Reading Path
Use this path during your first two weeks. The goal is not to become an expert immediately; it is to build enough shared vocabulary that meetings, papers, and tool discussions start to make sense.
Phase 1: First Pass
Read these pages in order:
| Day | Page | Output |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Superconducting Logic Overview | One paragraph: why superconducting logic is studied |
| 2 | Superconductivity Basics | Hand-drawn ring showing flux quantization |
| 3 | Josephson Effect and JJ | Derive |
| 4 | SQUID Basics | Sketch a double-well potential and explain bias |
| 5 | SFQ Basics | Explain how one SFQ pulse propagates between stages |
| 6 | AQFP Basics | Compare SFQ and AQFP in a short table |
Phase 2: Explain Back
After the first pass, prepare a 5-minute explanation for another new member:
- Why does CMOS face an energy/interconnect problem?
- What is a flux quantum?
- What does a Josephson junction do?
- Why does SFQ use pulses?
- Why can AQFP reduce switching energy?
Keep the explanation simple. If you need more than one equation per concept, you probably have not simplified it enough yet.
Phase 3: Connect to Lab Work
Once the basics are comfortable, continue based on your project:
| If Your Work Is About | Read Next |
|---|---|
| Logic circuits | SFQ vs AQFP, Logic Design |
| Layout | Design Constraints, Layout |
| Simulation | Simulation, JoSIM Quick Start |
| Measurement | Measurement Overview, IV Measurement |
| Tools | Tools Overview, Git and Repositories |
Self-Check
You are ready for project-specific reading when you can answer these without notes:
- What physical quantity is quantized in SFQ circuits?
- Why does a
phase change matter? - What role does bias current or bias flux play?
- Why is damping important for Josephson junction switching?
- What is the energy tradeoff between SFQ and AQFP?
If any answer feels fuzzy, go back to the corresponding fundamentals page and redo the training exercise.