Cryogenically cooled vacuum chamber radiation shields for ultra-low temperature experiments and extreme high vacuum (XHV) conditions

A method for ultra-high vacuum (UHV) or extreme high vacuum (XHV), comprising:

• providing two or more overlapping radiation shields within an inner vacuum space of a vacuum chamber, the two or more overlapping radiation shields covering at least 90% 4π steradians around a target;
• thermally coupling a first cooling element unit to a first of the two or more overlapping radiation shields;
• thermally coupling a second cooling element unit to a second of the two or more overlapping radiation shields;
• thermally coupling a third cooling element unit to the target, the third cooling element unit thermally isolated from the first and second radiation shields;
• cooling the first radiation shield to <100K;
• cooling the second radiation shield to <25K;
• cooling the target to <4K;
• and
• interacting an elongated tool with the target through one or more apertures in the first and second radiation shields, while maintaining the at least 90% 4π steradians coverage around the target.

An apparatus for ultra-high vacuum (UHV) or extreme high vacuum (XHV), comprising:

• two or more overlapping radiation shields within an inner vacuum space of a vacuum chamber, wherein the two or more overlapping radiation shields surround at least a portion of a target thereby blocking a majority of blackbody radiation from reaching the target;
• means for reducing a temperature of the first radiation shield to <100K;
• means for reducing a temperature of the second radiation shield to <25K;
• means for reducing a temperature of the target to <4K, and wherein the means for reducing the temperature of the target is thermally isolated from both of the means for reducing the temperature of the first radiation shield and the means for reducing the temperature of the second radiation shield;
• and
• means for interacting with the target via one or more apertures in the first and second radiation shields.