Solid-state cooler device with grid point contacts
AssigneeNorthrop Grumman Systems Corporation
InventorsJohn X. Przybysz, Aaron Ashley Hathaway, Edward R. Engbrecht, Robert M. Young
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Abstract
A solid-state cooler device is disclosed that includes a first portion having a normal metal heat sink layer and a plurality of first parallel ridges disposed over the normal metal heat sink layer, and a second portion having a normal metal layer, insulator layer, superconductor layer (NIS) junction and a plurality of second parallel ridges disposed over the superconductor layer of the NIS junction. The plurality of first parallel ridges are in contact and orthogonal to the plurality of second parallel ridges to provide a plurality of grid point contacts.
Claims14
A solid-state cooler device comprising:
- a first portion having a normal metal heat sink layer and a plurality of first elongated parallel ridges disposed over the normal metal heat sink layer, the plurality of first elongated parallel ridges extending from one edge to an opposite edge of the normal metal heat sink layer;
- and
- a second portion disposed over the first portion, the second portion having an NIS junction comprising a normal metal layer, an insulator layer and, a superconductor layer and a plurality of second elongated parallel ridges disposed over the superconductor layer of the NIS junction, the plurality of second elongated parallel ridges extending from one edge to an opposite edge of the superconductor layer,
- wherein the plurality of first elongated parallel ridges are in contact and orthogonal to the plurality of second elongated parallel ridges to provide a plurality of grid point contacts.
A refrigeration system comprising:
- a refrigeration container formed from one or more plates;
- a plurality of solid-state cooler devices surrounding the outside of the refrigeration container wherein each of the solid-state cooler devices comprises:
- a first portion having a normal metal heat sink layer, a superconductor interface layer disposed on the normal metal heat sink layer, and a plurality of first elongated parallel superconductor ridges disposed over the superconductor interface layer, the plurality of first elongated parallel superconductor ridges extending from one edge to an opposite edge of the superconductor interface layer;
- and
- a second portion disposed over the first portion, the second portion having an NIS junction comprising a normal metal layer, an insulator layer and, a superconductor layer and a plurality of second elongated parallel superconductor ridges disposed over the superconductor layer of the NIS junction, the plurality second elongated parallel superconductor ridges extending from one edge to an opposite edge of the superconductor layer,
- wherein the plurality of first elongated parallel superconductor ridges are in contact and orthogonal to the plurality of second elongated parallel superconductor ridges to provide a plurality of grid point contacts that provide paths for quasiparticles to move from the normal metal layer of the NIS junction to the normal metal heat sink layer in response to a critical current that flows across the NIS junction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.