Dilution Refrigerator Upgrade for Cutting Edge Quantum Physics
Abstract
Quantum physics is attracting much funding and attention globally and in the US. Among NSFÕs 10 big ideas, ÒQuantum LeapÓ seeks to exploit Òquantum mechanics to observe, manipulate, and control the behavior of particles and energy at atomic and subatomic scales, resulting in next-generation technologies for sensing, computing, modeling, and communicating.Ó (quoted from the NSF web page). Earlier this spring the US Senate heard proposals for the QUANTUM for National Security Act (Senate bill 1197), and the Quantum Network Infrastructure and Workforce Development Act. Much of this kind of science requires the ability to perform measurements on samples held near 10 mK, and a quantum-ready workforce needs training in performing such measurements. UC Merced and its students have benefitted from the availability of two Oxford (formerly VeriCold) DR200 dilution refrigerators which are presently located at the Castle research facility at UC Merced. Dilution refrigerators allow scientists to perform measurements at temperatures as low as 10 mK, removing thermal noise from an experiment, and providing visibility to quantum behavior and other fundamental physical processes which are normally obscured by thermal motion of the matter comprising the system. Raymond Chiao purchased the two DRs for UC Merced in 2008 and they have operated for the past 12 years. Numerous postdoctoral scientists, graduate students and undergraduate students have been trained on system operation and have performed their research. Notably, 3 PhD. students have gone on to be employed in national laboratories where similar instruments are used. Since the system was installed, we have obtained 5 grants and published more than 10 articles which would not have been possible without the DRs. Up until October 2020 one of the units still operated regularly. The supporting equipment and measurement instruments are, however, in desperate need of upgrades. We propose to: 1) refurbish dilution refrigerator components and perform all essential maintenance to bring both units back to specified operation - upgrade operation and control system; and 2) acquire a suite of measurement instruments enabling a broader range of state-of-the-art research. Broader use of the DRs, especially by collaborators and undergraduate students, is limited by their location at Castle. We are in the process of relocating them to a new building on campus to make their unique capabilities available to a larger number of undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral scientists and faculty. The cost of upgrading these two existing dilution refrigerators is less than that needed to purchase and install a single new refrigerator (without the supporting test and measurement instrumentation). The research themes include: qubits, cavity quantum electrodynamics, state of the art quantum devices, quantum materials and solid state based quantum emitters.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 02, 2022
- Source ID
- W911NF2210138
Entities
People
- Jay E. Sharping
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- Office of the Secretary of Defense
- University of California