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From: sewilco@meccts.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.arch,comp.lsi
Subject: Re: Josephson Junction computers
Message-ID: <2357@meccts.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 22-Mar-87 03:38:35 EST
Article-I.D.: meccts.2357
Posted: Sun Mar 22 03:38:35 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 22-Mar-87 23:56:08 EST
References: <8702240351.AA00239@angband.s1.gov> <7718@utzoo.UUCP> <978@epimass.UUCP> <644@sask.UUCP>
Reply-To: sewilco@meccts.UUCP (Scot E. Wilcoxon)
Organization: MECC Technical Services, St. Paul, MN
Lines: 31
Keywords: Josephson junction computer superconductor
Xref: utgpu comp.arch:637 comp.lsi:67

Someone wrote:
>In article <978@epimass.UUCP>, jbuck@epimass.UUCP (Joe Buck) writes:
>> Seems like the newly discovered liquid-nitrogen-temperature
>> superconductors could change the economics and feasibility for JJ
>> computers radically.  Anyone know if some of the people who dropped
>> JJ research (like IBM) are reconsidering?  
>...
>Unfortunately, the newest superconductors are _not_ up to liquid nitrogen
>temperatures.  The best I've heard yet was 53 degrees kelvin, which is well
>below liquid nitrogen (~70 K, I can't remember exactly).

At least eight materials which function at ~90 K have been created.  I
assume these are what the original poster was referring to.  The
materials are ceramics, created and shaped as powders and then baked.

We're not the only ones who are pleasantly surprised.  My information
is from a page 1 story in Friday's Minneapolis Star and Tribune.  The
story is from the N.Y. Times, so I assume it was in their Thursday or
Friday paper.  The story describes the "Woodstock of physics" which
took place Wednesday night during a special overnight conference.

Participants were quite excited.  Telegraphic presentations until 3 AM,
conversation at least until 6 AM.  Quotes like "Our lives have changed."
AT&T Bell Labs showing flat shapes made just last weekend from the
materials.  Renewed hopes for room-temp (the new materials could be
used on dark side of a satellite in space).
-- 
Scot E. Wilcoxon   (guest account)  {ihnp4,amdahl,dayton}!meccts!sewilco
(612)825-2607           sewilco@MECC.COM            ihnp4!meccts!sewilco
	It may be the event of the century, but
	"Supernova 1987A" isn't a good catchword.