Cryogenic devices
AssigneeE. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
InventorsDaniel B. Laubacher, Zhi-Yuan Shen, Philip Shek Wah Pang, Alan Lauder, Dean Face
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention relates generally to cryogenic devices and, more particularly, to cryogenic devices of very small size based on superconducting elements, low thermal transmission interconnects and low dissipated power semiconductor.
Claims51
A cryogenic device comprising:
- (a) a cryogenic electronic portion contained within a vacuum dewar assembly, the cryogenic electronic portion having an input end and an output end;
- (b) an ambient to cryogenic input connector having an ambient end, and passing into the vacuum dewar assembly to a cryogenic end connected to the input end of the cryogenic electronic portion,
- (c) a cryogenic to ambient output connector having a cryogenic end connected to the output end of the cryogenic electronic portion, and passing out of the vacuum dewar assembly to an ambient end;
- (d) a cryogenic source connected to the vacuum dewar assembly and in intimate contact with the cryogenic electronic portion, and
- (e) a non-cryogenic portion comprising an active semiconductor circuit;
- wherein:
- (f) the cryogenic electronic portion comprises at least one of a high temperature superconductor filter element and a cryogenic active semiconductor circuit,
- (g) a cryogenic active semiconductor circuit, if present, produces a total dissipated power into the cryogenic electronic portion of less than about 850 mW, and
- (h) the cryogenic source has a maximum cooler lift of less than about 3 W at 80K at an ambient temperature of 20° C.
A cryogenic device comprising a cryogenic electronic portion, a non-cryogenic electronic portion and an interconnect connecting the cryogenic electronic portion and the non-cryogenic electronic portion, wherein the interconnect comprises a thermal break between the cryogenic electronic portion and non-cryogenic electronic portions, and the non-cryogenic electronic portion comprises an active semiconductor circuit.
A cryogenic device, comprising:
- (a) a cryogenic electronic portion contained within a vacuum dewar assembly, the cryogenic electronic portion having an input end and an output end;
- (b) an ambient to cryogenic input connector having an ambient end, and passing into the vacuum dewar assembly to a cryogenic end connected to the input end of the cryogenic electronic portion;
- (c) a cryogenic to ambient output connector having a cryogenic end connected to the output end of the cryogenic electronic portion, and passing out of the vacuum dewar assembly to an ambient end;
- and
- (d) a cryogenic source connected to the vacuum dewar assembly and in intimate contact with the cryogenic electronic portion,
- wherein, the cryogenic electronic portion comprises a high temperature superconductor filter element.
A method of outgassing a vacuum dewar assembly of a cryogenic device that is comprised of said vacuum dewar assembly and a cryocooler, comprising:
- (a) pumping on said vacuum dewar assembly with a vacuum pump;
- (b) maintaining said cryocooler at a temperature at which said cryocooler is not damaged;
- and
- (c) raising the temperature of said vacuum dewar assembly to increase the rate of outgassing.
A cryogenic device comprised of a vacuum dewar assembly and a getter, wherein said getter is contained an appendage that is integral with said vacuum dewar assembly.
A method of activating a getter in a cryogenic device that is comprised of a vacuum dewar assembly and a cryocooler, comprising:
- (a) providing the getter in an appendage that is integral with said vacuum dewar assembly;
- (b) pumping on said vacuum dewar assembly with a vacuum pump;
- and
- (c) raising the temperature of said appendage to a temperature sufficient to activate said getter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.