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，用于消除磁干扰并使量子行为得以观察。为了准确操作，磁场必须降低到<150微高斯，变化<0.1%。量子系统面临的一个特殊挑战是屏蔽低频（<40 Hz）和直流磁场。最好的可用材料是软磁合金，如MuMetal。由于有限的屏蔽设计知识，制造商目前采用成本高昂的试错设计方法。屏蔽几何形状保持简单（球形/圆柱形），因为这些已知提供可靠的传导表面;同时材料厚度保持较高以确保可靠的屏蔽。因此，现有的屏蔽是笨重的，限制了QT向便携式和小型化系统的发展。屏蔽件针对每种应用进行了独特的设计，通常产量很低。目前的生产是通过车间的手工加工，因此限制了产品的销售，并容易受到国外低工资经济的影响。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质磁屏蔽，与传统方法相比，重量减轻50%以上，面积减少40%以上。这样的屏蔽设计将通过以下方式实现：-使屏蔽更紧凑，从而需要更少的屏蔽面积（以及因此需要的材料）;以及-将层厚度最小化到仅需要（在该点处）在感兴趣的位置处实现目标磁场环境的厚度。通过先进的“理想化”屏蔽几何形状和多层系统的巧妙使用，尽管接近球形/圆柱形的几何形状存在偏差，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整的（单独）可定制的复杂屏蔽形状- 5轴铣削-实现整个屏蔽区域材料厚度的定制化减少3D打印和5轴加工是全自动化的制造工艺，使屏蔽生产过渡到大规模定制（大批量生产独特的盾构形状）。QT-Shield项目的目的是证明以下方面的可行性：i）使用先进的设计原理来实现适用于QT应用的轻质、紧凑和高性能磁屏蔽; ii）使用3D打印和5轴加工制造先进的设计;以及iii）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，确定紧凑型磁屏蔽的最重要机会和要求-演示实现>50%重量和>40%体积减少的可行性，同时保持可靠的屏蔽性能-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，演示保护现有量子重力传感器系统的可行性高性能，轻便，完全可定制的磁屏蔽不仅满足了量子设备的新兴市场需求（能够实现紧凑型便携式和小型化设备）;但也是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、电子等领域开辟新市场应用）。此外，基于知识的先进屏蔽设计还在市场上提供了明显的差异化，并且当与高度自动化的制造工艺相结合时，能够以低成本进行大规模定制，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.