QT-Shield: Compact lightweight high performance magnetic shielding enabling portable & miniaturised quantum technology systems

磁屏蔽是所有第二代量子技术（QT）系统的重要组成部分，它是消除磁干扰和观察量子行为所必需的。为了精确操作，磁场必须降低到<150微高斯，变化<0.1%。对量子系统来说，一个特别的挑战是屏蔽低频（<40Hz）和直流磁场。最好的材料是软磁合金，如MuMetal。由于屏蔽设计知识有限，制造商目前采用昂贵的试错设计方法。屏蔽几何形状保持简单（球形/圆柱体），因为这些已知提供可靠的传导表面；同时材料厚度保持高，确保可靠的屏蔽。因此，现有的屏蔽装置既笨重又笨重，限制了QT向便携式和小型化系统的发展。屏蔽是针对每种应用的独特设计，通常产量低。生产目前是通过手工加工车间；从而限制了产品的销售，并使其容易受到国外低工资经济体的冲击。QT-Shield解决方案将采用先进的屏蔽设计原则，实现高性能紧凑型轻量化磁屏蔽，与传统方法相比，重量减少50%，面积减少40%。这样的屏蔽设计将通过：-使屏蔽更紧凑，以减少屏蔽面积（从而减少材料）；并且-将层厚度最小化到仅需要（在该点）才能在感兴趣的位置实现目标磁场环境。通过先进的“理想”屏蔽几何形状和多层系统的巧妙使用，尽管偏离了接近球形/圆柱形的几何形状，但仍将保持高性能屏蔽。紧凑的屏蔽设计将通过集成先进的制造技术来实现：3D打印-能够精确地直接打印完全（单独）可定制的复杂屏蔽形状- 5轴铣削-能够在整个屏蔽区域量身定制减少材料厚度3D打印和5轴加工是全自动制造过程，使屏蔽生产向大规模定制过渡（独特的大批量生产）盾牌形状)。QT- shield项目的目的是证明以下方面的可行性：i)使用先进的设计原则来实现适合QT应用程序的轻质、紧凑和高性能磁屏蔽；ii)使用3D打印和5轴加工制造先进设计；使用先进的屏蔽设计来保护量子重力传感器演示系统。项目产出将包括：-市场研究确定紧凑型磁屏蔽最重要的机会和需求-演示在保持可靠屏蔽性能的同时实现50%重量和40%体积减少的可行性-演示使用3D打印和5轴铣削技术制造复杂屏蔽设计的可行性-原型紧凑型照明屏蔽系统演示现有保护的可行性高性能、轻量化、完全可定制的磁屏蔽不仅满足了新兴市场对量子设备的需求（实现了紧凑便携和小型化设备）；但也有广泛的现有市场领域的重要需求（在航空航天，国防，航天，汽车，电子等领域开辟新的市场应用…）。此外，基于知识的先进屏蔽设计也在市场中提供了明确的差异化，当与高度自动化的制造过程相结合时，可以以低成本实现大规模定制，支持英国工业的长期竞争力。

Magnetic shielding is an essential component of all second generation quantum technology (QT) systems necessary to eliminate magnetic interference and enable quantum behaviour to be observed. For accurate operation magnetic fields must be reduced to <150 microGuass with <0.1% variation. A particular challenge for quantum systems is shielding of low frequency (<40Hz) and DC magnetic fields. Best available materials are soft magnetic alloys, such as MuMetal. Due to limited shielding design knowhow, manufacturers currently adopt a costly trial and error design approach. Shield geometries are kept simple (spherical / cylinders) as these are known to provide reliable conduction surfaces; whilst material thickness is kept high to ensure reliable shielding. Existing shielding is thus heavy and bulky, limiting the advancement of QT towards portable and miniaturised systems. Shielding is uniquely designed for each application, often with low production volume. Production is currently through hand machining in workshops; thereby limiting production sale-up and creating a vulnerability to low wage economies abroad.The QT-Shield solution will apply advanced shielding design principles for the realisation of high performance compact-lightweight magnetic shielding delivering a >50% reduction in weight and >40% reduction in area compared to conventional approaches. Such shield designs will be achieved by:- making the shields more compact so that less shield area (and thus material) is required; and - minimising layer thickness to only that which is required (at that point) to achieve the target magnetic field environment at the site of interest.High performance shielding will be maintained, despite deviations from near spherical / cylindrical geometries through advanced 'idealised' shielding geometries and clever use of multi-layer systems. The compact shielding designs will be made through the integration of advanced manufacturing techniques:- 3D Printing - enabling accurate direct printing of fully (individually) customisable complex shielding shapes - 5-Axis milling - enabling tailored reduction of material thickness across the entire shielding area3D printing and 5-Axis machining are fully automated manufacturing processes enabling shielding production to transition towards mass customisation (high volume production of unique shield shapes).The purpose of the QT-Shield project is to demonstrate feasibility for: i) use of advanced design principles for the realization of lightweight, compact and high performance magnetic shielding suitable for QT applications; ii) manufacture of advanced designs using 3D printing and 5-axis machining; and iii) use of the advanced shielding designs for protection of a quantum gravity sensor demonstrator system. Project outputs will include:- Market study identifying the most important opportunities & requirements for compact magnetic shielding- Demonstration of feasibility for achieving >50% weight and >40% volume reduction whilst maintaining reliable shielding performance - Demonstration of feasibility for the manufacture of complex shielding designs using 3D printing and 5-axis milling techniques- Prototype compact lighting shielding system demonstrating feasibility for protection of an existing quantum gravity sensor systemHigh performance, lightweight, fully customisable magnetic shielding not only addresses the emerging market needs of quantum devices (enabling the realisation of compact portable and miniaturised devices); but also important needs across a broad range of existing market sectors (opening new market applications within aerospace, defence, space, automotive, electronics etc...). Furthermore, knowledge based advanced shielding designs also provide clear differentiation within the market and, when combined with highly automated manufacturing process enabling mass customisation at low cost, support the long term competitiveness of UK industry.