Enabling the next generation of millikelvin cryocooler.

这项拨款申请旨在推进我们目前最先进的亚开尔文毫开尔文制冷机。低温是一种使能技术，许多正在开发的先进技术都需要亚开尔文冷却，例如使用单光子探测器和量子技术的成像仪。这些技术的应用范围从医疗和安全到计算和通信。从历史上看，低温系统一直很大（有时是房间大小）且笨重，需要专业知识才能操作，这阻碍了这些新技术和先进技术的发展。我们的重点是消除这些限制，并向学术界和工业界的非低温专家开放超低温领域。通过EPSRC的资助，MSSL/UCL的Cryogenics小组已经建立了第一个完全自主，无低温，易于使用，低质量（< 5 kg），紧凑和连续的毫开尔文制冷机，它能够在0.85到4开尔文之间的任何温度下提供连续冷却，只需按下按钮-不需要专业知识即可操作。我们建议在这一成功的基础上，通过计算机建模、实验研究、材料开发和工程以及开发定制电子硬件的结合，进行有针对性的组件级研究和开发，以解决基本的传热过程。我们的目标是，这项研究不仅有利于我们的研究，而且有利于其他学科的广泛发展。本研究将显著改进和推进我们的毫开尔文制冷机，使我们在4开尔文工作时可以获得0.3开尔文的基温，在预冷至2开尔文以下时可以获得0.1开尔文以下的基温，这是上述技术所需要的（2开尔文可以由2毫开尔文制冷机或市售的低于2开尔文的制冷机提供）。这样的发展将使英国保持在低温冷却的前沿，同时使新的低温技术在英国和国际上得到更广泛的应用和商业化。

This grant application seeks to advance our current state-of-the-art sub-Kelvin millikelvin cryocooler. Cryogenics is an enabling technology and sub-Kelvin cooling is required for many advanced technologies under development, e.g. Imagers using single photon detectors and quantum technologies. Applications of these technologies range from medical and security to computing and communications. Historically, cryogenic systems have been large (sometimes room-sized) and cumbersome and require specialist knowledge to operate, which is prohibitive to the development of these new and advanced technologies. Our focus is to remove such limitations and open up the field of ultra-low temperatures to non-Cryogenic specialists in both academia and industry. Through EPSRC funding, the Cryogenics group at MSSL/UCL have built the first fully autonomous, cryogen-free, easy-to-use, low mass (< 5 kg), compact and continuous millikelvin cryocooler, which is capable of providing continuous cooling at any temperature between 0.85 and 4 Kelvin at the press of a button - no specialist knowledge is required to operate it. We propose to build on this success and perform targeted component level research and development to address fundamental heat transfer processes through a combination of computer modelling, experimental investigation, materials development and engineering as well as develop bespoke electronics hardware. Our aim is that this research will benefit not only our research, but a wide-range of other disciplines. This research will significantly improve and advance our millikelvin cryocooler, enabling a base temperature of 0.3 Kelvin to be obtained when operated from 4 Kelvin and below 0.1 Kelvin to be obtained when pre-cooled to below 2 Kelvin, which is required for the technologies mentioned above (2 Kelvin can be provided by either a 2nd millikelvin cryocooler or a commercially available sub-2 Kelvin cooler). Such development will keep the UK at the forefront of millikelvin cryogenic cooling, whilst enabling the wider application and commercialisation of new cryogenic technologies both in the UK and internationally.