First demonstration of correlation in a niobium superconductive programmable binary-analog matched filter

Abstract

A complete prototype superconductive programmable binary-analog matched filter for a 2-Gchip/s spread-spectrum modem has been operated for the first time and has performed correlation. We had previously demonstrated functionality of each individual element of the filter. The analog samplers had captured signals with bandwidths in the order of 10 GHz; the binary weighted taps, which utilize the unique quantum mechanical properties of superconductive circuits, had exhibited nondestructive readout as required; and the two digital shift registers, one that stores the binary code pattern and one that controls sampling of the input analog signal in the bank of track-hold cells, had functioned at 2 GHz. Now all of these elements have been operated together in low-frequency tests. A 7-bit (or "chip" in spread-spectrum terminology) pseudo-noise (pn) code sequence was loaded into the reference shift register in each of the seven possible positions while an analog version of the pn code with its amplitude varied over the full bipolar dynamic range of the filter was used as the incoming signal. The filter response peaked as expected when the analog signal and the binary reference were aligned. The peak and sidelobe responses agreed quantitatively with those predicted from calibration measurements made with uniform signals instead of pn codes.