US Patent 11029203 Gated superconducting photon detector

An electronic device includes a first superconducting wire (with a first end and a second end) having a first threshold superconducting current. The device includes a second superconducting wire (with a first end and a second end) having a second threshold superconducting current that is less than the first threshold superconducting current. The second end of the first superconducting wire and the second end of the second superconducting wire are coupled to a common voltage node. A resistor is coupled between the first superconducting wire and the second superconducting wire, with a first end of the resistor coupled to the first end of the first superconducting wire and a second end of the resistor coupled to the first end of the second superconducting wire. The device includes a current source coupled with the first superconducting wire, and coupled with a combination of the resistor and the second superconducting wire.