEC VZW
Reel/Frame 059168/0489 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 21160148 · Mar 2, 2021 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220285482A1 · Sep 8, 2022
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