Project Info


Design, machining, and installation of measurement hardware for a Dilution Refrigerator

Meenakshi Singh | msingh@mines.edu

Dilution refrigerators (DRs) have been the workhorses of low temperature Physics for several decades. The measurement of samples at DR temperatures has enabled us to understand fundamental Physics by eliminating the effects of room temperature thermal noise. With the rise of quantum information, they are also becoming important for quantum computing applications. Measuring anything inside a dilution fridge requires specialized instrumentation. For example, the sample stages have to be free of magnetic material and have high thermal conductivity at 10 mK. The electronic measurement lines have to have high bandwidth for fast measurement, yet filter out room temperature noise to avoid heating up the fridge. This project will therefore call upon enhanced understanding of diverse areas ranging from microwave electronics to cryogenics. It will also develop skills in diverse areas including CAD design, precision machining, modeling microwave circuits in SPICE, and working with a dilution refrigerator.

More Information

1. Microwave Engineering by David Pozar
2. Matter and Methods at Low Temperatures by Frank Pobell
3. http://www.oxford-instruments.cn/OxfordInstruments/media/nanoscience/Priciples-of-dilution-refrigeration_v14.pdf

Grand Engineering Challenge: Engineer the tools of scientific discovery

Student Preparation


Qualifications

1. Course in electricity and magnetism
2. Some course covering thermal transport (conduction, convection, radiation)
3. Interest in electronics
4. Interest in machining

Time Commitment

40 hours/month

Skills/Techniques Gained

1. Machining
2. CAD
3. Cryogenics
4. Microwave electronics

Mentoring Plan

1. Individual meeting once a week to assess progress, make plans for coming weeks and figuring out solutions to problems.
2. Group meeting once every two weeks to present progress to group.