Superconducting logic components

1. A superconducting component, comprising:

a first circuit, including:

a superconductor having a plurality of alternating narrow and wide portions, including a plurality of narrow portions each having a first width and opposing ends connected to respective wide portions, and a plurality of wide portions each having a second width greater than the first width, two or more of the wide portions each having a corresponding terminal; and

a plurality of heat sources, each heat source thermally coupled to a corresponding narrow portion such that heat from the heat source is transmitted to the corresponding narrow portion;

wherein the plurality of heat sources is electrically isolated from the superconductor; and

an output component coupled to the first circuit, the output component configured to determine a number of the plurality of narrow portions of the superconductor in a non-superconducting state.

2. The superconducting component of claim 1 , wherein a first heat source of the plurality of heat sources comprises a photon detector.

3. The superconducting component of claim 1 , wherein the superconducting component is configured to operate as a photon counter.

4. The superconducting component of claim 1 , wherein the superconductor comprises a thin film of superconducting material.

5. The superconducting component of claim 1 , wherein the superconducting component is configured such that, in response to the transmitted heat, a corresponding narrow portion transitions from a superconducting state to a non-superconducting state.

6. The superconducting component of claim 5 , wherein wide portions connected to the corresponding narrow portion are configured to remain in a superconducting state while the corresponding narrow portion transitions from the superconducting state to the non-superconducting state.

7. The superconducting component of claim 5 , where the wide portions are configured to thermally isolate the narrow portions from one another so that heat coupled to a respective narrow portion by a corresponding heat source is not sufficient to cause a neighboring narrow portion to transition from a superconducting state to a non-superconducting state.

8. The superconducting component of claim 1 , wherein each heat source comprises a superconductor.

9. The superconducting component of claim 1 , wherein at least one terminal is coupled to a current source configured to supply a current such that a respective narrow portion of the superconductor is in a superconducting state prior to a corresponding heat source of the plurality of heat sources transmitting heat to the respective narrow portion.

10. The superconducting component of claim 1 , wherein at least one terminal is coupled to a reference node.

11. The superconducting component of claim 1 , wherein the output component is coupled to the first circuit via at least one terminal.

12. A photon detector system, comprising:

a first circuit that includes a plurality of superconducting components;

a resistive component coupled in parallel with the first circuit;

a plurality of heat sources, each heat source of the plurality of heat sources coupled to a corresponding superconducting component of the plurality of superconducting components and configured to selectively provide heat to the corresponding superconducting component in response to receiving light of at least a first intensity;

a current source coupled to the plurality of superconducting components and the resistive component, and configured to supply a first current, wherein the first current is adapted to bias the first circuit such that:

responsive to the first current, a respective superconducting component of the first circuit operates in a superconducting state; and

responsive to a combination of the first current and the heat from a corresponding heat source, the respective superconducting component operates in a non-superconducting state; and

an output component coupled to the first circuit and configured to determine a number of the plurality of superconducting components in the non-superconducting state based on an impedance of the first circuit.

13. The photon detector system of claim 12 , wherein the output component is configured to measure impedance of the plurality of superconducting components.

14. The photon detector system of claim 12 , wherein the output component is configured to measure a voltage drop across the resistive component.

15. The photon detector system of claim 12 , wherein, after transitioning to the non-superconducting state, superconducting components of the plurality of superconducting components are configured to maintain the non-superconducting state until a reset condition occurs.

16. The photon detector system of claim 12 , wherein each heat source of the plurality of heat sources comprises a respective superconducting photonic detection component;

wherein each respective superconducting photonic detection component is configured to transition from a superconducting state to a non-superconducting state in response to incident photons having at least the first intensity; and

wherein the transition to the non-superconducting state generates heat that is transferred to the corresponding superconducting component.

17. The photon detector system of claim 12 , wherein the first circuit further comprises one or more inductive components configured to slow a transition of one or more superconducting components of the plurality of superconducting components from the non-superconducting state to the superconducting state.

18. The photon detector system of claim 12 , wherein the first circuit includes a thin film of superconducting material, the thin film having a plurality of alternating narrow and wide portions; and

wherein the plurality of narrow portions comprises the plurality of superconducting components.

19. The photon detector system of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of superconducting components and the plurality of heat sources are patterned from a single thin film.

20. The photon detector system of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of heat sources is electrically-isolated from the plurality of superconducting components.

21. The photon detector system of claim 12 , further comprising a reference node coupled to two or more of the plurality of superconducting components.

22. The photon detector system of claim 12 , wherein the superconducting components of the plurality of superconducting components are arranged in series with one another.

23. A method for detecting light, comprising:

providing a first current to a first circuit that includes:

a plurality of superconducting components; and

a resistive component coupled in parallel with the plurality of superconducting components;

wherein the first current is configured such that the plurality of superconducting components operates in a superconducting state;

providing heat to one or more of the plurality of superconducting components, the heat configured to initiate a transition of the one or more superconducting components to a non-superconducting state; and

determining a number of the plurality of superconducting components in the non-superconducting state based on an impedance of the plurality of superconducting components.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the heat is provided by one or more detector components responsive to one or more incident photons;

wherein each detector component is coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of superconducting components; and

the method further comprises determining a number of incident photons based on the impedance.

25. A photon detector system, comprising:

a first circuit that includes:

a plurality of superconducting components; and

a plurality of impedance components coupling the plurality of superconducting components, wherein the plurality of impedance components comprises one or more inductors and/or one or more resistors;

a plurality of heat sources, each heat source of the plurality of heat sources coupled to a corresponding superconducting component of the plurality of superconducting components and configured to selectively provide heat to the corresponding superconducting component in response to receiving light of at least a first intensity;

a current source coupled to the plurality of superconducting components via the plurality of impedance components and configured to supply a first current, wherein the first current is adapted to bias the first circuit such that:

responsive to the first current, the respective superconducting component of the first circuit operates in a superconducting state; and

responsive to a combination of the first current and the heat from a corresponding heat source, the respective superconducting component operates in a non-superconducting state; and

an output component coupled in parallel with the first circuit, the output component configured to determine a number of the plurality of superconducting components in the non-superconducting state based on a portion of the first current flowing to the output component.

26. The photon detector system of claim 25 , wherein each heat source of the plurality of heat sources comprises a respective superconducting photonic detection component;

wherein each respective superconducting photonic detection component is configured to transition from a superconducting state to a non-superconducting state in response to incident photons having at least the first intensity; and

wherein the transition to the non-superconducting state generates heat that is transferred to the corresponding superconducting component.

27. The photon detector system of claim 25 , further comprising a first resistive component coupling the output component to the current source;

wherein the first resistive component and the plurality of impedance components are configured such that, in response to a superconducting component of the plurality of superconducting components transitioning to the non-superconducting state, a portion of the first current is redirected to the output component.

28. The photon detector system of claim 25 , wherein the first circuit further comprises one or more inductive components configured to slow a transition of one or more superconducting components of the plurality of superconducting components from the non-superconducting state to the superconducting state.

29. The photon detector system of claim 25 , wherein the first circuit includes a thin film of superconducting material, the thin film having a plurality of alternating narrow and wide portions; and

wherein the plurality of narrow portions comprises the plurality of superconducting components.

30. The photon detector system of claim 25 , wherein the plurality of superconducting components and the plurality of heat sources are patterned from a single thin film.

31. The photon detector system of claim 25 , wherein the plurality of heat sources is electrically-isolated from the plurality of superconducting components.

32. The photon detector system of claim 25 , further comprising a reference node coupled to each of the plurality of superconducting components.

33. The photon detector system of claim 25 , wherein the portion of the first current flowing to the output component is proportional to the number of the plurality of superconducting components in the non-superconducting state.

34. The photon detector system of claim 25 , wherein the superconducting components of the plurality of superconducting components are arranged in parallel with one another.

35. A method for detecting light, comprising:

providing a first current to a first circuit that includes:

a plurality of superconducting components;

an output component; and

a plurality of impedance components coupling the plurality of superconducting components and the output component;

wherein the first current is configured such that the plurality of superconducting components operates in a superconducting state;

providing heat to one or more of the plurality of superconducting components, the heat configured to initiate a transition of the one or more superconducting components to a non-superconducting state; and

detecting a portion of the first current at the output component, the portion of the first current proportional to a number of superconducting components in the non-superconducting state.

36. The method of claim 35 , wherein the heat is provided by one or more detector components responsive to one or more incident photons.

37. The method of claim 36 , further comprising determining a number of incident photons based on the portion of the first current.