Fast Pre-Test Screening Cryogenic Facility for speeding up the Development of Quantum Sensors

该提案寻求获得快速筛选低温系统的支持，以加快量子传感器的开发，以支持由包括牛津大学在内的7个英国研究机构组成的“隐藏部门的量子传感”项目（QSHS，ST/T006277/1）。超灵敏量子传感器的开发可以从快速筛选程序中受益匪浅，快速识别潜在的设计缺陷和制造缺陷，并允许研究人员预先选择有希望的候选设备进行全面表征测量。在制造阶段，取决于器件的设计和制造步骤的复杂性，产量可能不高，特别是在探索阶段。此外，在制造后，在这些量子器件的性能可以通过实验进行评估之前，仍然需要许多精细的步骤。这些制造后处理阶段可能是危险的，可能会对器件造成损坏。由于安装和测试单个器件的过程是耗时的，因此，更有效的是执行简单的DC和RF筛选以识别每个晶片上的数百个器件中的哪一个最有希望用于进一步研究。快速筛选低温系统将允许在样品表征中的高达20-50倍的吞吐量，从而大大加快了低温超导量子器件的发展。在此应用中，我们寻求支持以获得亚开尔文系统，其布线设置专门为满足我们的快速筛选目的而定制，并具有托管不同类型量子设备的灵活性。这样的系统可以从商业供应商处获得，提供快速冷却到亚开尔文环境的时间和用于筛选过程的长保持时间。该系统将能够在一个冷却周期内对多达40台设备进行直流测试，并对12台设备进行射频测试。它还将配备一套额外的射频电缆，用于现场全非线性射频表征，并配备适当的微波和射频组件，用于全器械表征。本申请所申请的资金仅用于支付快速筛选低温系统的费用。现有的拨款将用于建造现场测量所需的配套电子设备和微波元件。

This proposal seeks support to acquire a fast-screening cryogenic system to speed up the development of quantum sensors for supporting the project "Quantum Sensing for the Hidden Sector" (QSHS, ST/T006277/1), comprising 7 UK research institutes including the University of Oxford. The development of ultra-sensitive quantum sensors can be benefited hugely from a fast-screening procedure, identifying potential design flaws and fabrication defects quickly, and allowing the researchers to pre-select promising candidate devices to be brought forward for full characterisation measurements. During the fabrication stage, depending on the design of the devices and the complication in the fabrication steps, the yield may not be high, particularly in the exploratory stage. Furthermore, post-fabrication, there are still many delicate steps required before the performance of these quantum devices can be assessed experimentally. These post-fabrication handling stages can be hazardous, potentially causing damage to the devices. As the process of mounting and testing individual devices is time-consuming, it is, therefore, more effective to perform a simple DC and RF screening to identify which of the hundreds of devices on each wafer are most promising for further investigation.A fast-screening cryogenic system would allow up to 20-50 times faster throughput in sample characterisation, therefore significantly speeding up the developments of cryogenic superconducting quantum devices. In this application, we seek support to acquire a sub-Kelvin system with the wiring setup customised specifically to suit our fast-screening purpose, with the flexibility to host different types of quantum devices. Such a system can be acquired from a commercial supplier, providing fast cooling down time to the sub-Kelvin environment and a long hold time for the screening process. The system will have the capability to DC test up to 40 devices and RF test 12 devices in a single cooldown cycle. It would also be equipped with an additional set of RF cables for in-situ full nonlinear RF characterisation with appropriate microwave and RF components for full device characterisation. This application applies for funding to cover only the cost of the fast-screening cryogenic system. The build of accompanied electronics and the microwave components required for the in-situ measurement will be covered by the existing grant.