SQUID measurements for the quantum domain

量子力学是我们最深刻的物理理论。我们对量子世界的理解，特别是我们对材料量子特性的理解的革命，使我们能够制造计算机和智能手机，以及各种最先进的医疗仪器。这些都依赖于材料在基态的量子特性，比如核磁共振扫描仪中的超导体或风力涡轮机中的磁铁。下一代量子材料将来自大学实验室，这些实验室从事材料发现，合成新化合物或制造新晶体固体的晶体;这是英国特别强大的一个领域，其中有重要的活动。为了验证新发现的材料，有必要测量它们的磁特性，而且至关重要的是，这通常需要在非常低的温度（低于1开尔文）下进行。这是为了减少由热波动引起的随机性，并允许揭示真实的基态性质。虽然磁性测量系统通常用于英国的许多大学实验室（并且存在容量问题，因为英国研究小组对这种仪器的需求非常高），但该提案寻求解决容量问题，即需要进入低于1开尔文的状态。新设备将能够在低至约400 mK的温度下运行，比传统系统低近一个数量级，因此将允许研究新的量子基态，并使研究进入量子领域。

Quantum mechanics is our most profound physical theory. Revolutions in our understanding of the quantum world, and in particular our understanding of the quantum properties of materials, have allowed us to build computers and smartphones, as well as all kinds of state-of-the-art medical instrumentation. These rely on the quantum properties of materials in their ground state, such as the superconductors in an MRI scanner or the magnets in a wind turbine. The next generation of quantum materials will come from university laboratories which engage in materials discovery, synthesising new compounds or fabricating crystals of new crystalline solids; this is an area in which the UK is particularly strong and in which there is significant activity. In order to characterise the newly discovered materials, it is necessary to measure their magnetic properties and, crucially, this often needs to be carried out at very low temperature (sub-1 Kelvin). This is in order to reduce the randomness that is induced by thermal fluctuations and allow the true ground state properties to be revealed. Although magnetic property measurement systems are commonly used in many university laboratories is the UK (and there is a capacity issue because the demand for such instruments by UK research groups is extremely high) this proposal seeks to solve a capability issue, namely the need to enter the sub-1 Kelvin regime. The new equipment will be able to operate down to about 400 mK, nearly an order of magnitude lower than in conventional systems and will therefore allow the investigation of novel quantum ground states and enable the studies to enter the quantum domain.