An optoelectronic testing system of rapid, single-flux quantum circuits

We have generated picosecond voltage pulses on a superconducting microstrip line by using a metal-semiconductor-metal photodiode as an optoelectronic switch. These pulses are fed into a two-Josephson-junction pulse shaper to generate single-flux quantum (SFQ) pulses. Using a reflective electro-optic sampling system, SFQ pulses are directly observed for the first time. This important demonstration of nonintrusively detecting electrical signals from superconducting microstrip lines at the level of rapid, single-flux quantum (RSFQ) circuits opens up a new way to test such circuits, on issues such as design verification, jitter, and failure-mode testing. Further, we propose a variable-rate optoelectronic clock for testing the functional speed of RSFQ logic circuits, with an adjustable clock rate up to 38 Gb/s.<>