[论文解读] Interfacing Superconductor and Semiconductor Digital Electronics

Yerzhan Mustafa, Selçuk Köse|arXiv (Cornell University)|Jan 15, 2026

Physics of Superconductivity and Magnetism被引用 0

一句话总结

一份对超导体-半导体接口电路的综述，聚焦超导输出驱动器及其在将 SFQ 逻辑与 CMOS/半导体组件集成时的权衡。

ABSTRACT

Interface circuits are the key components that enable the hybrid integration of superconductor and semiconductor digital electronics. The design requirements of superconductor-semiconductor interface circuits vary depending on the application, such as high-performance classical computing, superconducting quantum computing, and digital signal processing. In this survey, various interface circuits are categorized based on the working principle and structure. The superconducting output drivers are explored, which are capable of converting and amplifying, e.g., single flux quantum (SFQ) voltage pulses, to voltage levels that semiconductor circuits can process. Several trade-offs between circuit- and system-level design parameters are examined. Accordingly, parameters such as the data rate, output voltage, power dissipation, layout area, thermal/heat load of cryogenic cables, and bit-error rate are considered.

研究动机与目标

• Explain the need for interfacing superconducting and semiconductor digital electronics across applications such as HPC, quantum computing, and DSP.
• Present a taxonomy of interface circuits and contrast their working principles and structures.
• Analyze fabrication technology implications on performance and power in interface circuits.
• Compare superconducting output drivers based on circuit- and system-level criteria.
• Identify advantages and drawbacks of each interface circuit type to guide hybrid design.

提出的方法

• Classify interface circuits into JJ-based and multi-terminal devices.
• DescribeJJ-based drivers (latching vs SQUID-based) with representative topologies (4JL, Suzuki stack, HUFFLE, SQUID stack, SFQ-to-DC converter, voltage doubler).
• Describe multi-terminal devices (cryotron variants: nTron, hTron, nanowire meander switch, wTron) and their output characteristics.
• Discuss operating principles, biasing schemes (AC/DC), and typical output voltages and power implications.
• Highlight design challenges such as synchronization, heat load, and layout considerations.
• Reference fabrication processes and parameter choices to illustrate performance impacts.

实验结果

研究问题

• RQ1 What interface circuit topologies enable effective conversion from SFQ pulses to CMOS-compatible signals?
• RQ2 How do JJ-based and multi-terminal drivers compare in terms of output voltage, data rate, and power dissipation across cryogenic stages?
• RQ3 What fabrication technology factors most influence the performance of superconducting-semiconductor interfaces?
• RQ4 What are the practical trade-offs for using different output drivers in 4 K to higher temperature links and memory interfacing?
• RQ5 Which interface approaches are best suited for specific applications (HPC, quantum computing, DSP, neuromorphic)?

主要发现

• JJ-based drivers include latching and SQUID-based designs capable of high output voltages (e.g., Suzuki stack, 4JL gate) but with trade-offs in biasing and heat load.
• SFQ-to-DC converters offer low power dissipation and high data rates but produce the lowest output voltages and require sensitive downstream amplification.
• Voltage doublers and related schemes can increase output voltage, enabling interfacing with CMOS memory and photonics.
• Multi-terminal cryotron devices (nTron, hTron, nanowire meander switch, wTron) can deliver large output voltages with low power but vary in switching speeds and integration challenges.
• nTron and related devices offer high output voltage ranges (up to 8.1 V) and very low power, but limited switching frequency and integration considerations.
• SQUID stacks and related circuits are commonly used to drive semiconductor memory and photonic circuits across 4 K to higher temperatures.