Microwave active and nonlinear components based on high temperature superconductors

The microwave engineering is on the threshold of the design and manufacture of Cryogenic Microwave Integrated Circuits (CMIC) based on high-Tc superconductors (HTSC), operating at the liquid nitrogen temperature. Along with HTSC delay lines, filters, and resonators, active components (modulators, switches, phase shifters) and nonlinear components (signal limiters and mixers) are considered as important constituents of CMIC's. The problem of noise is in urgent need of being investigated. The development of computer aided design (CAD) of the microwave components mentioned above is reported. The advancement of CMIC's is anticipated for opening up a new possibility of signal processing at microwaves. (orig.)