[en] A superconductive tunneling device having a modified tunnel barrier capable of supporting Josephson tunneling current is provided. The tunnel barrier located between a pair of electrodes includes a molecular species which is capable of coupling incident radiation of a spectrum characteristic of the molecular species into the tunnel barrier. The coupled radiation modulates the known Josephson characteristics of the superconducting device. As a result of the present invention, a superconductive tunneling device can be tuned or made sensitive to a particular radiation associated with the dopant molecular species. The present invention is particularly useful in providing an improved infrared detector. The tunnel barrier region can be, for example, an oxide of an electrode or frozen gas. The molecular species can be intermixed with the barrier region such as the frozen gas or deposited as one or more layers of molecules on the barrier region. The deposited molecules of the molecular species are unbonded and capable of responding to a radiation characteristic of the molecules. Semi-conductor material can be utilized as the molecular species to provide an increased selective bandwidth response. Finally, appropriate detector equipment can be utilized to measure the modulation of any of the Josephson characteristics such as critical current, voltage steps, Lambe-Jaklevic peaks and plasma frequency. (auth)

[en] An electrical generator useful for providing electrical power in deep space, is disclosed. The subject electrical generator utilizes the unusual hydrodynamic property exhibited by liquid helium as it is converted to and from a superfluid state to cause opposite directions of rotary motion for a rotor cell thereof. The physical motion of said rotor cell is employed to move a magnetic field provided by a charged superconductive coil mounted on the exterior of said cell. An electrical conductor is placed in surrounding proximity to said cell to interact with the moving magnetic field provided by the superconductive coil and thereby generate electrical energy. A heat control arrangement is provided for the purpose of causing the liquid helium to be partially converted to and from a superfluid state by being cooled and heated, respectively. (U.S.)

No abstract available

[en] Steady state flow rate and friction factor of superfluid helium (HeII) were measured under controlled experimental conditions. The driving pressure difference was due to the saturated vapour pressure difference and a small hydrostatic pressure head; it ranged from 1 to 35 mm Hg (0.13 to 4.7 kPa). Previous studies were restricted primarily to isothermal flow and small He II column height difference. In this study the temperature ranged from 1.5 K to T lambda. The stainless steel transfer tubes with 0.87 mm and 1.18 mm internal diameters were under an adiabatic condition. Several tube lengths were studied, the results were universal. For comparison, the transfer of He I was also investigated with the same apparatus. Characteristics on the flow rate and friction factor are presented and discussed. (author)

No abstract available