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«KW3t??..„ SPECIAL PUBLICATION 508

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE / National Bureau of Standards

1

osea0 Small

l7Q

tioMl Bureau of Staruiards

MAY 1 i 1978

^ Applications of Closed-Cycle Cryocoolers to

^0 Small Superconducting Devices

Proceedings of a Conference Held at the

National Bureau of Standards,

Boulder, Colorado

October 3-4, 1977

Edited by

James E. Zimmerman and Thomas M. Flynn

Cryogenics Division

Institute for Basic Standards

National Bureau of Standards

Boulder, Colorado 80303

Sponsored by

National Bureau of Standards

and

Office of Naval Research

Arlington, Virginia 22217

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, Juanita M. Kreps, Secretary

Dr. Sidney Harman, Under Secretary

Jordan J. Baruch, Assistant Secretary for Science and Technology

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS, Ernest Ambler, Director

Issued April 1978
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 78-606017

National Bureau of Standards Special Publication 508

Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.) Spec. Publ. 508, 238 pages (Apr. 1978)

CODEN. XNBSAV

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON: 1978

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20434

Stock No 003-003-01910-1 Price $4.25

(Add 25 percent additional for other than U.S. mailing).
ABSTRACT

This document contains the proceedings of a meeting of specialists

in small superconducting devices and in small cryogenic refrigerators.

Industry, Government, and academia were represented at the meeting held at the

National Bureau of Standards (NBS) on October 3 and 4, 1977« The purpose of

the meeting was to define the refrigerator requirements for small superconducting

devices and to determine if small cryogenic refrigerators that are produced in

relatively large quantities can be adapted or developed to replace liquid helium

as the cooling medium for the superconducting devices. Because the focus was on small superconducting devices, the discussion was primarily limited to

refrigerators with capacities from zero up to a watt or two in the temperature

range of 2 to 20 K. The meeting was jointly sponsored by the Office of Naval

Research (ONE) and NBS.

Key words: Cryo coolers; Refrigeration; Superconducting devices.

iii
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 78-606017

National Bureau of Standards Special Publication 508

Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.) Spec. Publ. 508. 238 pages (Apr. 1978)

CODEN: XNBSAV

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON: 1978

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, B.C. 20434

Stock No 003-003-01910-1 Price $4.25

(Add 25 percent additional for other than U.S. mailing).
ABSTRACT

This document contains the proceedings of a meeting of specialists

in small superconducting devices and in small cryogenic refrigerators.

Industry, Government, and academia were represented at the meeting held at the

National Bureau of Standards (NBS) on October 3 and 4» 1977. The purpose of

the meeting was to define the refrigerator requirements for small superconducting

devices and to determine if small cryogenic refrigerators that are produced in

relatively large quantities can be adapted or developed to replace liquid helium

as the cooling medium for the superconducting devices. Because the focus was on small superconducting devices, the discussion was primarily limited to

refrigerators with capacities from zero up to a watt or two in the temperature

range of 2 to 20 K. The meeting was jointly sponsored by the Office of Naval

Research (ONR) and NBS.

Key words: Cryocoolers; Refrigeration; Superconducting devices.

iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

1. "Introductory Remarks and Summary,"

by R. Brandt, A. Silver and J.E. Zimmerman 1

2. "Refrigeration Fundamentals," by R. Radebaugh 7

3. "Concepts for Cooling Small Superconducting Devices Using ClosedCycle Regenerative Refrigerators," by R.C. Longsworth 45

4. "Operation of a SQUID in a Very Low-Power Cryocooler,"

by J.E. Zimmerman and R. Radebaugh

5. "Shuttle Heat Transfer in Plastic Displacers at Low Speeds,"

by R. Radebaugh and J.E. Zimmerman 67

6. "Scaling of Miniature Cryocoolers to Microminiature Size,"

by W.A. Little 75

7. "Small Magnetic Refrigerators to Pump Heat from Helium Temperatures

to above 10 K," by W.A. Steyert 81

8. "Electrocaloric Refrigeration for the 4-20 K Temperature Range,"

by R. Radebaugh ^3

9. "One Million Hours at 4.5 Kelvin," by W.H. Higa and E. Wiebe

10. "Design Compromises in the Selection of Closed-Cycle Cryocoolers,"

by F.F. Chellis ""09

11. "Magnetic and Vibrational Characteristics of a Closed Cycle

Refrigerator," by J.E. Cox and S. A. Wolf "1 23

lii'12. "Closed-Cycle Refrigerator for a Superconducting Susceptometer,

by D.A. Vincent I^l

13. "Cryogenic Applications of Closed-Cycle Mechanical and Adsorption

Refrigeration," by W.H. Hartwig ^35

14. "Cryogenic Cooling Requirements of Photoconductive Infrared

Detectors for Orbiting Astronomical Telescopes,"

by J.W. Vorreiter and C.R. McCreight ''^3
TABLE OF CONTENTS, continued

Page

15. "Cooling of Josephson MM- and SubMM-Wave Systems: Requirements,

Results and Applications," by J. Edrich 159

16. "Progress Report on High-T^ Superconducting Devices,"

by M.R. Beasley 167

17. "Application of SQUID Detectors in Biomagnetism,

by S.J. Williamson and L. Kaufman 177

18. "Cryogenic Techniques and Geophysical Measurements,"

by W.D. Stanley 205

19. "Cryocoolers for Use with Superconducting Instruments:

Some Estimates of Requirements," by M.B. Simmonds 207

20. "Refrigerator Requirements for Potential Josephson Data Processing

Systems," by B.J.C. van der Hoeven, Jr. and W. Anacker 213

21. "Liters, Kilograms, Watts and Seconds: Design Goals for a Refrigerator for Use with Superconductive Systems,"

by M. Nisenoff 221

22. "Potential Scientific Uses of Cryogens in Space in the Temperature

Range from 1 mK to 10 K," by E. Tward 227

23. "Josephson Voltage Standards - An Application for Cryocoolers?"

by L.B. Holdeman and C.C. Chang 243

24. Photograph of Delegates 247

25. Identification Page 248

26. List of Delegates with Addresses 249

DISCLAIMER

Papers by non-NBS authors have not been reviewed or edited by NBS. Therefore, the

National Bureau of Standards accepts no responsibility for comments or recommendations contained therein.

vi
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS AND SUMMARY

Richard Brandt

Office of Naval Research

Pasadena, California 91106

Arnold Silver

Aerospace Corporation

Los Angeles, California 90009

James Zimmerman

National Bureau of Standards

Boulder, Colorado 80203

1

1
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS AND SUMMARY

R. Brandt, A. Silver and J. Zimmerman

This document contains the proceedings of a meeting of specialists in small superconducting devices and in small cryogenic refrigerators. Industry, Government, and academia

were represented at the meeting held at the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) on October 3

and 4, 1977. The purpose of the meeting was to define the refrigerator requirements for

small superconducting devices and to determine if small cryogenic refrigerators that are produced in relatively large quantities can be adapted or developed to replace liquid helium

as the cooling medium for the superconducting devices. Because the focus was on small

superconducting devices, the discussion was primarily limited to refrigerators with capacities

from zero up to a watt or two in the temperature range of 2 to 20 K. The meeting was jointly

sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and NBS, and was organized by Edgar Edelsack

of ONR (who for personal reasons was unable to attend), Professor Little of Stanford University, and Tom Flynn, Ray Radebaugh and Jim Zimmerman of NBS.

Superconducting devices are finding applications in many areas, including biomedical

research, geophysical measurements, metrology, electromagnetic radiation detection, digital

signal processing and computing. The customary way to provide the required low-temperature

environment is to immerse the device in a bath of liquid helium. This procedure has many

advantages; in particular, the liquid helium bath is mechanically and magnetically quiet,

thermally stable even with large heat loads, and not subject to mechanical breakdown, whereas

existing cryogenic refrigerators suffer from many of these problems. Furthermore, liquid

helium is readily available commercially and is relatively inexpensive in the present supply/

demand situation. For these reasons, considerable efforts have been made to optimize the

design of liquid helium dewars for specific applications. This approach is satisfactory at

present while the various application possibilities are being explored. However, if superconductive instruments are ever to have widespread use, it will be necessary to incorporate

cryocoolers which can be operated by ordinary technicians rather than cryogenic specialists.

The papers contained herein cover a broad range of technologies, from classical refrigeration techniques at one extreme, to recent exotic applications of superconductivity such

as magnetic measurements of earth conductivity and of human brain activity at the other. It

was precisely the purpose of the meeting to bring together those of such diverse interests.

It is hoped that face-to-face encounters between the users and the producers of low temperature will stimulate thought and development of small superconducting and other cryogenic

instrumentation which can be put into operation by the simple expedient of throwing a switch.

Since the facilities available for the meeting did not permit an open invitation to

everyone who might have wished to attend, it is the purpose of this document to make available to a wider audience most of what was discussed. It contains most of the papers that were presented orally at the meeting, as well as a paper by Holdeman and Chang, not presented

at the meeting, describing recent development of a simplified Josephson dc voltage standard.

Papers ROt included (no manuscripts having been submitted) are one by Durenec on a miniature
ultra-quiet dual-reciprocating compressor for small cryocoolers, one by Goodkind on his

notable work with a gravimeter (mentioned briefly by Stanley in his paper), one by Goree on

the use of small cryocoolers to extend the operating time of liquid helium dewars, and

others.

The list of superconducting and other practical small cryogenic devices discussed here

is far from complete. There is virtually no mention of mm-wave superconducting paramps and

mixers, bolometers, super-Schottky diodes, nor a variety of devices for precise dc and rf

metrology [1,2,3,4]. The refrigeration power required by all such devices is modest, and

their potential usefulness would be enormously enhanced by cleverly-designed and integrated

refrigeration systems that are easy and economical for non-specialists to operate and

maintain.

Most cryocooler development over the past decade has occurred in response to distinct,

large-quantity needs, resulting in the manufacture and sale of hundreds of units. Two

notable examples, discussed by Longsworth, Chellis and others, are cryocoolers for infrared

detectors and for low-noise microwave receivers. In the first case, cooling to either 77 K

or 20 K is required, depending on the detector material, while a temperature of 4.5 K is

used for the traveling-wave maser amplifiers. Typical refrigeration capacities of commercial

units range from a few watts to tens of watts at 77 K and 20 K and a watt or so at 4 K.

To maintain temperatures below about 6 K, a Joule-Thomson stage is added to the cold end of

a helium temperature refrigerator such as a Stirling or Gifford-McMahon machine as described

in several papers. The reliability of these relatively large (compared to the needs of most

superconducting devices) cryocoolers is very good, with mean times between failures measured

in thousands of hours. The reliability is not good enough for space applications, however.

For this reason, among others, liquid cryogens will be used in the forthcoming space experiment described by Vorreiter and McCreight. Further information on space requirements are discussed by Mason and Tward.

A Joule-Thomson stage adds considerably to the cost and complexity of the refrigeration

system. Papers by Radebaugh and by Steyert discuss electrocaloric and magnetocaloric processes

as possible alternatives. The former, although attractive in principle, is not a viable

process at present because a material with suitable electric polarizability has not been

discovered. Magnetic cooling, on the other hand, is eminently practical in the low temperature range with possible extension to rather high temperatures. It is clear that very

little effort has been made to date to satisfy the specific refrigeration requirements of

small superconducting devices. An exception is the work reported by Zimmerman and Radebaugh

in which a Nb SQUID is being operated at 8.5 K in a very-low-power 4-stage Stirling cryocooler.

The papers by Edrich and by Hartwig describe the use of commercial cryocoolers to

operate superconducting devices; these are examples where (to quote Professor Little's words

out of context) the cryocoolers may be grossly mismatched to the devices.

An interesting proposal is made by W. Little concerning the use of microminiature

Joule-Thomson (JT) coolers for superconducting devices. He has derived a set of scaling

laws which show that the open JT system can be miniaturized and still yield acceptable

amounts of refrigeration with reasonable supplies of high pressure gas. The JT system has

3
many attractive features including a short cool -down time, estimated to be 25 seconds, which

is far less time than required by most closed-cycle mechanical refrigerators.

One of the highlights of the meeting is the optimistic view of high-T^ superconductors

by Beasley, who suggests that development of clean and precise fabrication methods may lead

to very good devices operating in the 10-20 K range. Realization of this prospect would

greatly reduce the cost and complexity of the requisite cryocooler. This is not to say that

lower temperatures will not be necessary or desirable for many applications.

The final session of the meeting was a panel discussion, with input from the audience,

on where the technology should go from here. Panel members were Professor Little (Chairman)

Longsworth, Gifford, Higa, Hartwig, Nisenoff, and Zimmerman. No general consensus was

reached on how commercial quantities of small cryogenic refrigerators could be produced to

replace helium as the cooling medium for small superconducting devices. A major reason for

this is the large diversity of refrigerator requirements and configurations. Even in the

application of closed-cycle cryocoolers to SQUID' s there is a significant spectrum of

requi rements

Perhaps the most pervasive feature of the free-for-all discussion was the enthusiasm of

those suggesting that the time of cryocoolers for small devices has arrived, countered by

the conservatism of the industry representatives pointing out that one needs a reasonable

expectation of a profitable market.

There appears to be no major technical obstacle to satisfying the various user needs

for the cryogenic refrigerator, however elimination of vibration, magnetic disturbance, and

temperature variations does pose a challenge. Except for the use of liquid helium and the

SQUID-cryocooler program at NBS-Boulder, no solution is at hand or in the offing. Similarly

there is no likelihood of a near term, space qualified, closed-cycle cryocooler. Approaches

which could be undertaken for small superconducting devices, given funding, are use of a Stirling or Gifford-McMahon cycle to 10-20 K, followed by either small Joule-Thomson or magnetic systems. Addition of the last stage adds significantly to the cost.

On the subject of appropriate research and development effort, a number of people felt

that geophysical magnetometers should be selected as a trial system for incorporation of a closed-cycle refrigerator because of the large perceived market, even though the demands on isolation from vibrational and magnetic noise are severe. Others felt that biomedical

gradiometers would be a better choice because the availability of a simply operated and

maintained instrument is needed to encourage its widespread use in the biomedical community.

It was clear from the discussion that an overall systems approach to small superconducting devices has rarely been used and is really needed to optimize system performance and

define refrigerator requirements more precisely. It was also felt that there is a strong

need for innovation and that research on new refrigeration concepts should be encouraged.

»

k
REFERENCES

[1] P.L. Richards, "Superconducting Devices for Millimeter and Submil 1 imeter Wavelengths,"

p 323 in Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices and Appl ications , Hahlbohm and

Lubbig, eds., de Gruyter, Berlin (1977).

[2] J. Clarke, et aT_. , "Superconducting Tunnel -Junction Bolometers," Rev. Phys. Appl. 9^, 69

(1974).

[3] M. McColl, et al_. , "The Super-Schottky Microwave Mixer," IEEE Trans, on Magnetics MAG12, 221 (1977).

[4] R. Kamper, "Superconducting Devices for Metrology and Standards," Chap. 5 in Superconductor Applications , Schwartz and Foner, eds.. Plenum, New York (1977).

5
1
REFRIGERATION FUNDAMENTALS:

A VIEW TOWARD NEW REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS *

Ray Radebaugh

Cryogenics Division

National Bureau of Standards

Boulder, Colorado 80303

ABSTRACT

It is pointed out in this paper that most of the refrigeration techniques used today

which are applicable to superconducting devices were conceived over 100 years ago. The

paper emphasizes the need to look for new refrigeration systems if great strides in reliability,

size and cost are to be made. To stimulate this search, thermodynamic fundamentals and

refrigeration cycles applicable to any refrigeration system are discussed. Since refrigeration power of a system is proportional to its available entropy, a comparison of entropies

for various systems is made. These systems include such things as electrons, phonons,

spins, electric dipoles, mixtures, reversible cells, as well as more familiar gas-liquidsolid systems. The merits of various refrigeration systems are discussed in context with

this entropy comparison. Finally, approaches to eliminate some of the troublesome mechanical

parts in gas-liquid systems are discussed.

* Contribution of the National Bureau of Standards, not subject to copyright.
REFRIGERATION FUNDAMENTALS:

A VIEW TOWARD NEW REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS

INTRODUCTION

In a paper of this sort it would seem reasonable to review the basic thermodynamics

behind refrigeration, to discuss the various refrigeration cycles now in use and to compare

them in some manner to aid the user in selecting the best refrigeration scheme for his

application. Since many readers will be experts in refrigeration, such an approach is followed only to a limited extent. The emphasis of the paper will be on a search for new refrigeration methods.

In spite of great scientific strides over the last century, the refrigeration principles used today are, for the most part, the same as those used for the last century.

These principles were refined between the period of the first liquefaction of air in 1877

by Cailletet and by Pictet and the first liquefaction of helium by Onnes in 1908. The

mechanical work required for these gas systems presents difficult engineering problems.

However, considerable engineering progress has been made since that time so that such cryogenic refrigerators or liquefiers have moved from the category of laboratory devices to

industrial machines. Still further engineering strides are needed to make such refrigerators

sufficiently reliable, inexpensive, and efficient to be used regularly for cooling small

superconducting devices.

The emphasis of this paper will be to encourage the reader to think of new approaches

to refrigeration. If the new refrigeration system is inherently more simple than present

day gas systems, then less engineering effort is needed to make the system competitive. A

technique of entropy comparison will be discussed in some detail. The comparison allows one

to quickly assess the refrigeration potential of a new system and to develop some feel for

how to look for a new system. A brief comparison of present day gas-liquid cycles will be

made so that those not already expert in refrigeration will have a sufficient background to

understand the papers on refrigeration techniques given at this conference.

THERMODYNAMIC CONSIDERATIONS

Refrigeration means that some heat, Q, is absorbed at a temperature below ambient. It

should be realized that this Q may be due entirely to the heat leak from ambient. Such will

be the case in refrigeration of some small superconducting devices which dissipate nanowatts

of power. The absorption of Q at some low T is the desirable part of a total refrigeration

cycle. Unfortunately the first and second laws of thermodynamics tell us that this process

does not come to us free. How much we pay for such refrigeration can be determined only by

considering the rest of the refrigeration cycle. At some point in the cycle heat is given

off at ambient temperature. Also, the second law of thermodynamics requires that work be

done to the system to supply the refrigeration.

^ Though it is not obvious to the laboratory user of liquid helium, the rest of the cycle

still needs to be considered. The liquid helium in a dewar is part of a discontinuous flow

of the working fluid to a separate location from some other part of the cycle. The cost and

8
availability of the helium is determined by the efficiency and reliability of that part of the

cycle. When the boil-off gas is vented to the atmosphere instead of returned to the compressor, the cycle is not completed but the process is often called an open cycle. Though often

convenient for laboratory use, the discontinuous supply of refrigerant in a dewar can be

troublesome for use in remote locations and for use where the expertise does not exist to

transfer liquid from a discontinuous supply. In those cases it is better to provide a

continuous supply of refrigeration, which means that the rest of the cycle must be considered

as an integral part of the refrigeration process. The refrigerant system, e.g., helium,

then undergoes a complete cycle so the term closed-cycle refrigeration is used to describe

the process.

Ideal Refrigeration Cycles

The path used in any refrigeration cycle can be drawn in a temperature-entropy plane,

or T-S diagram. Figure 1 shows one such cycle known as the Carnot cycle. The amount of

Carnot Cycle

Figure 1. Temperature-entropy diagram for the Carnot cycle.

heat absorbed at the temperature T is related to the entropy change by

dQ < TdS. (1)

If the process is done reversibly, the heat absorbed is:

'According to this equation, the heat Q absorbed at the temperature T will be the area under

the line at T in Fig. 1. The heat given off at T is the area under that line. It is ^ ^0 0

assumed that all the steps in going around the cycle in Fig. 1 are reversible. Because the

two isotherms are connected by adiabatic lines, i.e., constant entropy, no heat crosses the

system boundary during these processes. According to the first law of thermodynamics the

total amount of work required to complete the cycle is:

9
W = Qq - Q. (3)

This work is represented by the enclosed area shown in Fig. 1. From Eqs. (2) and (3) we may

wri te:

W = T AS - TAS = AS(T - T)

0 ^ 0

' (4)

The efficiency of any refrigeration process is defined by n

= Q/W. From Eqs. (2) and (4)

the efficiency of the Carnot cycle becomes:

= T/(T^ - T), (5)

where is called the Carnot efficiency and represents the highest possible efficiency for

a cycle operating between T and T^. Any real cycle will have irreversibilities which lead

to a lower efficiency.

The Carnot cycle is difficult to carry out in practice partly because a very high

generalized force (e.g., pressure in a gas-liquid system) is required to reach the upper

left corner of the cycle in Fig. 1. That problem can be overcome by shifting the ambient

part of the cycle to the right. Figures 2(a) and 2(b) show two examples of such altered

Stirling Cycle Ericsson Cycle

Figure 2(a) Figure 2(b)

Figure 2. Temperature-entropy diagrams for the (a) Stirling cycle and (b) the Ericsson cycle

cycles. The particular ones shown in these figures can be approximated in practice if the

cycle times are long. The names given to these cycles are after the persons who first built

working engines following such cycles. Though the cycle direction is reversed for a refrigerator, it is still customary to use the same name for the refrigeration cycle.

In Fig, 2(a) the isotherms at T and T^ are connected by constant volume processes

(constant displacement in a general system). Such an ideal thermodynamic-cycle is known as

the Stirling cycle. In 1816 Robert Stirling [1], a minister of the Church of Scotland,

devised the practical means of approximating the cycle shown in Fig, 2(a), but the direction

10
was reversed to produce a power cycle. In 1874 the Scottish engineer Alexander Kirk [2]

published his work on a refrigerator utilizing the Stirling cycle in reverse. His refrigerator reached about 214 K with air as the working system operating between about 1 and 2

atmospheres pressure. The refrigerator was the same in many details to modern Stirlingcycle refrigerators and even had a conical displacer representing the limit of an infinite

number of stages. No doubt his temperature was limited by the relatively poor insulation

provided by sawdust, but then Dewar did not introduce vacuum insulation until 1893. Understandably the name Kirk is used sometimes with such refrigerators, but in keeping with

present practice, the name Stirling will be used in this paper even when referring to the

refrigeration cycle. It should be kept in mind that the Stirling cycle as defined by a path

in a T-S diagram is not limited to a gas system undergoing pressure-volume variations. Any

material whose entropy can be changed can serve as the working substance.

In Fig. 2(b) the isotherms at T and are connected by constant pressure lines (constant generalized force). In about 1826 the Swedish inventor John Ericsson [3] devised an

air engine which approximated the reverse of the cycle shown in Fig. 2(b). Thus Ericsson

cycle is the name associated with the ideal cycle shown in Fig. 2(b), whether it be for an engine or refrigerator. Actually, there is no limit to the number of ways which the two

isotherms can be connected, but the simple ones shown in Figs. 1, 2(a) and 2(b) are particularly significant. In a later section other specific cycles commonly used in liquid-gas

systems will be discussed. It is emphasized again that any material can serve as the working substance for these cycles.

A special case of the Ericsson cycle which has a separate name is the vapor-compression

cycle. We mention this cycle here because it, too, may be used with any system, and not

just a gas-liquid system. The difference between this and the Ericsson cycle considered

previously is that the vapor-compression cycle utilizes the phase equilibrium between an ordered and disordered phase, e.g., liquid-gas. The T-S diagram for the vapor-compression

cycle is shown in Fig. 3. The two isotherms are connected by constant pressure lines

S

Figure 3. Temperature-entropy diagram of the vapor-compression cycle, which operates

across a phase boundary.

Vapor-Compression Cycle

T

Two-phase

boundary

11
(constant generalized force) as for the Ericsson cycle, except that these constant pressure

lines cross the phase equilibrium portion of the system. In most cases the pressure reduction in the ordered phase (from point d to point e in Fig. 3) need not be done reversibly

since the entropy change in that step is small compared with the entropy change during the

phase change. Thus, in a gas-liquid system, a throttle valve is used to reduce the pressure

in the liquid instead of a more complex liquid turbine. In practice the compression process

may follow the adiabatic path (step a to a') instead of the more desirable isothermal path

(step a to b).

Unlike the adiabatic paths in the Carnot cycle, the entropy is changed during the

constant volume or constant pressure processes shown in Figs. 2(a), 2(b), and 3. Thus, heat

must be transferred at a varying temperature. For a reversible heat transfer this heat is

given by:

TdS , (6)

where the integral is along one of the lines between T and T^ or vice versa. Such heat is

simply the area under each V = constant or P = constant curve. The system absorbs heat in

going from T to T^ and gives off heat in going from T^ to T. In an ideal system the two

lines are parallel so that the two heat transfers are equal. In practice this heat transfer

is handled by placing a heat exchanger between the two lines. A practical heat exchanger,

however, is a source of irreversibilities. In the Carnot cycle no heat exchanger is required

because the processes are adiabatic.

The amount of work required in the Stirling, Ericsson, and vapor-compression cycles is

given by Eq. (3). For Q the same as in the Carnot cycle, will also be the same as in the

Carnot cycle when the system is ideal, i.e., both the constant pressure and constant volume

lines are parallel. The work, given by the area enclosed, is also the same as for the

Carnot cycle. It then follows that the efficiencies of the ideal Stirling and Ericsson

cycles are the same as that of the Carnot cycle, given by Eq. (5). The efficiency of the

vapor-compression cycle will be equal to or less than the Carnot efficiency. If the average

slope of the line from d to c in Fig. 3 is equal to that from f to a, the efficiency will be

the same as the Carnot efficiency. The slope of the line depends on the system used.

All of the preceeding cycles operated between two fixed temperature levels, T and T^.

In situations where the heat leak from the surroundings dominates any internal heat generation, as is usually the case with small superconducting devices, then it becomes more advantageous to absorb heat over a range of temperatures. If, in the Ericsson cycle, the isothermal process at T is replaced by an adiabatic process, then refrigeration is available

over the temperature range of T' to T as shown in Fig. 4, by the path from d to d'. The

enclosed area of the cycle and, therefore, the work required, is larger than that of the

Ericsson cycle. The heat absorbed, which is equal to the area under the curve from d to d',

is less than that of the Ericsson cycle (area under c to d'). The efficiency of the cycle

is less than the Ericsson cycle; but on the other hand, refrigeration is provided at a lower

temperature. A fairer comparison is to say that we want to absorb the same amount of heat

as does the Ericsson cycle, e.g., the heat leak from the surroundings. This is accomplished

12
Figure 4. Temperature-entropy diagram of the Siemens and Brayton cycles.

by starting the adiabatic process at a higher temperature, from point e in Fig. 4. The area

under the curve from f to f is now the same as that under c to d'. The total work for the

cycle is also the same as the Ericsson cycle, and thus the efficiency is the same. The

important point to realize is that the lowest temperature reached is less than that of the

Ericsson cycle. In addition, less heat needs to be transferred in the heat exchanger. These

advantages are realized only when heat is absorbed over a range of temperatures. In 1857

Charles Siemens received a patent for a machine approximating this cycle and so his name is

often given for this cycle [2]. If the isothermal process at T^ is also made into an adiabatic process, the cycle is known as the Brayton cycle. The Siemens cycle is sometimes called

the modified Brayton cycle. If both isotherms in the Stirling cycle are replaced by adiabatics, then the cycle becomes the Otto cycle. With high-speed operation practical Stirlingcycle refrigerators may approximate the ideal Otto cycle.

There are two ways in which a system, or working substance, can be made to go around a cycle in a T-S diagram. The first is the time domain. In this case the system remains

physically stationary and is connected to the reservoirs at T and T^ by heat switches which

open and close at the appropriate time. A generalized force does work on the system or receives work from the system at the appropriate time to carry out the cycle. The advantage

is that some systems then require no moving parts. Obviously, refrigeration occurs only

intermittently in this time-domain operation. The use of rapid cycle times, or two equal

systems operating 180° out of phase, eliminates this problem. The other mode of cycle operation is in the physical domain. In this case the working substance moves to different locations for the various parts of the cycle in the T-S diagram. This is particularly easy to do

with a liquid or gas system and has the advantage of continuous refrigeration. However,

solid systems also can go around the cycle in the physical domain by placing the material on

a rotating wheel. Unfortunately, it is sometimes difficult for the solid system to interact

with the generalized force during a part of the cycle. The physical mode of operation does

not always imply that there will be moving mechanical parts, as we shall see later for thermoelectric refrigeration. Besides the two modes of cycle operation discussed above, it is

possible to combine the two, as is done in the gas Stirling cycle. Certain combinations can make it difficult to show the cycle on a T-S diagram and to analyze it.

13
I

Interaction of Force With System

So far we have discussed complete cycles and the net work required to complete the cycle

in terms of the heat Q absorbed at a temperature T. Nothing has been said about how the work

is accomplished and what is the maximum Q or W a system is capable of absorbing in one cycle. ;

For a fixed Q in each cycle, the refrigeration power is directly proportional to the molar

flow rate around the cycle or to the number of moles of refrigerant times the cycle frequency.,

Each system will have a characteristic minimum cycle time, below which extraneous heating

effects become comparable to the refrigeration power. The extraneous heating effects may

come from such things as pressure drops, eddy currents, joule heating, etc. The maximum

refrigeration power per mole of working substance will be the product of the maximum cycle

frequency and the maximum heat absorption capacity of the substance in one cycle. We shall f now consider the maximum heat absorption capacity per cycle in more detail.

Equations (1) and (2) show that the heat absorption capability of a substance is a maximum when the process is reversible. In addition, these equations show that when a system

absorbs heat at a constant temperature, the entropy of the system increases. The system then

goes from a relatively ordered state with low entropy to a disordered state with higher

entropy. For the case of boiling liquid helium, heat is absorbed reversibly as the system

goes from the ordered liquid state to the disordered gaseous state. For an isothermal process the reversible heat absorption capacity of a system with n moles is given by

^rev = "T(^d - Sq)' ^7)

where S^ is the molar entropy in the disordered state and S^ is the molar entropy in the ^

ordered state. A system with good potential for refrigeration would have a relatively large

value of Sj - S^. Such a requirement implies S^ must always be large. The maximum heat

absorption capability of various systems can be compared by viewing curves of entropy vs temperature for the various systems. ^ Before making such a comparison, we first need to discuss how a generalized force acting

on the system can lower its entropy to S^ or to permit the entropy to change from S^ to S^ in

a reversible manner. It is this generalized force acting on the system which carries out the

necessary work to complete the cycle. In a closed cycle the first law of thermodynamics

relates via Eq. (3) the net work required to the heat transferred. It should be noted that

during part of the refrigeration cycle the system may do work on the surroundings. In a closed cycle the state of the system or the energy of the system is never considered. When

only part of the cycle is considered, the system undergoes a change in state. The most

important part of the cycle we wish to consider is the absorption of heat at some low temperature. For a closed system where there is no mass flow (a cycle operating in the time

domain) the heat absorption from the first law of thermodynamics is given by:

dQ = dU + dW^ , (8)

14
where U is the internal energy of the system and is the work done to the surroundings by

the closed system. When there is mass flow, as in an open system (a cycle operating in the

physical domain), the first law of thermodynamics gives:

dQ = dH + dW^ , (9)

where H is the enthalpy and is the work done to the surroundings by the open system. For

a reversible process the entropy change is related to the heat absorption by Eq. (2) and thus

to the work by Eqs. (8) and (9). Such a relationship is written as

dQ^gy = TdS = dU + dW^ (10)

dQ^ey = TdS = dH + dW^ . (11)

Also for a reversible process the work terms become:

dW^ = FdX (12)

dW^ = XdF , (13)

where F is a generalized force (intensive variable) which can bring about a generalized

displacement X (extensive variable). The enthalpy is given by

H = U + FX . (14)

Some examples of generalized forces and their associated generalized displacements are given

in Table 1. The reader is encouraged to think of other examples not listed here. The negative sign for some of the forces is necessary to give the right sign in Eqs. (10-14).

Equations (10) and (11) show that the entropy can be changed by either of the following:

(i) dW = 0, in which case a change in internal energy or enthalpy is responsible for the

entropy change or, or (ii) dW f 0, in which case the system does reversible work on the

surroundings. However, a large work term does not always imply a large entropy change because sometimes the work term may be dominated by a change in internal energy or enthalpy

which occurs at the same time work is done. Case (i) occurs when the disordered and ordered

states are in equilibrium with each other at the temperature T. Boiling liquid helium is a

classical example. A magnetic material at the transition from the ferromagnetic to paramagnetic states is another example. This case of phase equilibrium is an especially attractive means of refrigeration because of the simplicity of no work. The refrigerant can be

separated a considerable distance from the rest of the cycle. The disadvantage is that the

refrigeration can occur at only one temperature, unless the generalized force is varied to

shift the temperature of phase equilibrium. There are usually practical and intrinsic limits

as to how far the phase-equilibrium temperature can be shifted. The advantage of case (ii)

is that phase equilibrium is not required, which means that the system may work over a wide

15
TABLE 1.

Examples of Generalized Forces and Their Associated

Generalized Displacements in Thermodynamic Systems

F (force) X (displacement)

Pressure, P (N/m ) Tension, -t (N)

Surface tension, -a (N/m)

Magnetic field, -H (A/m)

Electric field, -E (V/m)

Electric potential, -e (V)

2 2 2 2 Centrifugal potential, -r oj /2(m /s ) Chemical potential, -y (J/mol)

Volume, V (m'')

Length, L (m)

Surface, A (m ) Magnetic moment*, y^m (Wb-m)

Dipole moment*, p (C-m)

Charge, Z (C)

Mass, M

Moles, n

* m = MV, where M is the magnetization and V is the volume,

p = PV, where P is the polarization.

range of temperatures. The disadvantage of case (ii) is that a means must be provided for

the system, which is at the low temperature T, to interact and do work on the surroundings.

In case (ii) only one phase exists, but its entropy can be changed by the action of the

general i zed force.

Table 2 lists several systems which have ordered and disordered phases in equilibrium.

The use of these two phases permit refrigeration in the manner of (i). The temperature of

the phase equilibrium can be altered by the force shown in the third column in Table 2. It

is also this force which can be used to change the entropy of the disordered phase and

achieve refrigeration in the manner of (ii). Some of the systems, e.g., liquid-gas, have

sharp transitions whereas others are more broad. The question mark in the force column for

some systems means that the best generalized force to act on such a system is uncertain.

Again the reader is encouraged to extend the list of systems given in this table. In some

cases an ordered phase of one system may still have a high entropy relative to the ordered

phase of another system because of some other internal disorder. An example is a solid,

which is ordered relative to a liquid on a molecular basis, but which can still be magnetically disordered.

There are also some systems where a force acting on one phase changes the entropy, but

an appropriate second phase does not seem to exist at any temperature unless a more microscopic view is taken. Consider the case of tension on a wire. The tension tries to disorder

the system, hence increase the entropy [not obvious from Eqs. (10 and 12)], but what is the

phase which it is trying to approach -- a liquid? Or is it a gas phase? On a microscopic

basis the excitations in the solid are phonons, which when excited represent a disorder in

the system. A tension on a wire reduces the density of the solid, which causes more phonons

to be excited at the same temperature. This will be discussed in more detail later.

16
TABLE 2.

Ordered and Disordered Phases of Some Systems and the Generalized

Force Necessary to Change the Equilibrium Temperature of the Entropy S^

System Generalized Force

Disordered Phase Ordered Phase

gas liquid pressure, P

1 iquid sol id pressure, P

paramagnet (anti-)ferromagnet magnetic field, H

paraelectric (anti - ) ferroel ectri c electric field, E

normal metal superconductor magnetic field, H

Fermi gas Fermi liquid Fermi pressure or density, n

surface film bulk liquid surface tension, a

interstitial atoms martens ite tension, t

flexible polymer crystalline polymer tension, x disordered B brass ordered 3 brass ?

uniform solution precipitate pressure, P, 2 concentration

molecular rotation rotational order ?

Zn + CuSO^ Cu + ZnSO^ electric potential, E

dilute solution concentrated solution chemical potential, y. or concentration, x

For some of the systems shown in Table 2, the effect of increasing the generalized force

is to decrease the entropy. In that case it is clear that when dealing with one phase it

should be the disordered phase. The maximum entropy change the force can produce is just

equal to the absolute entropy of the disordered phase. The force can do no better than to

completely order the system and give it zero entropy. For some systems shown in Table 2, an

increasing force can increase the entropy of the ordered phase. Examples are the antiferromagnet, anti ferroelectric, and superconductor. The effect of the increasing field is to

lower the transition temperature. At any given temperature a field is reached where the

ordered phase transforms to the disordered phase. Any further increase in field decreases

the entropy. A field always decreases the entropy of paramagnets and paraelectrics but has a negligible effect on normal electrons. Thus, we can say that in these cases where the field

increases the entropy of the disordered phase, the entropy can increase to a value no greater

than the entropy of the associated disordered phase.

ENTROPIES AND REFRIGERATION PRINCIPLES OF VARIOUS SYSTEMS

As stated in the previous section, the maximum refrigeration power of any refrigeration

system is proportional to the temperature times the maximum possible entropy change at that

temperature. Thus, the merit of any system can be evaluated roughly but quickly by a

17
comparison of its entropy curve with those of well-established refrigeration systems. To

evaluate the entropy of a given system, we make use of the second TdS equation (derived in

any textbook on thermodynamics):

TdS = C^dT dF (15)

In this equation Cp is the heat capacity of the system at a constant generalized force. The

entropy at (T, F) can be evaluated by integrating Eq. (15) from (0, 0) to T, F) by any

convenient path. Figure 5 shows the two easiest paths. As shown in this figure, the entropy

is zero at T = 0 for any F. This follows from the third law of thermodynamics for any system

which does not have any frozen-in disorder at T = 0. The third law then requires that

(9X/8T)p = 0 at T = 0. The entropy determinations rely on specific heat measurements from

temperatures near absolute zero to the temperature T. Specific heat measurements as a function of T for various F allow the entropy to be evaluated for different F. Otherwise specific heat measurements at F = 0 combined with measurements of (8X/8T)p vs F at various T can

be used to find S(T,F). A peak in the specific heat of a system is a very desirable feature

for refrigeration since it indicates a change in phase and a large change in entropy. Whether

any practical force can change the entropy is another question. The value of (3X/8T)p gives

an indication of the size of F required to change the entropy, as is evident from Eq. (15).

Figures 6 through 9 show entropy as a function of temperature for many systems. The

entropies are divided by the gas constant R = 8.3143 J/mol K to make them dimensionless.

Notice that these figures show S as a function of T instead of vice versa, as was done for

the thermodynamic cycles shown in Figs. 1 to 4.

S

T

F

Figure 5. Integration paths for evaluating entropy at specified values of

temperature and generalized force.

18
Figure 6. Reduced entropy as a function of temperature for helium and CC12F2

at different pressures.

19
Figure 7. Reduced entropy as a function of temperature for several gas-liquidsolid systems.

20
ure 8. Reduced entropy as a function of temperature for solid systems.

21
Figure 9. Reduced entropy as a function of temperature for magnetic, dielectric,

and electrolytic systems.

22
Helium-4 and CC12F2

4 4 5 Figure 6 shows the entropy of He in the gas, liquid and solid phases. ' This system

is by far the most common refrigerant for use with superconductors. Its entropy in the gas

phase is very high and remains in this disordered phase down to temperatures below superconducting transition temperatures. For a gas system Eq. (15) becomes

where ^-^ and are the initial and final pressure. Thus, even pressure ratios of 10 can

give a AS/R of 2.3. In comparison with other systems at low temperatures this entropy change

is high and shows why helium is such an important refrigerant. Figure 6 shows how the entropy

drops significantly from the gas phase to the liquid phase. As discussed previously, this

entropy difference in the phase equilibrium region is very useful. At lower temperatures the

entropy of the liquid drops suddenly at the superfluid transition temperature {X point) due

to a quantum ordering process. Another type of order takes place when sufficient pressure is

applied to solidify the helium. As seen in the figure, the entropy change associated with

melting is small compared with vaporization and thus, would not be very useful for refrigeration. Refrigeration at 1.8 K could be accomplished by using a porous plug to separate the

superfluid component from the normal component. Heat is then absorbed by raising the entropy

of the superfluid fraction from zero to about S/R = 0.2 (the value for liquid He^ at 1.8 K.

This change is small compared with the change in S/R of about 6 for vaporizing the liquid at

1.8 K. This disadvantage could be offset by the ad vantage of a much smaller molar volume in

the liquid state compared with the gas phase at 0.001 MPa (0.01 atm). In fact, the rapidly

increasing molar volume in the gas phase as the temperature is reduced places a lower limit

4

of the order of 1 K for refrigeration with He . In this case the limit occurs because the

molar flow rate is severely restricted by the large molar volume.

Also shown in Fig. 6 is the entropy [6] of the common refrigerant, dichlorodifluoromethane, CCI2F2. The absolute entropy is uncertain, but the values shown are reasonable.

The important thing to observe is the entropy change during vaporization. This system is

4

shown in comparison with He to point out its advantage when working over a small temperature

span near room temperature. This system is commonly used in household refrigerators and air

conditioners, and the pressures used are typically those shown in Fig. 6. The cycle used is

the vapor-compression cycle discussed previously and shown in Fig. 3. Notice that at 315 K

only 1 MPa (10 atm) is required to liquefy the system. After being cooled in a heat ex- changer to about 245 K the liquid is expanded to 0.1 MPa (1 atm) and evaporated. During the

4 evaporation the entropy changes by AS/R = 9.8. A similar entropy change in He at that

4

temperature would require a pressure ratio of 10 compared with 10 for CCI2F2. This comparison points out the ease of changing the entropy of a system just above the ordering

4

temperature. Thus it is clear that a He refrigeration system would require a much higher

(16)

The isothermal entropy change in an ideal gas is then given by

(17)

23
molar flow rate or pressure ratio to achieve the same refrigeration power as a CCl^F, vapor4 compression system. If that were done, it is obvious that inefficiencies in the He system

would be higher. The curves shown in Fig. 6 then tells us immediately that a Stirling-cycle

4 refrigerator using He or some other ideal gas would not be as efficient or useful as a CCI2F2 refrigerator for use near room temperature. The same conclusion is reached by Nessel- mann [7] using more detailed calculations on actual cycles.

Other Gas-Liquid Solid Systems

Figure 7 shows the reduced entropy of several other systems which exist in the gas phase

at room temperature. Helium 4 at 0.1 MPa (1 atm) is also shown for comparison purposes. The i absolute entropy of solid and liquid N2 is based on the work of Giauque and Clayton [8] and the

liquid-gas values of Strobridge [9] are added to this. There is an entropy change associated

with a structural change in the solid at 35.6 K, as well as the entropy change with fusion.

This transition is one in which a generalized force has little effect, except possibly

pressure.

The entropy of methane, CH^, is taken from several sources [10-12]. In the solid phase

there is a cooperative rotational ordering at 20.4 K which results in a sudden drop in entropy

below that temperature. A similar but less-studied transition occurs at about 8 K. Again,

these transitions are ones that we have little control over by the use of some generalized

force. The transition temperatures are determined primarily by the molecular moment of

inertia, which cannot be changed much by external forces. Thus these transitions are of

little use for refrigeration unless we can find some "handle" to change the moment of inertia.

In addition, the entropy changes associated with them are rather small.

The hydrogen molecule can take on two modifications due to the relative orientations of

the two nuclear spins. The name orthohydrogen is used for the form with the spins in the

same direction and the term parahydrogen is used for the form with the spins in the opposite

directions. Since parahydrogen has no net spin, it has the lowest energy state. Thus at 0 K,

equilibrium hydrogen will be 100% parahydrogen. The high-temperature equilibrium concentra- I

i tion is 75% orthohydrogen, which is closely approached at room temperature. As shown in

Fig. 7, there is a difference in entropy between parahydrogen [13,14] and orthohydrogen [15]. ; The drop in entropy of orthohydrogen below about 1.6 K is due to a splitting of the lowest

rotational energy state by internal electric field gradients on the nuclear quadrapole moment.

Because of the entropy difference between ortho- and para-hydrogen, it is tempting to think

of some external force which could change the equilibrium concentration at some temperature. 1 Practical levels of electric field gradients or magnetic fields would have only a minor

effect on the equilibrium concentration, though further studies may be useful.

Helium 3 is a very useful refrigerant for temperatures below 1 K. Because the nucleus

has a spin of 1/2, it follows Fermi-Dirac statistics. The main feature of a Fermi fluid is

that ordering into lower energy states is a gradual process. For instance, compare the

3 4

entropy of liquid He with that of liquid He . In Fig. 7 the liquid and gas entropy for

temperatures above 1.5 K are from the work of Gibbons, et al . [16] and Daunt [17]. The work i 3 4

of Radebaugh [18] is used for temperatures below 1.5 K and for He -He mixtures. Solid

entropies are taken from the book by Betts [19] and the publication of Dugdale and Franck [20.,

24
3 Because the He entropy falls off so slowly as the temperature is reduced it has enough

_3

entropy for refrigeration over a temperature range from 10 to 1 K, a wider range than any

other system. The entropy of the saturated vapor can be used for reaching temperatures of

about I

phase.

3

0.3 K. The He density becomes too small to reach any lower temperature with the gas

3

The entropy of solid He remains at the high value of S/R = %r\Z until the nuclear spins

order magnetically at about 1.2 mK. At the solid-liquid equilibrium pressures the liquid

entropy is changed from that at atmospheric pressure to that shown in Fig. 7. Still there is

a considerable entropy change between the liquid and solid for temperatures below about

3

0.1 K. Application of pressure to solidify the He then becomes a useful refrigeration

technique for the range 1 mK to 0.1 K. This technique is known as Pomeranchuk refrigeration,

based on a proposal in 1950. Details of this refrigeration technique are well described in

the two books [19,21] on millikelvin techniques. Practical use of Pomeranchuk refrigeration

has occurred only since 1965. This refrigerator operates in the time domain where the refrigerant is stationary and heat switches are used. So far only a heat switch between the

high temperature reservoir at about 30-50 mK has been used, which limits it to single cycle

operation rather than continuous operation.

4 3 4 3

If He is added to He , the He acts to separate the He atoms and to make them behave

4 more like an ideal gas. Because the entropy of He itself is so small below 1 K, it con- tributes nothing to the entropy of the solution. Because of its gas-like behavior, the

3 4 3 3

entropy of the He in solution with He is higher per mole of He than that of liquid He . 3 4

This is shown in Fig. 7 by the curve for 6.4% He in He . In 1951 H. London first proposed

3 4

the use of He -He mixtures for refrigeration [21]. At that time the existence of phase

3 4 equilibrium in He -He mixtures was not known, so it was thought that some generalized force

3 was needed to interact with the system to bring about a reversible dilution of the He . It

3 4 was discovered about four years later that the He -He mixtures phase separated and that at

3 temperatures below about 50 mK the maximum He concentration in the dilute phase was 6.4%.

3 3

Any excess He floats on top of the mixture in the form of nearly pure He . The thermodynamics of the mixtures are described in detail elsewhere [18]. This phase separation meant

3 that pure He could be diluted reversibly to 6.4% in a manner very much like evaporation of a

liquid. Since the dilution could be done without doing external work, the process would be

much simpler than if phase separation did not occur. In 1965 the first successful dilution

refrigerator was built and now these have become off-the-shelf items for continuous temperatures down to 10 mK. Continuous temperatures of 2 mK have been reached recently [22]. The

operating temperature span of 2 mK to 1 K for the dilution refrigerator is considerably

larger than any other refrigerator when one considers temperature on a logarithmic scale.

Figure 10 shows a schematic of the dilution refrigerator. Detailed explanations are

given elsewhere [19,21], but a brief account is given here because it has much to contribute

toward a fundamental understanding of refrigeration. Heat is absorbed in the mixing chamber

during the dilution process. The reversible refrigeration power is given by [18]

Q = (82 J/mol-K')nT2 (18)

25
He^ VACUUM PUMP

~ 300 K

CONDENSER 08-12 K

CAPILLARY

STILL 06-07 K

HEAT

EXCHANGER

MIXING CHAMBER 001-05 K

Figure 10. A schematic diagram of the He -He dilution refrigerator.

-3 -5

where n is the molar flow rate (n = 10 to 10 mol/s for typical dilution refrigerators).

3 Dilution occurs because He is continuously removed from the dilute solution at another

location, the still. A heater holds the still at a temperature of about 0.6 - 0.7 K. Be3 4 cause the vapor pressure of He is much higher than He , the gas phase above the liquid in

3

the still is about 98% He . The vapor pressure at 0.6 - 0.7 K is also high enough to achieve

3 reasonable molar circulation rates. A vacuum pump is used to recirculate the He . A pumped

4 3 4

He bath at about 1.2 K is used to re-liquefy the He . The He in the system essentially

3 remains stationary as the He diffuses through it from the mixing chamber to the still. In

3 3 passing through the heat exchanger the cold dilute He cools the incoming pure He , The

lower temperature limit depends on the efficiency of the heat exchanger. The driving pres3 4 3 4 sure for the diffusion of He through the He is the osmotic pressure of He in He , which in

3 3 this case is the Fermi gas pressure of the He at a density equal to 6.4% He . This pressure is about 2.3 KPa (17 torr) even down to 0 K. At equilibrium this osmotic pressure is

constant from the mixing chamber to the still. Because of this relatively high pressure it

is possible to get reasonable flow rates through an efficient heat exchanger without a significant pressure drop. This high osmotic pressure is the reason the dilution refrigerator

3 works down to such a low temperature, whereas the He refrigerator does not. Even though

3 3 3

the entropy in the dilute phase of He is not as high as pure He gas, the He density remains high enough in the dilute phase to be easily circulated. The thermodynamic cycle used

in the dilution refrigerator is essentially the vapor-compression cycle shown in Fig. 3. The

existence of a solution on the low-pressure side from the mixer to the still means that the

relevant pressure or generalized force there is the chemical potential or osmotic pressure.

Because He is continuously pumped around the cycle, we say the cycle operates in the physical

domain.

26
Solid Systems

Figure 8 shows the entropy of several solid materials. In the previous figure we saw

3

that the relatively slow ordering in Fermi-fluid He was useful for providing refrigeration

over a wide temperature range below 1 K. Helium 3 is a nuclear Fermi fluid, but now we consider a much lighter Fermi fluid — electrons in a metal, semimetal , or semiconductor.

The Fermi temperature of a system of spin 1/2 particles is given by:

'f 2km* ^^^>

where n is the density of particles, k is Boltzmann's constant, and m* is the effective mass

of the particle. The Fermi temperature is the approximate temperature below which ordering

begins to take place. The specific heat and entropy of a Fermi gas are linear in T much

below Tr whereas the specific heat approaches the constant value (3/2)R above Tp. Using the

3 3 mass of the He nucleus in Eq (19) gives Tr on the order of 1 K for He . The much lighter

4 mass of electrons results in a Tp of about 6 x 10 K for electrons in most metals, such as

copper. At room temperature or below these electrons are ordered quite well, as suggested

by the low entropy. Additional ordering of the electrons can occur when they pair via virtual

phonons to become superconducting. The entropy would then drop off very rapidly below the

3 transition temperature. Similar behavior occurs in liquid He when it becomes a superfluid

below 2.7 mK.

The usefulness of these entropy curves becomes clear when they are used to evaluate the

potential for cooling via magnetization of superconductors. Application of a magnetic field

to a superconductor will drive it into the normal state. Because the entropy of . normal

electrons is higher than that of the superconducting state, heat will be absorbed. However,

_3

S/R at 10 K for normal electrons is only about 10 , much too small for useful refrigeration.

According to Eq. (19) the Fermi temperature can be lowered by reducing the concentration

of electrons. The resultant entropy per mole of electrons is thus increased at a given

temperature. Figure 8 shows how this reduced density gives higher electron entropies [23] to

the semiconductor Bi2Te2 and semimetal Bi. It is clear that heat will be absorbed if electrons

go from a normal metal (or superconductor) to Bi2Te2 or Bi. This can be done by joining the

two materials and passing an electric current through the junction. The heat absorbed is

known as the Peltier heat, and the technique of utilizing this effect is called thermoelectric refrigeration. A voltage source (e) provides the power necessary (el) to drive the

electrons around the cycle. The electrons return to the metal from Bi or Bi2Te2 at the other

junction. This process gives off heat. The similarity to the dilution refrigerator is

evident, but in this case it is electron dilution which produces refrigeration. A current of

-4 3

10 A gives an electron flow rate of 10 mol/s, which is a typical He flow rate in dilution

refrigerators.

3 4

The He -He dilution refrigerator is a powerful and successful refrigerator for temperatures down to 2 mK. Why isn't the thermoelectric refrigerator equally successful in a higher

temperature range? To answer that question we need to consider several points. First,

consider the case of a metal or semimetal with a molar electron density of 6.4% per mole of

27
metal or semimetal , which is the same as the He concentration in the dilute side of a dilution refrigerator. The entropy curve would be increased over that of the Cu electrons by

3 4 3 the same amount as the He -He curve is above the pure He curve. At a lower practical limit

3 ? of about 5 mK for a dilution refrigerator the dilute He entropy is about S/R = 6 x 10 . _2

For a similarly dilute electron system a value of 6 x 10 for S/R occurs at 200 K, which is

about the lowest practical temperature for thermoelectric refrigeration [24]. The lowest

temperature achieved to date is 159 K [25]. In practice n- and p-type Bl^Te^ are most often

used for the two materials. The electron entropy in p-type Bi^Te^ is somewhat less than

1*3-3

that of a metal. In n-type Bi^Te^ the electrons are diluted to the point of n = 4 x 10 cm . The entropy per mole of electrons is then quite high at 100 K but the low density makes it

difficult to obtain a reasonable electron flow rate, i.e., the electrical resistance becomes

high. A figure of merit for a material for thermoelectric refrigeration is given by [23]

Z = a^o/k , (20)

where a is the thermoelectric power, or Seebeck coefficient, a is the electrical conductivity,

and k is the thermal conductivity. The electronic part of the Seebeck coefficient is simply

proportional to the electron entropy and is given by

a = (8.6 X 10"^ V/K)S/R (21)

For the case where a, a and k do not vary much with temperature, the maximum temperature drop

is given by [23]

Larger temperature drops can be achieved by staging. The highest values of Z are about

3 X 10""^K"^ between 100 and 300 K for the Bi2Te3 materials [23,25]. A factor of ten improvement would be a significant breakthrough, but the prospects for it are not good [23,24],

though there is no thermodynamic upper limit for Z.

The presence of phonons in the thermoelectric materials is both a disadvantage and an

advantage. The disadvantage is that the phonons transport considerable heat from the hot

junction to the cold junction and provide resistance to the flow of electrons. The advantage

is that as the electrons collide with the phonons, the phonons are dragged along with the

electrons in what is called the phonon-drag effect. The reason that this is good is because

the phonons then contribute their entropy to the flow process. As seen in Fig. 8 the phonon

entropy can be quite high, especially for a material with a low Debye temperature, 0. The

phonon-drag effect often dominates the Seebeck coefficient of pure metals in the 5-50 K temperature range. Optimization of the phonon-drag effect could be useful to enhance a for

temperatures below 200 K. The presence of spins from magnetic impurities can give rise to a

similar effect known as spin-drag [26]. In a particular type of electron-spin scattering,

the electrons may drag along the relatively high spin entropy. (See Fig. 9). This effect

deserves further study for enhancement of the figure of merit.

28
A problem with the drag effects is that they also contribute to the electrical resistivity.

A more desirable way of increasing the figure of merit is to increase the effective mass of

the electrons and thus reduce the Fermi temperature according to Eq. (19). A distortion of

the Fermi surface causes such an enhanced effective mass. An effective mass of at least 100

electron masses may be necessary to give a high enough figure of merit. This high effective

mass must occur with high values of electron density. The figure of merit can be increased

sometimes by the application of a magnetic field. In anisotropic crystals magnetic enhance-

-3 -1 ment of the thermoelectric figure of merit up to 11 x 10 K in bismuth-antimony has been

achieved [25] at 80 K, with a field of 0.13 T. A low temperature of 128 K has been reached

with a combined thermoelectric-magnetothermoelectric refrigerator [25].

The magnetothermoelectric effect discussed above should not be confused with thermomagnetic effects. In the latter a magnetic field is placed at right angles to the current

flow, which then gives rise to a temperature gradient perpendicular to both the current flow

and the magnetic field. In essence, the magnetic field deflects the faster, higher energy

electrons more than the slower ones. The lower energy electrons tend to go to one side of

the sample and can absorb heat. The effect is even greater when both electrons and holes are

present. In that case an electron hole pair is created on the cold side (an entropy increase)

and driven toward the hot side where the excess pairs are annihilated (an entropy decrease).

This thermomagnetic effect is called the Ettingshausen effect after the Austrian botanist and

geologist who discovered it in 1887 [23]. Thermomagnetic refrigeration is better than

thermoelectric refrigeration for temperatures below about 150 - 200 K. Combining the two

could give temperatures on the order of 70 K [24]. Because efficiencies of such systems are

so low, these devices are useful only for cooling small devices with little power dissipation.

Cooling of small superconducting devices would be an ideal application if high enough figures

of merit could be achieved to reach a temperature on the order of 10 K.

The two curves shown in Fig. 8 for the phonon entropy represent the approximate upper

and lower limits for most solids. The upper curve is for a solid with a Debye temperature 9

of 100 K whereas the lower curve is for MgO, which has 0 = 800 K. The dashed line rising

above the solid line for the 0 = 100 K curve shows a typical deviation from the ideal Debye

behavior. Previously we discussed how phonon-drag effects in the thermoelectric effect

utilize some of the phonon entropy for cooling. Other methods of utilizing this entropy may

be available. In analogy to thermoelectric refrigeration or the dilution refrigerator,

cooling should occur at a junction between two solids as phonons pass from the high 0 solid

to the low 0 solid. A suitable driving mechanism is not obvious. Electronic or ultrasonic

means may exist to drive the phonons across the junction. Considerable problems may exist

because of phonon reflections at the junction.

Refrigeration with a force acting on a single solid is possible if 0 can be changed by

the force. The Debye temperature of a solid can be given by

0 = (fi/k)c(18^'n)^/^ , (23)

where c is the sound velocity and n is the atomic density. Because of the high short-range

forces in a crystal, pressure has only a small effect on n and on c, and thus on 0. The

29
small effect of pressure on the entropy is seen from Eq. (15), which for this system becomes

TdS = C dT - T(3V/8T) dP . (24)

r r

The term (3V/9T) is just the thermal expansion. Some solid hydrocarbons (low 0) may have

P -4-1

values for (1/V)(9V/8T) of 6 x 10 K at room temperature. Because an ideal gas has the

-3-1

value 3.4 x 10 K for (1/V) (8V/9T)p at room temperature, it is clear that the refrigeration

power of the solid hydrocarbon will be 18% as much as that for an equal volume of gas. For

10 MPa (100 atm) AS/R for the hydrocarbon may be about 10"^ at 300 K. The effect will drop

3 off like T at lower temperatures. Because of the high specific heat of hydrocarbons, a

10 MPa pressure change will change the temperature by only 1 - 2 K at 300 K. For a linear system of the same material (1/L) (9L/9T)^ will be about 1/3 of the volumetri

thermal expansion coefficient. The entropy change and cooling effects for the same volume of

material and for a stress equal to 10 MPa will thus be 1/3 as large as for the case of pres- sure on a volume. A 10 MPa stress will cool the material somewhat less than 1 K at 300 K.

An interesting exception is the case of vulcanized rubber, such as an ordinary rubber band.

This high-polymer consists of long chains, which in the relaxed state can be twisted at

random in many different ways, i.e., a disordered state. That leads to a high entropy in the

relaxed state. As the rubber is stretched, one configuration of the molecular chains becomes

preferable and so the entropy of the chain approaches zero according to the relationship

S = R iln m , (25)

where m is the number of micro-configurations. Figure 8 shows the entropy of natural rubber

for both a relaxed state and for a 500% elongation. These entropies include the normal

phonon entropy in addition to the conf igurational entropy. Unlike the case of a normal

solid, which has only the phonon entropy, stretching a rubber band reduces the entropy. For

a 500% isothermal elongation the entropy is reduced by an amount AS/R - 0.8. The temperature

increases during elongation by about 8 K at room temperature if adiabatic conditions are maintained [27]. According to the second TdS equation, Eq. (15), the linear thermal expansion

coefficient under tension must be large and negative to give the required entropy change.

That behavior is indeed the case for rubber. |

The entropy change in rubber is sufficiently large to utilize it for a motor [28], although it may be useful only for demonstration purposes. Another interesting demonstration

would be to use a separate motor to drive the previously mentioned motor [28] in reverse and

obtain refrigeration. Figure 11 is a sketch of such an arrangement which could give a maximum

temperature reduction of about 8 K. The demonstration is useful in showing how a solid

material can be made to go through a refrigeration cycle in the physical domain and provide

continuous refrigeration. The type of cycle that this system goes through is actually rather

inefficient and is not quite like any of those discussed earlier. The cycle followed is the

Stirling cycle (constant length paths) except in the sketch of Fig. 11 no provision exists

for heat transfer between the two constant length paths in the cycle. Hence, the refrigeratior

power is reduced because of the additional heat load of cooling the rubber bands from T^ to

30
RUBBER BAND REFRIGERATOR

Figure 11. A schematic of a rubber band refrigerator based on a scheme for a rubber

band motor. The small disc rotates along with the larger disc but on a different center.

T. If a heat transfer mechanism were provided (a moving oil layer on top of the water bath),

the demonstration refrigerator could possibly freeze water.

Another material which can be used in the same way as rubber is 55-NITINOL [29]. This

alloy (55% Ni - 45% Ti ) has an unusual martensitic transition at about 50° C, but this temperature can be varied by changing the concentration. This alloy has a memory in the sense

that a sample deformed below the transition temperature will revert back to its original

shape when heated above the transition temperature. The material can exert considerable

force in reverting to the original shape. The entropy of the high temperature disordered

phase is reduced by applying a tensile force. A sufficiently high force can drive the material

into the ordered phase. The entropy change between the two phases is on the order of AS/R =0.5,

comparable to that of rubber. The material has been considered for use as a motor in the manner described for the rubber band motor previously.

A solid material with a very high entropy change during a solid-solid transition at

about 245 K is pentaerythrityl fluoride [30], CiCH^^)^. The entropy change of AS/R = 6.4

would have considerable practical significance if it could be controlled by a reasonable

force. Because it may be a rotational ordering transition [30], such a reasonable force may.

not exist.

All of the entropies discussed so far have been for bulk samples. In very small dimensions (nm sizes) the finite energy level spacing of phonons or electrons will bring about an

entropy decrease compared with bulk values. However, the surface phonons or electrons will

then tend to dominate the total entropy of the material. The entropy of surface phonons or electrons will be higher than for bulk behavior since they are less ordered. Figure 8 shows

an example of the entropy for surface phonons in 10 nm particles of MgO. This entropy

31
dominates the bulk entropy of MgO only below about 50 K. Other two-dimensional systems such

as adsorbed gases can have higher entropies than the ordered bulk phase. An adsorbed gas is

also an ordered phase which can exist at temperatures much higher than the critical point of

the bulk liquid. Such surface behavior could be useful for refrigeration.

Magnetic and Electric Systems

Figure 9 shows other sources of entropy useful for refrigeration, particularly magnetic

systems. The entropy of the disordered-paramagnetic phase can be quite high. In addition

this disordered phase in some cases can exist down to very low temperatures before ordering

to a ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic phase takes place and the entropy is removed. The

nucleus has a small magnetic moment and hence a low ordering temperature. The entropy of the

copper nucleus is shown in Fig. 9 for the case of an applied magnetic field of 0 and 10 T.

— 7 —f\

Ordering for B = 0 takes place at about 10" - 10 K. Thus adiabatic demagnetization from

about 5 mK and 10 T will result in a nuclear temperature of about 10'^ K. This method has

been used to cool other materials (copper electrons or liquid He ) to temperatures of about

0.5 mK.

Magnetic moments of electron spin systems are much higher which means that ordering

temperatures are higher. For a magnetic system the entropy in the disordered phase is given

by:

S/R = £n(2s + 1) , (26)

where (2s + 1) is the number of possible orientations of the magnetic dipole of spin s. The

three electronic magnetic systems shown in Fig. 9 are Ce2Mg2(N02)-]2*24 H2O (CMN), Gd2(S0^)2*8H

and pure Gd. Values of s for these systems are 1/2, 7/2 and 7/2 respectively. The ordering

_3

temperature for these three systems covers the range from about 10 K to room temperature.

The material Gd2(S0^)2*8H20 has an entropy of S/R = 2.1 which is easily removed by a field of

10 T at 4 K, Because it is a solid with a resulting low molar volume, it may prove to be

competitive with helium for refrigeration in the 4 K temperature range. The system could use

the Carnot cycle with time domain operation by using heat switches such as beryllium magnetoresistive types [31]. Such a refrigerator would have no moving mechanical parts. Stirlingor Ericsson-cycle operation may also be used by placing the material on a rotating wheel.

More details about the use of Gd2(S0^)2*8H20 and similar materials for refrigeration at 4 K

is given by Steyert [32].

CMN has been used for refrigeration down to 1 mK for many years. The idea of adiabatic

demagnetization originated in the mid-1930' s and was used until the dilution refrigerator

took over most of the refrigeration tasks for the millikelvin temperature range. The entropy

for CMN shown in Fig. 9 is based on the recent work of Giauque, et al . [33]. Magnetic refrigeration around room temperature utilizing gadolinium has recently been proposed by Brown [34

The entropy can be changed by about AS/R = 0.3 with a 10 T field at room temperature. We

point out here that the entropies shown in Fig. 9 do not include the phonon entropies of

these solids. The specific heat associated with this additional entropy can be large at room

Ijemperature and act as a heat load on the refrigeration cycle. Figure 9 shows how a field of

32 tf
10 T has less and less effect on the magnetic entropy of a system as the temperature increases.

This is due to the tendency of the phonons to disorder the magnetic spins. Carnot cycle

operation with Gd would be limited to temperature differences less than 10 K. Ericsson cycle

operation would follow the B = 0 and 10 T curves down to much lower temperatures so that

larger temperature differences can be provided with that cycle or the Stirling cycle. The

high phonon specific heat places a severe requirement on the heat exchangers for such cycles.

As was mentioned earlier, a magnetic field will increase the entropy of an antiferromagnet until a transition to the paramagnetic phase occurs at some high field. Thus, at low

fields cooling takes place during adiabatic magnetization. The maximum entropy change will

always be less than the entropy of the paramagnetic phase in zero field. Since paramagnetic

systems exist which have transitions at nearly any desired temperature, it is usually best to

use them just above the transition instead of an antiferromagnet below the transition.

The magnetic systems just discussed have an electrical analog. Dielectric materials may

have a high electric dipole entropy in the disordered, paraelectric state, but lose the

entropy when the material orders at some low T to a ferro- or antiferroelectric state. The

entropy [35] of potassium dihydrogen phosphate, KH2P0^, in electric fields of 0 and 50 kV/cm

are shown in Fig. 9. The transition temperature of 122 K is the lowest of any of the orderdisorder type of ferroelectric materials. These materials are analogous to the magnetic

materials in the sense that they have permanent electric dipoles above and below the transition temperature. Lower transition temperatures are possible in dilute systems such as KCl

doped with OH" dipoles. As shown by the entropy curves [36] for KC1:0H in Fig. 9, ordering

can be made as low as 0.1 K. The entropies shown here are on the basis of one mole of OH

18 -3

dipoles, but the concentration of these is only about 3 x 10 cm" . Attempts to raise the

concentration and provide a greater refrigeration power usually result in a clustering of

the dipoles and hence a loss of their entropy. Further material studies may be useful in

this area. Another type of ferroelectric or antiferroelectric ordering can take place in some

materials. This is known as a displacive transition and is described in more detail in a

paper by Radebaugh [37]. In these cases there is no permanent dipole above the transition

temperature. The entropy in the disordered phase is due to the optic mode, which can be

shifted by an electric field. The optic mode entropy of SrTiO^ is shown for electric fields

of 0 and °= [38]. As discussed in another paper [37], these entropy changes in the displacive

materials are too small to be of much practical significance.

i Chemical Systems

; We conclude our discussion of various systems with galvanic, or reversible, cells [39].

Reversible chemical reactions take place in such cells at a certain temperature, depending on

the cell voltage. In the example shown in Fig. 9, the reaction

Cu + ZnSO^ ^ Zn + CuSO^ (27)

33
takes place at 273 K with a cell voltage of e = 1.0934 V. With a cell voltage of 1.0481 V

the reaction takes place at 373 K. In the plot of Fig. 9 the entropy of Cu + ZnSO^ is taken

as 0 and that of Zn + CuSO^ is just the entropy increase of the reaction. A refrigeration

cycle is possible by allowing the battery to discharge reversibly at room temperature and

give off heat as the entropy is reduced. Heat can then be absorbed at a lower temperature

during the reversible charging of the battery. In some systems the charging and discharging

steps are reversed. In those cases, e.g., the ordinary lead-acid battery, heat is absorbed

during discharging so that it then serves as a "storage battery" for refrigeration as well as

power. The first law of thermodynamics is not violated since it takes more work to charge

the battery at a higher temperature. The galvanic cell has not been considered for refrigeration as far as this author knows. The rather high entropy changes possible in these

systems make it appear attractive. One possible hindrance to their practicality is the Joule

heat losses which accompany current flow. Another is the slowing down of chemical reactions

at low temperatures. Further studies of such systems may be useful.

How Much Entropy Is Enough?

Figures 6-9 show the entropies of many systems -- some commonly used for refrigeration

and others never considered for refrigeration. Other workers may wish to consider other

systems not shown here. A question important to both funding agencies and reserachers is

"how large should the entropy of some new system be before it has the potential for practicality?" There are two ways to approach this question. One way is to look at the entropy of

the disordered state for existing practical systems. Generally, these entropies (S/R) lie in

the range from about 10'^ at 1 mK to about 10 at 100 K. A straight line can be drawn between

these points in the log-log plots of Figs. 6-9. This line represents the general range of

S/R for present systems. If any new system has a molar flow rate or cycle time comparable to these systems then the entropy of the disordered phase in the new system should probably not

be less than 1/10 that of the line discussed above. One point to consider is that for liquid

or solid systems the higher density may permit more compact refrigerators if it is possible

to transfer the same amount of heat in a more compact heat exchanger.

A second approach to determine a reasonable value of AS/R for a system is to consider

how much entropy is required to cool itself. For a temperature change of AT small compared

with T, the relation

AT ^ AS/R /poN

T C/R

is valid, where C is the specific heat. In order to overcome inefficiencies of practical

_2 heat exchangers, AT/T should be at least 2 x 10 near room temperature. At room temperature

_9

C/R for most materials will be at least 3. From Eq. (28) an entropy of AS/R =6x10

would be needed to cool the sample. In order to have enough entropy left for refrigeration,

a minimum value of AS/R =^ 0.1 seems reasonable at room temperature. At 10 K the specific

-2 1 heat of materials may range from C/R -10 to 10 . Since heat transfer may be more of a problem at 10 K, AT/T whould probably be at least 10"^. Thus at 10 K a minimum value of

AS/R - 10 is required when a provision for some useful entropy is included. The specific

34
heat of most active materials does not decrease much below C/R - 10 for temperatures down

-3 -2

to 10 K. From this argument the minimum AS/R needed for a practical refrigerator is 10

from 1 mK to 10 K. From 10 K to room temperature the value should rise up to about 10 ^.

The previous argument gave somewhat higher values. The region between these two limits is

shown in Fig. 12. This band represents the lower limit of AS/R necessary for any new system

to be a practical refrigerator.

Figure 12. The region in a reduced entropy which represents the miminum change of

entropy for a system in order for that system to be a practical refrigerator.

i:' GAS-LIQUID SYSTEMS

Because of the success and wide-spread use of gas-liquid systems, we consider them in

njre detail here. It is these systems which provide nearly all of the refrigeration needs

1" temperatures from 1 - 300 K. The entropies of such systems are high in the disordered

5ite and so such systems have high efficiencies. These methods have been in use for a

citury or more and so the engineering aspects of such systems are quite sophisticated.

35
Several practical cycles exist which closely follow the ideal thermodynamic cycles discussed

earlier. Since many of these cycles are commonly used and referred to in the literature, we discuss some of these here.

The vapor compression cycle was discussed earlier and shown in Fig. 3. In that case expansion of the liquid phase from a pressure of to P-j occurs. The expansion is usually

done with a throttle valve or capillary. In systems using the permanent gases it is not

possible to liquefy the gas at room temperature because the critical temperature is below

room temperature. A cascade system has been used but the use of many fluids leads to a complex system.

Hampson Cycle

An expansion valve can also be used with the gas phase as an inlet but the expansion

process is not so efficient. This expansion process, known as a Joule-Thomson expansion, is

a constant enthalpy process, and so no heat is absorbed. Such a process follows a path

somewhere between an isotherm and an isentrope on a T-S diagram if the temperature is below

the inversion temperature for the gas. Otherwise the gas heats upon expansion. If the

expansion process in the Brayton cycle (Fig. 4) is replaced by a Joule-Thomson expansion,

the cycle is referred to as the Hampson cycle or the Joule-Thomson cycle. This cycle is

shown schematically in Fig. 13(a). The Linde cycle is essentially the same except that two

QoJo

J.T. Valve

(a) Hampson Cycle

(Joule-Thomson Cycle)

QJ

(b) Claude Cycle

Figure 13. (a) A schematic of the Hampson cycle which uses a Joule-Thomson valve and a

counterflow heat exchanger. Heat Q is absorbed at the low temperature T and is given off

at room temperature T^. The work input is W^. (b) A schematic of the Claude cycle in

which an expander with cold valves does work W.

36
pressures and two Joule-Thomson expansions are used to improve efficiency. For nitrogen a temperature of 77 K can be reached with a single-stage Hampson cycle or Joule-Thomson ex- pansion since the inversion temperature of nitrogen is above room temperature. Hydrogen and

helium stages can be added below the nitrogen stage to reach 4 K. Nitrogen-hydrogen systems

are commonly used for cooling infrared detectors [40]. These devices are usually made in

miniature sizes (a few mm diameter by a few cm long) and have cool -down times of a few

seconds. Bottled high-pressure gas is usually used with these systems. These are attractive

for cooling of small superconducting devices since there are no moving mechanical parts and

little vibrational or magnetic noise. Little [41] discusses scaling laws for miniature

Joule-Thomson systems. Ejectors [42] can be used in conjunction with a Joule-Thomson valve

to allow a lower temperature stage to be added which can reach temperatures below the normal

boiling point of the liquid.

Claude Cycle

A combination of the Brayton cycle (Fig. 4) for an upper stage and a Joule-Thomson

expansion for a lower stage is called the Claude cycle, Fig. 13(b). Several stages of expansion engines may be used. This cycle was first used in 1902 [2], and is now commonly

used for liquefying helium. The Collins helium liquefiers use this cycle. Because this

cycle uses expansion engines (rotary or reciprocating), it performs a reversible adiabatic

expansion and thus it is more efficient than the Hampson cycle. Table 3 compares [43] the

actual efficiency of several types of refrigerators for a temperature of 20 K. The reciprocating expansion engines in the Claude cycle require inlet and outlet valves at the low

temperature, hence the system is mechanically complex. In 1912 Heylandt patented [2] a

design for a reciprocating expansion engine which had a long nonconducting piston and room- temperature seals. Low- temperature valves are eliminated when expansion turbines are used

but these are not efficient in small-size refrigerators.

TABLE 3. Comparison of Efficiencies for Actual

Refrigeration Cycles with 1 W at 20 K

Cycle '^/^c

Stirling 0.030

Gifford-McMahon 0.013

Brayton 0.011

Hampson (Joule-Thomson) 0.007

Solvay Cycle

In 1887 Solvay [2] was issued a patent for a gas refrigeration machine which did not

•have the problem of low- temperature valves. Also, instead of a counter-flow heat exchanger,

he used a regenerative heat exchanger in the Brayton cycle. Warm high-pressure gas passed

from the valve through the regenerator to the expansion engine. The regenerator was actually

the annular gap between the piston and cylinder. After expanding in the engine and doing

37
work, the cold gas passed through the regenerator and out the exit valve. The Solvay cycle,

shown in Fig. 14(a) is well suited to small refrigerators [44].

Stirling Cycle

As mentioned early in this paper, Kirk in 1874 first used the Stirling cycle for refrigeration. Fig. 14(b) gives a schematic of such a refrigerator and Table 3 shows its relative

efficiency, which is the highest of all refrigerators. This refrigerator also uses a re- generative heat exchanger but unlike the Solvay cycle, no valves are required. In the

Stirling-cycle refrigerator the piston and displacer must be synchronous and 90° out of

phase. This connection is represented by the dashed line between the compressor and displacer in Fig. 14(b). Negligible force is required to move the displacer since it only

displaces gas back-and-forth between the high- and low- temperature ends. The gas volume in

the regenerator should be small compared with the total gas volume. The piston delivers the

work of compression and also receives the work of expansion. Since no valves are required,

this cycle is very simple and well suited to small refrigerators for superconductors. With

a three-stage displacer temperatures as low as 7.8 K have been obtained [45]. Zimmerman and

Radebaugh [46] discuss the use of this refrigerator for cooling a SQUID. In that refrigerator

the regenerator is just the gap between the displacer and the walls. It should be pointed

out here that in high-speed operation of the Stirling-cycle refrigerator, isothermal com- pression and expansion do not occur. Thus the actual thermodynamic cycle followed by such

refrigerators is more like the Otto cycle instead of the ideal Stirling-cycle. It would

seem less confusing to use the name Kirk cycle to refer to the mechanical means of approximating this cycle and Stirling cycle to refer to the ideal thermodynamic cycle. Unfortunately

the name Stirling cycle seems to be in widespread use for the mechanical cycle as well. The

Stirling cycle can also be carried out by using two pistons operating 90° out of phase,

instead of a piston and a displacer.

Gifford-McMahon Cycle

In 1959 Gifford and McMahon [47] described another cycle which used regenerative heat

exchangers and a displacer. Unlike the Stirling-cycle refrigerator, room- temperature valves

are used to separate the displacer from the compressor. Figure 14(c) shows a schematic of

the Gifford-McMahon refrigerator. In this refrigerator expansion of the gas in the cold

chamber is a free expansion through the exit valve. No external work is done by the expansion, but it does do work on the gas leaving the system. The enthalpy and temperature of ,

the gas leaving the system is thus raised. The gas left in the cold space expands adiabati- <•

cally, if done fast, just as in the Stirling cycle. Unlike the Stirling cycle, the work

from expansion is not recovered and its efficiency is lower. (See Table 3). It is difficultj

to show the Gifford-McMahon on a single T-S diagram because different portions of the gas

j follow different curves [48]. The general shape is similar to the Brayton cycle for highj speed operation and the Ericsson cycle in the more ideal low-speed operation. The differencej

between the Gifford-McMahon refrigerator and the Solvay refrigerator is that in the Solvay

j refrigerator work is extracted from the expanding gas, whereas in the Gifford-McMahon refri- j gerator work is not extracted. The cycle sometimes referred to as the work Gifford-McMahon

j

38
Wo Wo W

QoJo

3 Displacer

W

Regenerator

I (a) Solvay Cycle

QJ

QoJo

Q

jt (c) Gifford-McMahon

Cycle

(b) Stirling Cycle

I

Q

jt (d) Vuilleumier

Cycle

'Figure 14 (a) A schematic of the Solvay cycle which uses an expander, warm valves, and a

regenerative heat exchanger, (b) A schematic of the Stirling cycle in which a displacer

operates synchronously with the piston. The piston does work to compress the gas and

receives work W during the expansion. (c) A schematic of the Gifford-McMahon cycle which

has a displacer and room- temperature valves, (d) A schematic of the Vuilleumier cycle which

uses a thermal compressor comprised of a displacer and regenerator with a high-temperature

heat source. The high- and low- temperature displacers operate synchronously.

39
cycle is the same as the Solvay cycle described previously. One advantage of the GiffordMcMahon refrigerator is that high-speed oil-lubricated compressors can be used with a lowspeed displacer. Such refrigerators have relatively long MTBF and are well suited to small

sizes. With a three-stage displacer temperatures of 6.5 K have been obtained [49]. The

addition of a Joule-Thomson stage on the bottom end permits temperatures of 4.2 K to be

reached. By so doing, the complexity and cost are increased, but Higa [50] shows that re- liability is still good.

Vuilleumier Cycle

The efficiency of refrigerators for cooling small superconducting devices is not very

important. Instead, reliability, size and cost are the important engineering aspects which

are considered. Some of the practical cycles discussed above eliminate the low temperature

expansion engines to achieve better reliability. The mechanical compressor can also be

eliminated as is done in the Vuilleumier cycle [51], (VM cycle) patented in 1918. This cycl

is like the Stirling-cycle refrigerator except that the mechanical compressor is replaced by

a thermal compressor, see Fig. 14(d). A thermal compressor is simply a displacer moving

between the hot (600° C) end of a cylinder and the room- temperature end. The cold and hot

displacers are the only moving parts and the forces on them are small. The disadvantage is

that pressure ratios are limited to relatively small values, but that may effect only the

efficiency. The Vuilleumier cycle is discussed in more detail [52] in other places. Temperatures as low as 6.1 K have been reached with this method [52], which is the lowest for

any regenerative refrigerator.

Another step in the elimination of moving parts would be to eliminate the crankshaft

which moves the displacers in the Vuilleumier cycle. The displacers could oscillate in a resonance fashion with no mechanical connections. Stirling engines have been developed whic

operate with no crankshaft. These are called free-piston Stirling engines [1,53]. To the

author's knowledge no free-piston Vuilleumier refrigerators have been built.

Other Means for Eliminating Mechanical Parts

Crankshafts for reciprocating compressors and expanders can be eliminated by using

linear-drive motors. When the pistons are also rotated by a rotating field, a gas-bearing

effect is produced that eliminates wear from metallic contact of piston and cylinder. This

rotary-reciprocating concept for compressors and expanders is being utilized [54] in a

Brayton-cycle refrigerator for a predicted temperature of about 10 K. The cost of precisior|'

machining for the components is high but the potential for long life is good. The same

'

rotary-reciprocating concepts could be used in other cycles, such as the Stirling cycle [55]

The old ammonia-gas refrigerators replaced a mechanical compressor with a thermal com- j pressor. In these refrigerators ammonia was absorbed in water at room temperature and then

the solution was pumped to a high temperature section where the ammonia gas was driven off a

high pressure. The process did require a liquid pump, but these are more efficient than a

gas compressor. An absorption compressor using LaNi^-hydride has been described [56] for us

with a hydrogen refrigerator operating near 20 K. Other gases can be pumped and thermally

40
compressed by using gas adsorption on zeolites. Details of such adsorption pumping are given

by Hartwig [57].

Gifford and Longsworth [58] devised a method known as pulse tube refrigeration in which

there are no moving low- temperature parts. In this method gas is pulsed in and out of a tube

closed at the other end at a rate of about 30 - 200 pulses per minute. The gas passes

through a regenerator before entering the pulse tube. Refrigeration occurs at the inlet to

the tube and heat is rejected at the other end, which is closed. Two or three stages are

required [59] to reach 80 K, and it seems unlikely that a temperature as low as 10 K can be

reached with this method. An advantage over the Hampson cycle is that pressures are much

lower, thus a simpler compressor is required.

SUMMARY

The purpose of this paper has been to show how the thermodynamic principles of refrigeration can be applied to a wide spectrum of systems other than gas-liquid systems. The

discussion of refrigeration with different systems has been on a unified basis to facilitate

comparisons. It has been shown how entropy comparisons can be an aid to a search for new refrigeration systems. Emphasis is placed on new refrigeration systems since they could lead

to large changes in cost and reliability. A separate section on gas-liquid systems has been

included to show how engineering progress has brought such systems to a sophisticated state

and to bring the reader up to date on the progress in these systems. New areas of engineering research in eliminating moving parts has been discussed.

Use of the Josephson junction and other small superconducting devices may well become

one of the biggest applications of cryogenics. Progress in refrigeration and in the mating

of the device and refrigerator should keep pace with the device development. In the long run

the device will sell only as part of a system, and the system can be no better than the

weakest link. To insure that refrigeration is not the weak link, an effort to develop new

systems for the long run, in parallel with engineering efforts on present gas-liquid systems,

may be the best approach.

41
REFERENCES

1. 6. Walker, Stirling-Cycle Machines , Clarendon Press, Oxford (1973).

2. S.C. Collins and R.L. Cannaday, Expansion Machines for Low Temperature Processes , Oxford University Press, Oxford (1958).

3. J. Ericsson, see Encyclopedia Americana, Vol. 10, New York (1972) p 547.

4. R.D. McCarty, NBS Tech. Note 631 (1972).

5. J. Wilks, The Properties of Liquid and Solid Helium , Clarendon Press, Oxford (1967).

6. 6. J. Van Wylen and R.E. Sonntag, Fundamentals of Classical Thermodynamics , John Wiley

and Sons, New York (1965) p 590.

7. K. Nesselmann, Chem. Ing. Tech. 29, 198 (1957).

8. W.F. Giauque and J.O. Clayton, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 55, 4875 (1933).

9. T.R. Strobridge, NBS Tech. Note 129 (1962).

10. R.D. Goodwin, NBSIR 73-342 (1973).

11. A. Frank and K. Clusius, Z. Physik. Chem. B36 , 291 (1937).

12. J.H. Colwell, E.K. Gill and J. A. Morrison, J. Chem. Phys. 36, 2223 (1962).

13. V.J. Johnson, WADD Tech Tech. Report 60-56, Part I, 1960.

14. R.D. McCarty NASA SP-3089 (1975).

15. H.W. Woolley, R.B. Scott and F.G. Brickwedde, J. Res. Nat. Bur. Std. 41, 379 (1948).

16. R.M. Gibbons and D.I. Nathan, AFML-TR-67-1 75 (1967); R.M. Gibbons and C. McKinley, Adv.

Cry. Eng. l^, 375 (1968).

17. J.G. Daunt, Cryogenics 10, 473 (1970).

18. R. Radebaugh, NBS Tech. Note 362 (1967).

19. D.S. Betts, Refrigeration and Thermometry Below One Kelvin , Sussex University Press

(1976).

20. J.S. Dugdale and J. P. Franck, Phil. Trans. R. Soc. 257, 1 (1964).

21. O.V. Lounasmaa, Experimental Principles and Methods Below 1 K , Academic Press, London,

(1974).

22. G. Frossati, H. Godfrin, B. Rubral, G. Schumacker, D. Thoulouze, Int'l Symposium on

Physics at Ultralow Temperatures, Japan, 1977 (to be published).

23. H.J. Goldsmid, Thermoelectric Refrigeration , Plenum Press, New York (1964).

24. J.E. McCormick and J.B. Brauer, Adv. Cry. Eng. lOA, 493 (1965).

25. W.M. Yim and R.D. Rosi, Solid-State Electron. 15_, 1121 (1972); W.M. Yim and A. Amith,

Solid-state Electron. 15, 1141 (1972).

26. D.K.C. MacDonald, Thermoelectricity: An Introduction to the Principles , John Wiley &

Sons, New York (1962) p 84.

{

27. L.R.G. Treloar, The Physics of Rubber Elasticity , Clarendon Press, Oxford (1958).

28. C.L. Stong, Sci. Am. 224, 118 (April 1971). ) 29. CM. Jackson, H.J. Wagner and R.J. Wasilewski, NASA-SP5110 (1972).

j

30. E.F. Westrum, Jr., Pure Appl . Chem. 2, 241 (1961).

j 31. R. Radebaugh, J. Low. Temp. Phys. 27_, 91 (1977). |

42
32. W.A. Steyert, This Conference; W.P. Pratt, Jr., S.S. Rosenblum, W.A. Steyert and J. A,

Barclay, Cryogenics 17^, 689 (1977).

33. W.F. Giauque, R.A. Fisher, E.W. Hornung and G.E. Brodale, J. Chem. Phys. 58, 2621 (1973);

R.A. Fisher, E.W. Hornung, G.E. Brodale and W.F. Giauque, J. Chem. Phys. 58 5584 (1973).

34. G.V. Brown, J. Appl . Phys. 47, 3673 (1973).

35. F. Jona and G. Shirane, Ferroelectric Crystals , MacMillan, New York (1962), p 251;

H. Baumgartner, Helv. Phys. Acta 23, 651 (1950).

36. I.W. Shepherd, J. Phys. Chem. Solids, 28, 2027 (1967).

37. R. Radebaugh, This Conference.

38. R. Radebaugh, J.D. Siegwarth, W.N. Lawless and A.J. Morrow, NBSIR 76-847 (1977).

39. M.W. Zemansky, Heat and Thermodynamics , 4th Ed., McGraw-Hill, New York (1957), p 292.

40. S.W. Stephens, Infrared Phys. 8, 25 (1968).

41. W.A. Little, This Conference.

42. J. A. Rietdijk, in: Liquid Helium Technology Pergamon Press, London, (1966) p 241; D.E.

Daney, P.M. McConnell and T.R. Strobridge, Adv. Cry. Eng. 18, 476 (1973).

43. H.L. Jensen, T.C. Nast and A. P.M. Glassford, in: Applications of Cryogenic Technology , Vol. 4, XYZYX Information Corp. (1972) p 384.

44. R.C. Longsworth, Adv. Cry. Eng. 16, 195 (1970).

45. A. Daniels and F.K. du Prg, Adv. Cry. Eng. 16 178 (1970).

46. J.E. Zimmerman and R. Radebaugh, This Conference.

47. H.O. McMahon and W.E. Gifford, Adv. Cry. Eng. 5, 354 (1960).

48. W.E. Gifford, Adv. Cry. Eng. H, 152 (1966).

49. R.W. Stuart, B.M. Cohen and W.H. Hartwig, Adv. Cry. Eng. 15^, 428 (1970).

50. W.H. Higa, This Conference.

51. Vuilleumier, U.S. Patent 1,275,507 (1918).

52.. T.T. Rule and E.B. Qvale, Adv. Cry. Eng. U 343 (1969); B.L. Renyer, in: Closed Cycle

Cryogenic Cooler Technology and Applications , AFFDL-TR-73-149, Vol. 1 (1973) p 147;

R.D. Doody, Tech. Report AFFDL-TR-75-108 (1975).

53. W. Beale, W. Holmes, S. Lewis and E. Cheng, Paper 730647, SAE Automotive Engineering

Congress, June 1973.

54. C.A. Schulte, A. A. Fowle, T.P. Heuchling and R.E. Kronauer, Adv. Cry. Eng. lOA, 477

(1965); R.W. Breckenridge, Jr., in Closed Cycle Cryogenic Cooler Technology and

Applications , AFFDL-TR-73-149, Vol. 1 (1973) p 355.

55. R.W. Breckenridge, Jr., private communication (1977).

56. H.H. van Mai and A. Mijnheer, 4th Int'l Cry. Eng. Conf. (1972).

57. W. H. Hartwig, This Conference.

58. W.E. Gifford and R.C. Longsworth, Adv. Cry. Eng. H, 171 (1966); lOB, 69 (1965).

59. R.A. Lechner and R.A. Ackermann, Adv. Cry. Eng. 18, 467 (1973).

43

Concepts for Cooling Small Superconducting

Devices Using Closed-Cycle Regenerative Refrigerators

Ralph C. Longsworth

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

Allentown, Pennsylvania

The use of regenerative type refrigerators to cool small

superconducting devices requires solving the following problems:

. difficulty of cooling below lOK

. isolation of the refrigerator vibration

. cooling by conduction rather than liquid or gas

. maintaining constant temperature

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. as a manufacturer of small

regenerative type cryocoolers, JT coolers, helium transfer cryostats, and small helium liquefiers which are sold for use in

laboratory research, has had appreciable experience in solving

many of these problems. This paper describes some of the concepts

that have been developed which include:

. three stage regenerator type cryocoolers for 7K

operation

. 4.2K JT loop attached to lOK cryocooler

refrigerated helium dewars with low boil off rates

. flexible low loss helium transfer lines

. convective gas heat transfer to isolate vibration

. temperature cycle attenuators

. automatic temperature controllers.

In addition, the characteristics of the Air Products' modified Solvay cycle cryogenic refrigerator are described.

Key words: Helium dewar; JT loop, regenerative cryocooler;

temperature control; three stages; two stages; vibration isolation.

1. Introduction

Most of the research work done to date on superconducting devices has utilized liquid

helium as a refrigerant. Liquid helium has the characteristics of providing a constant

temperature independent of heat load at its boiling temperature of about 4.2K, and an ab- sence of vibration. Good heat transfer is obtained by immersing the object being cooled

directly in the liquid or surrounding it with cold gas. Flexibility of orientation and

portability are possible by using small light weight dewars that can hold enough liquid

helium to operate for several hours or days.

In order to reduce the operating cost and eliminate the need for handling liquid

hel i urn, closed-cycle refrigeration will be required as superconducting devices move from

the research laboratory to commercial applications. Claude cycle refrigerator/1 iquefiers

are most commonly used for producing the liquid helium used today and some small units

built by Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. are in use as Maser coolers [1]; however, most

of the small closed-cycle cryogenic coolers presently in use are of the regenerative type

operating on cycles related to the Stirling or Solvay cycles. They are used for applications above lOK, because they have proven to be most economical and reliable for long term

operation.

When closed-cycle regenerative type refrigerators are used, then one must consider

the following:

. operation at temperatures above 4.2K

. temperature control (short and long term)

. refrigerator vibration

. heat transfer mechanism to refrigerator

. size of refrigerator

. need for electrical power and heat rejection

45
Many of these problems have been addressed in adapting regenerative cryocoolers to a wide range of applications. The concepts that have been employed in solving these problems are described in this paper. These concepts can be considered to be the building

blocks that are presently available to utilize regenerative cryocoolers in cooling new

small superconducting devices. The paper also describes the characteristics of the re- frigerators manufactured by Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

p

2. Two Stage Displex Refrigerator

Figure 1 is a photograph of the CS-202 Displex refrigerator [2] which consists of the

expander, separate compressor, and interconnecting gas and electrical lines. The helium

compressor is a modified oil lubricated air conditioning compressor with an oil removal

system which includes an adsorber.

The expander, which is shown disassembled in Figure 2, produces refrigeration by a modified Solvay cycle. It consists of a two-stage displacer with regenerator heat ex- changers packed inside the displacer body. Pressure cycling is set by a rotary valve disc

which sets the cycle rate at 144 rpm on 60 cycle power. Piston motion is controlled by a pneumatic dash pot which also dissipates the work energy produced in the refrigeration

cycle. It is the lack of mechanical linkages that enables long life and high reliability

to be achieved. The cycle timing is such that the unit runs smoothly and is quiet; however, the reciprocating inertia of the piston must be considered in applications that are extremely sensitive to vibration. Recommended maintenance consists of changing the ex- pander piston seals and valve disc, and compressor adsorber at 9,000 hour intervals.

Figure 3 is a curve showing the cooling capacity of the CS-202 refrigerator. If the

refrigerator is operating in a vacuum with no heat load, the first stage will operate at

about 35 K and the second stage at just under 10 K. The rated capacity of the unit is two

watts at 20 K plus seven watts at 77 K. As the curve shows, there is a slight influence

of the first stage heat load on the second stage temperature for first stage temperatures

below 80 K. Temperatures above 80 K cause a significant reduction in second stage performance..

Two larger refrigerators are also presently available. The CS-208L has a capacity of

ten watts at 20 K and the CS-227 has a capacity of fifty watts at 20 K. It is possible to

operate a multiplicity of small expanders with one of the larger compressors.

3. Minimum Temperature of Regenerative Type Refrigerator

Work on reducing the minimum temperature of regenerative type refrigerators has followed

several paths. Work on optimizing the design of a conventional lead shot regenerator and

the cold end heat exchanger was pursued by Gifford [3] which resulted in a temperature of

6.8K being achieved on a two stage Gifford-McMahon unit.

Several efforts have been directed at improving the thermal storage capacity of the

regenerator matrix. The use of rare earth materials has been studied by Moore [4].

Fleming [5] considered using helium adsorbed on charcoal, stored in small glass spheres,

and stored in a surrounding cylinder. The third concept was tried on a Gifford-McMahon

unit which operated at 7.6K vs. 7.7K with standard lead shot.

The most successful efforts to reduce the minimum temperature have consisted of adding

a third stage of expansion. Stuart et. al . [6] reported a temperature of 6.5K in a Gifford

-McMahon cycle unit. Daniels and duPre [7] reported on testing of a three stage Stirling

cycle unit with three different regenerator materials. A temperature of 9. OK was reached

with a conventional lead regenerator, 8.5K was reached with charcoal, and 7.8K was reached

with europium sulfide. Daniels and DuPre expressed the opinion that the higher pressure

ratio at which the Gifford-McMahon (and Solvay) cycle units typically operate compared

with Stirling cycle units accounts for their lower temperatures. Cowans [8] built a three

stage Vuilleumier Cycle refrigerator with a stored helium regenerator; however, internal

leaks prevented successful operation.

There has been essentially no commercial market to date for small 7K refrigerators;

thus it is premature to say which if any of the approaches that have been tried is best.

46
Certainly there is room for improvement in terms of minimum temperature and efficiency. It

is unlikely that the efficiency of regenerative type refrigerators near their minimum temperature will be as good as Brayton cycle machines; thus their use will be limited to applications that require less than a few watts at temperatures below lOK.

Figure 4 is a flow sheet of the Model CS-^08 presently being built by Air Products and

Chemicals, Inc. which shows a helium JT (Joule-Thomson) loop which is precooled by a CS208L expander that produces lOW (? 20K plus 30W (? 77K. In addition to providing refrigeration at 4.3K, it has the advantage of having a stream of cold gas which can be used to

transport the refrigeration that is available at each temperature level to remote points

where it can intercept heat leak. This feature can also be used to separate the refrigerator from the object being cooled by transferring the cold gas through a flexible vacuum

jacketed transfer line, thus helping to isolate the vibration inherent in the refrigerator.

The compressor that supplies gas to the cold end is a multi cylinder oil lubricated

air conditioning compressor. One cylinder compresses the JT return flow from 15 psia to

75 psia where it joins the return from the expander to be compressed to 275 psia.

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory has been operating 1 watt 4.3K systems similar to this

for more than ten years with a very good record of reliability. It is hoped that W. Higa,

who is scheduled to attend this meeting, will give an updated report on their experience.

Other methods of bridging the gap from the 15K temperature level where regenerative

type coolers have reasonable efficiency to 4.2K that have been or are being tried are Simon Cooling and Dielectric refrigeration. Gifford et. al . [9] reported on a Simon

expansion device used with a Gifford-McMahon cycle refrigerator that produced about .25 L of liquid helium after precooling gas at about 2,500 psi to less than 12K. This produces

liquid in batches, but presumably a dual system could provide continuous refrigeration.

From a manufacturing standpoint it does not appear as attractive as the JT loop because of

the switching mechanisms required and because another high pressure stage of compression is

I required.

Development of a Dielectric cold stage was initiated by Lawless [10] and work contini ues. today at Los Alamos. It is hoped that W. A. Steyert will give a report on this work

I during the present meeting.

Figure 5 is a schematic drawing showing a two stage Displex refrigerator mounted on a helium dewar to reduce the boiloff rate [11]. A dewar similar to this but with a warm bore

tube extending all the way through and having the refrigerator direct mounted was built and

[tested. With six 30 Ga instrument leads in one of the neck tubes the boiloff rate was

10.1 ml liquid/hr. When the wires were removed the boiloff rate dropped to 3.8 ml liquid/

! hr, which enabled the customer to operate for more than ten months before adding more

1 iquid hel ium.

Il During the test program it was demonstrated that the expander piston could be removed

"from the cold cylinder, serviced, and reinstalled without warming the piston. A total of

1 50 ml of liquid helium vented as a result.

I

This concept is most attractive for applications where there is no heat generated at

I4.2K and where there are no lead wires to the liquid helium. If the heat loss at 4.2K is

'more than a few mw, then the boiloff rate of helium is high enough that the sensible heat

intercepts heat leak and the refrigerator is not needed.

In addition to providing a constant temperature bath, the liquid helium dewar has the

advantage of having an inventory of stored refrigeration. If a cold stage is added to a regenerative machine such as a JT loop that is cold enough to recondense the helium, then

one can combine the advantages of liquid helium with those of a closed-cycle refrigerator

4. 4.3K JT Loop

5. Other Cold Stages

6. Refrigerated Helium Dewar

47
and, at the same time, have built in a high degree of reliability.

7. Vibration Isolation

Some low temperature devices are sensitive to the vibration of regenerativepcoolers

which all have reciprocating displacers. Figure 6 is a photograph of a Heli-Tran refrigerator unit which has a flexible helium transfer line [12], [13]. By having part of the

helium stream make a return pass through the transfer line to intercept heat leak, it is

possible to maintain 4.2K with less than 1 L/hr liquid helium consumption. The technologies

of this transfer line can be used to transfer refrigeration in a closed-cycle cooler and,

at the same time, provide vibration isolation.

A second concept for isolating vibration is shown in Figures 5 and 7. The unit shown

in Figure 7 has been successfully used to conduct Mossbauer experiments at lOK. The principal that is employed is to mount the refrigerator on a separate base from the cryostat

and thermally couple the two with a cold helium gas convective circulation loop [14]. There

is a loss of about 25% of the refrigeration produced with a modest sized heat exchange loop.

Figure 8 is a drawing of a gas well cooled by a two stage Displex refrigerator which

is used with a Faraday balance. The cold gas provides good heat transfer while keeping the

object being cooled both mechanically and electrically isolated from the refrigerator.

8. Temperature Control

Temperature fluctuations in a regenerative cycle cooler are both short term and long

term. The short term cycle corresponds to the reciprocating rate of the expander, 144 rpm

on 60 Hz and 120 rpm for 50 Hz power for the Displex refrigerator. The low specific heats

of the refrigerator materials at lOK result in a temperature change of about IK each cycle

at the refrigerator cold tip. Long term temperature changes are due to changes in heat

load, ambient temperature, and wear of the refrigerator. Experience has shown that refrigerator wear results in temperature changes of several tenths of a degree within recommended

maintenance intervals.

Two adapters have been developed to reduce short term temperature cycle. A one inch

long rod of pure lead attenuates the fluctuation at lOK by a factor of 10. This has the

desirable characteristic of having a very high thermal conductivity, but it has the disadvantage of adding 30 minutes to the cooldown time of the refrigerator. The second adapter

that has been developed is multiple layers of indium and mylar. This is compact and has a relatively small thermal mass. It reduces the short term temperature cycle at lOK to about

.005K, but one pays the penalty of losing half the refrigeration that is produced at temperature between lOK and 20K.

Control of temperature over a long period of time requires an active temperature con- troller. Most commonly used is one which employs Au .07% Fe vs. Kp thermocouple and has a 24 hour stability rating of ± 0.2K. For more precise requirements silicone diode sensors

are commonly used in conjunction with a controller that has a 24 hour stability of - .02K.

For applications which use the JT loop, the temperature can be controlled by regulating the vapor pressure. A controller of this type with vacuum as an absolute pressure

reference has been successfully employed to maintain a stability of t .OIK at 3.9K to 4.2K

in the small Claude cycle Maser coolers built by Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. [1].

9. Summary

The task of matching a refrigeration system with a given application starts with

understanding the requirements of the application and the characteristics of available re- frigeration systems. It is hoped that this paper will help potential users of closed-cycle

regenerative coolers to generate a list of requirements and, at the same time, suggest the

concepts that are presently available to solve certain problems.

In the long run the best refrigeration system for a given application is the one that

meets performance and reliability requirements at minimum capital and operating cost.

48
10. References

[I] Zeitz, K., and Meier, R. N., The evolution of helium refrigerators at Air Products

and Chemicals, Inc., Low Temperature Refrigeration, p. 219 (Boston Technical Publishers, Inc., Cambridge, MA, 1967).

[2] Longsworth, R. C, A modified Solvay-cycle cryogenic refrigerator. Advances in Cryogenic Engineering, 1^, p. 195 (Plenum Press, N.Y., 1971).

[3] Gifford, W. E., Low temperature refrigerator design optimization, Tech Report AFFDLTR-70-158 (Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, 1970).

[4] Moore, R. W., Jr., An investigation of thermal regenerators for the 4 to 20K temperature range, Tech Report AFFDL-TR-70-64 (Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, 1970).

[5] Fleming, R. B., Regenerators in cryogenic refrigerators, Tech Report AFFDL-TR-68-143

(Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, 1968).

[6] Stuart, R. W., Cohen, B. M., and Hartwig, W. H., Operation and application of a threestage closed-cycle regenerative refrigerator in the 6.5K region. Advances in Cryogenic Engineering 15^, p. 428 (Plenum Press, N.Y., 1970).

[7] Daniels, A., and du Pre, F. K., Triple-expansion Stirling-cycle refrigerator. Advances

in Cryogenic Engineering 1_6, p. 178 (Plenum Press, N.Y., 1971).

[8] Cowans, K. W., 5K Vuilleumier cryogenic refrigerator, Tech Report AFFDL-TR-72-10

(Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, 1972).

[9] Gifford, W. E. , Kadaikkal, N., and Acharya, A., Simon helium liquifaction method using

a refrigerator and thermal valve. Advances in Cryogenic Engineering ]5^, p. 422

(Plenum Press, N.Y., 1970).

[10] Lawless, W. N., Dielectric cooling technology: 15-4.2K, Tech Report AFFDL-TR-73-149

1, p. 147 (Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, 1973).

[II] Longsworth, R. C, Application of a 20K refrigerator to reducing boiloff rate of a

liquid helium dewar (Proceedings of the Fifth International Cryogenic Engineering

Conference, Kyoto, p. 390, IPS Science & Technology Press, London, 1974).

[12] Kadi, F. J., Longsworth, R. C, and Meier, R. N., Flexible cryogenic liquid transfer

system and support means therefor (U. S. Patent 3,706,208).

[13] Longsworth, R. C, Liquid cryogen transfer system (U. S. Patent 3,696,627).

[14] Longsworth, R. C, Vibration-free refrigeration transfer (U. S. Patent 3,894,403,

1975).
Figure 1. CS202 Displex Refrigerator

50
Figure 2. CS202 Expander Components

51
Figure 3. CS202 Refrigeration Capacity Vs Temperature.

52
275 PSIA

75 PSIA

15 PSIA

300 K

LEAD WIRE FOR

SUPERCONDUCTING

DEVICE

80K

J" ADSORBER

22

^ ADSORBER

EXTENDED STEM'

J-T VALVE

18 K

BY PASS

VALVEN

4.3 K

4.3 K LOAD

4,3K

^l] ^ Ql2 = 2.0W (S) 4.3K

77 K

95 K

I8K

25 W

2W

Figure 4. Flow Schematic of Two-Stage Displex Refrigerator with

4.3 K. JT Loop, Model CS-308

53
ELEVATION

150

DISPLEX EXPANDER

COMPRESSOR CONNECTIONS

EXPANDER SUPPORT

FLEXIBLE SLEEVE

HELIUM FILL/VENT PORTS

S.S. NECK TUBES (2) 2.5 O.D. X .065 WL.

WARM HEAT STATION @ T3

CONVECTIVE HEAT EXCHANGERS

COLD HEAT STATION/SHIELD

40.0 O.D.

SUPER INSULATION

LIQUID HELIUM @ T^ = 4.2°K

35.0 O.D. 43L ABOVE MAGNET

VACUUM JACKET

SUPER CONDUCTING MAGNET

7.2 I D.

MAGNET BORE TUBE @ T4 = aOO^K

5.5 I.D.

DIMENSIONS IN CM

Figure 5. Helium Dewar with Displex Refrigerator to Reduce Boiloff Rate

54
55
CS202

-DISPLEX

EXPANDER

FLEXIBLE

RUBBER

is» STAGE

CONVECTIVE

HEAT EXCHANGER

HELIUM HEAT

TRANSFER GAS

VACUUM

RADIATION

SHIELD

2"«^ STAGE

CONVECTIVE

HEAT EXCHANGER

Figure 7.

SAMPLE HOLDER

Model DMX-20 Interface for Mossbauer Spectroscopy Employing

Cold Gas Convection for Vibration Isolation

56

II1
Operation of a SQUID in a Very Low-Power Cryocooler *

J.E. Zimmerman and Ray Radebaugh

Cryogenics Division

National Bureau of Standards

Boulder, Colorado 80303

Abstract

A point-contact Nb SQUID has been operated a total of several hundred hours

at a temperature of about 8,5 K in a low-power Stirling cryocooler with a fourstage displacer. The system requires the order of 15 W of mechanical drive

power. Except for the drive motor, the entire unit is non-magnetic, and the

displacer and cold cylinder are made of non-conducting plastics, to minimize

ferromagnetic and eddy-current fields, which would interfere with the operation

of the SQUID when used as a magnetometer. With the system operating in the

-5 -9

earth's field B^, an ac interfering signal of about 10 B^ (i.e., 10 T) at

the SQUID was seen at the 1 Hz operating frequency of the cryocooler. This

signal was probably caused by rotation of the SQUID in the earth's field due to

pressure flexing of the cold cylinder, although magnetic impurities in the moving

parts would also contribute. Measurements of the complete self-generated interference spectrum, and experiments aimed at reducing interference to levels of

-12

10 T and below are in progress.

We have previously published an essentially theoretical discussion of the operation of a

very- low- power superconducting device, such as a SQUID, in a closed-cycle cryogenic refrii gerator (cryocooler) [1,2]. It was pointed out that the refrigeration capacity required for

the devices themselves is negligible, and the capacity required to cool the electrical leads

is small. On the other hand, a SQUID magnetometer, in particular, places a rigorous upper

limit on the allowable level of magnetic and mechanical interference.

It is assumed, of course, that all of the major heat loads (room temperature radiation,

and heat flow along electrical leads and support members, for example) are intercepted and

I pumped out at one or more higher- temperature refrigeration points, rather than at the cold

lend. In fact, in most small-device applications, it would seem that the refrigeration re- quirement at the cold end is almost incidental, if the heat loads at the higher-temperature

points are handled efficiently. Obvious though this point is, cryocoolers are very often

described in terms of cold-end refrigeration capacity only.

In liquid-helium cryostats, higher- temperature refrigeration is provided by the helium

vapor, whose total refrigeration capacity, uniformly distributed in temperature, is about 70

times that of the evaporating liquid itself. In a cryocooler one has the opportunity, in

principle, of optimizing the distribution of refrigeration at several points between ambient

and low temperature regions. Furthermore, a cryocooler is required to cool only the device

* Contribution of the National Bureau of Standards, not subject to copyright.

Supported in part by the Naval Electronics System Command.

59

II
itself and not a large liquid reservoir. Thus, for two reasons, estimates of refrigeration

requirements based on experience with liquid-helium cryostats may be quite conservative.

Since there is a pervasive casual tendency to specify cryocoolers only by their refrigeration capacity at cold end, it may be useful to illustrate this point with a hypothetical,

but fairly typical, example. A one-liter plastic liquid-helium cryostat with a single vaporcooled radiation shield at a steady-state temperature of 150 K might have a heat leak to the I

helium, as measured by the evaporation rate, of 30 mW. Here the evaporation rate and the

| shield temperature are mutually interdependent. That is, a lower shield temperature would

reduce the evaporation rate, but then the flow of cold vapor would not maintain the shield

temperature at the lower value. On the other hand, if a cryocooler were used to cool the j same one-liter volume and the same radiation shield, it could be designed to maintain the

shield at 50 K instead of 150 K. If the heat leak to the one-liter volume were primarily '

thermal radiation, then it would be reduced by a factor of 81, from 30 mW to about 0.4 mW.

If there were appreciable thermal conduction as well as radiation, the comparison would not

'

be quite so dramatic, but still impressive. ^|

We also described [1,2] an experimental cryocooler particularly suited for operating

very low-power high-T^ superconducting devices. This cryocooler was a three-stage split

Stirling-cycle [3] machine, which was operated more than 6000 hours at 1 stroke-per-second,

and reliably maintained a temperature of 13 K or less for uninterrupted periods of up to 5

weeks. Its novel features were (1) non-magnetic, non-conducting plastics for the displacer

and cold cylinder, (2) low operating power, and (3) mechanical simplicity. Solid nylon rod

was used for the displacer and commercial spun-glass epoxy ("G-10") tubing for the cold

i' cylinder. The input power of 50 W to an electric drive moter with about 15 W mechanical I' output power was a factor of 10 or more smaller than the power requirements of any previous

machine for this temperature range, so far as we are aware. Regenerative heat exchange

occurred in the narrow radial gap between the nylon displacer surface and the inner surface

of the cold cylinder. Gap regeneration was used in Stirling's original engine in 1816, and,

being mechanically trivial, is commonly used in miniature engines described in hobbyists

jj magazines. i A machine similar to ours (plastic displacer, gap regeneration, and very low power) was

built several years ago by du Pre and Daniels [4]. They achieved 130 K with a two-stage I displacer and 98 K with a conical displacer. The latter may be regarded as the limiting case

of a displacer with an infinite number of stages.

The temperature maintained by our three-stage machine is well within the range of high-T^;;

superconductors such as NbN and Nb^Sn. Practical devices have been made to operate at 14 K

and above [5]. i

A new four-stage displacer and cold cylinder (Figures 1, 2 and 3) were built to replace '

the three-stage unit. With this modification and some minor refinements, the machine has

maintained around 8.5 K for a total of several hundred hours of operation. The four sections

j of the nylon displacer were, respectively, 4.7, 9.5, 19 and 28 mm diameter and 15, 10, 12 and

12 cm long. The cold cylinder was made from sections of commercial spun-glass epoxy tubing

("G-10") with 2.4 to 4 mm wall thicknesses. The displacer sections were carefully

machined to fit the cylinder with almost no radial clearance, except for a few cm of the ]

60 ii
Plastic Piston

in Cylinder

Helium

Gas

Crankshaft

Nylon Displacer

Glass Reinforced

Plastic Cylinder

First Step

Vacuum Space

Aluminum

Vacuum Can

Radiation Shields

Cold End

Squid

Figure 1. Schematic diagram of low-power SQUID cryocooler system, not to

scale. Displacer dimensions and other data are given in text.

61
Figure 2. Cold cylinder and displacer of 8.5 K cryocooler. Left to right: 30 cm scale,

nylon displacer, glass-reinforced epoxy cylinder with inner radiation shields in

place, outer radiation shield, and vacuum jacket.

62
Room-temperature end of cold cylinder assembly. Clockwise from left: gas line

to working cylinder, gas-thermometer line, thermocouple wires, vacuum connection,

and rf SQUID connector.

63
large end where about 0.1 mm radial clearance was provided. During cooldown, differential

contraction of the nylon rods and the glass-epoxy tubes provides about one percent radial

clearance, except at the large (warm) end. This technique of fitting the displacer to the

cylinder is quite simple, and it also gives the minimum possible regenerator gap volume, which

is important for achieving minimum temperature. As in the earler model, the exact lengths of

the sections were calculated to take account of differential contraction, so as to give precise longitudinal fit in each section after cooldown. Here the fitting technique is not so simple. The important thing is to avoid any appreciable dead volume at the small (cold) end.

Slight misfitting at the larger steps seemed to have little effect on the cold-end temperature

Our measurements of the various components of stray heat inputs, including "shuttle

heat," reported separately [6], led us to conclude that lower temperature would be achieved by

reducing the displacer stroke. Thus, the four-stage displacer has been operated with a 7 mm

stroke, as compared to the 12 mm stroke of the three-stage model. Other operating parameters were essentially the same for both models, namely: operating speed 1 Hz, average pressure

0.5 MPa (5 atm), and piston displacement 38 cm . The average pressure, the speed, and the

displacer stroke could be varied considerably around these values without changing the coldend temperature very much. It was found that the values of these three parameters giving

lowest ultimate temperature were generally lower than the values giving fastest cooldown --

a result not entirely unexpected.

The machine was mostly operated with the cold end down. However, it was also operated

for a few hours with the cold cylinder horizontal, and also with the cold end up. In the

latter case, the steady-state temperature was about 0.2 K greater than for the other two

positions, e.g., 8.7 K instead of 8.5 K. We did not investigate the reason for this small

gravitational effect.

Temperature of the first (large) step was measured with a thermocouple, and the cold-end

temperature was measured by a helium gas bulb clamped directly to the small (1 cm diameter)

end of the cold cylinder. A simple permanently-adjusted point-contact rf-biased Nb SQUID was

clamped to the gas bulb. Low-conductivity parallel wires were used as rf coil leads, rather

than the usual copper coaxial line, in order to reduce heat leak. Temperature of the first

step stabilized at values of 180 K for average pressure 0.5 MPa to 150 K for average pressure

0.7 MPa. The lowest stable cold-end temperature was obtained at about 0.5 MPa, as noted

above.

Our present data on magnetic and mechanical interference are meager. With the SQUID

oriented North/South in the earth's magnetic field, there was a 0.5 nT ac component in the

output at the 1 Hz operating frequency of the cryocooler. This was most likely due to pressure flexing of the cold cylinder, which would result from lateral inhomogeneities in wall

thickness or elastic properties. Other lower-amplitude noise components at higher frequencies

4

have not yet been measured or identified. The 0.5 nT interference at 1 Hz is only about 10

times greater than typical SQUID sensitivities. If the hypothesis of pressure flexing is

correct, then this component could perhaps be reduced by a factor of 100 by correcting the

inhomogenieties in the cylinder walls. Another factor of 100 could probably be achieved by

accurately measuring the wave shape and amplitude and subtracting it from the output. In any

64
case, this particular interference would not so seriously affect measurements at frequencies

other than 1 Hz.

Measurements of the full self-generated interference spectrum for the system remain to be

done. At this point we believe that a useful low-cost system can be built for magnetic measurements in the picotesla range. Similar systems could be built for other device applications [2]. The Josephson voltage standard [7] seems a particularly good candidate.

Just as the point contact made Josephson devices such as SQUID's available to everyone

who took the time to understand a simple but unfamiliar principle, the work reported here

demonstrates that superconducting temperatures are also available to everyone who takes the

time to acquire modest skill with a lathe.

References

[1] J.E. Zimmerman, R. Radebaugh and J.D. Siegwarth, "Possible Cryocoolers for SQUID Magnetometers," Su£erconducting^ Qu^^ H.D.

Hahlbohm and H. Llibbig, eds., Walter de Gruyter, Berlin (1977) p 287.

[2] J.E. Zimmerman, R. Radebaugh and J.D. Siegwarth, "Refrigeration for Small Superconducting

Devices," Conf. German Refrigeration Society, Munich (October 1976) (in press).

[3] G. Walker, Stirling-Cycle Machines , Oxford University Press (1973).

[4] F.K. du Pr#, A. Daniels, "Gap-Regeneration Method for Stirling and Similar Cycles,"

Progress in Refrigeration Science and Technology, Vol. 1, Proc. XIII International

Congress of Refrigeration, Wash. D.C., (1971) AVI Publishing Co., Inc. Westport, Connecticut, p 137 (1973).

[5] M. Beasley in this publication.

[6] R. Radebaugh and J.E. Zimmerman, in this publication.

[7] L. Holdeman, in this publication.

65

SHUTTLE HEAT TRANSFER IN PLASTIC DISPLACERS AT LOW SPEEDS *

Ray Radebaugh and J. E. Zimmerman

Cryogenics Division

National Bureau of Standards

Boulder, Colorado 80303

ABSTRACT

Previous analyses of shuttle heat transfer in refrigerators with displacers have neglected

radial temperature gradients in the displacer or cylinder. Such analyses are valid when the

gas gap is the dominant thermal resistance. We show that with plastic materials for the

displacer and cylinder, shuttle heat transfer can be dominated by the thermal penetration

depth of the plastic when operating at low speeds. An equation is derived for the shuttle

heat transfer in such cases. Experimental data on shuttle heat transfer is obtained for

temperatures down to 120 K for different strokes and speeds and the agreement with calculated

values is good.

* Supported in part by the Naval Electronic Systems Command

I 67
SHUTTLE HEAT TRANSFER IN PLASTIC DISPLACERS AT LOW SPEEDS

Ray Radebaugh and J. E. Zimmerman

Cryogenics Division

National Bureau of Standards

Boulder, Colorado 80303

INTRODUCTION

The Stirling-cycle refrigerator described previously [1] requires no net refrigeration

power to keep a SQUID cold. The lowest temperature reached is the point where the total

refrigeration power is cancelled by various heat flows to the low temperature end. These

heat flows come from several sources, including radiation, heat conduction down the displacer

regenerator inefficiency, and shuttle heat transfer. Radiation heat flow to the lowest

temperature can be made negligible in most cases with good shielding. For temperatures

somewhat above 10 K the regenerator inefficiency can be made fairly small. Thus the major

heat flow in much of the refrigerator is from the conduction and shuttle processes. Shuttle

heat transfer occurs when the displacer, with an axial temperature gradient, reciprocates

inside a cylinder with a similar temperature gradient. Because shuttle heat transfer is a major source of heat leak, it must be well characterized in order to optimize the design of

the refrigerator.

PREVIOUS WORK

Zimmerman and Longsworth [2] discussed shuttle heat transfer and derived an equation for

it based on a simplified theory. Their theory contained four simplifying assumptions: (i)

properties are only weak functions of temperature, (ii) heat capacity of the displacer and

wall are infinite, (iii) negligible gas pressure cycling, and (iv) interaction of axial

conduction effects in the displacer are neglected. For square-wave motion of the displacer

they derive the equation

k„^DS'

4t

m

(1)

for the shuttle heat transfer, where k^ is the thermal conductivity of the gas, D is the

displacer diameter, S is the stroke length, t is the radial clearance, L is the length of the

displacer, T^ is the hot temperature, and T^ is the cold temperature. For sinusoidal motion

the average temperature drop across the gas gap is 2/tt times that for square-wave motion.

(2)

Hence for sinusoidal motion the average shuttle heat transfer becomes

k^DS'

2t L

More exact calculations may give different numerical doefficients, but the functional dependence of the shuttle heat loss on the various parameters will remain the same. Harness and Neumann [3] calculated shuttle heat transfer when assumption (iv) was relaxed. The problem then becomes very complex and can be solved only by numerical integration

of a second-order differential equation. Their results for the total heat flow differ from

1
that of adding the static heat conduction down the displacer to the simple shuttle heat

transfer equation given above. The difference ranges from 5 to 40%, depending on various

parameters, and is not always of the same sign.

As far as we know, attempts to solve the shuttle heat transfer problem with any of the

other three assumptions relaxed has never been done. However, we were concerned that assumption (ii) was not satisfied when the displacer and wall materials were of plastic and their

operation was at the low speed of about 60 rpm. When the heat capacity of the displacer and

hwall are assumed to be infinite, radial temperature gradients are thus neglected. In high-

-speed operation little heat is transferred across the gas gap in each cycle. As a result,

, the surface temperature of the displacer and wall remain nearly constant in time and the

assumption (ii) is satisfied. Temperature cycling of the surface does become important at

low speeds. The use of plastic materials instead of metal increases the amount of temperature cycling because the lower thermal conductivity decreases the thermal penetration depth.

THEORY

In order to keep the problem from becoming too complex, we first make the following

assumptions: (i) properties are nearly constant with temperature, (ii) thermal resistance of

the gas gap is negligible, (iii) the effect of gas-pressure cycling is neglected, i.e.,

regenerative action is perfect and heat capacity of the gas in the gap is negligible, (iv)

[interaction of the axial conduction effects in the displacer and wall are neglected, and (v)

jnotion of the displacer is sinusoidal.

The shuttle heat transfer is just the net enthalpy flow resulting from the motion of the

displacer. Its temperature is higher during the hot-to-cold motion than during the reverse

.notion so enthalpy is transported toward the cold end. The net enthalpy flow is just equal

ito the heat transferred to the displacer during one-half the cycle over a length equal to the

>troke. To evaluate this heat transfer we first let the wall have infinite heat capacity so

;hat it has no temperature cycling. We relax this condition later. Because of assumptions

,',ii) and (iii) above, we can say that the surface of the displacer takes on the temperature

;)f the wall adjacent to it at any moment in time. The sinusoidal motion of the displacer

!;hen causes a sinusoidal temperature fluctuation of the surface, provided the axial temperapure gradient is constant over the distance of the stroke. The problem of sinusoidal temjierature fluctuations on the surface of a semi-infinite solid is commonly treated in texts on

'eat conduction. Schneider [4] treats such a problem and the total heat transferred during

i'ine-half of the cycle is given as

Q = 2AATqAU7^ , (3)

here A is the surface area, AT^ is the peak of the temperature fluctuation, k is the thermal

onductivity of the displacer, C is its specific heat per unit volume, and co is the frequency

f oscillation. For n cycles per second oj = Z-rrn. Now A = ttDS and AT^ = (dT/dx) (S/2) . Thus

he heat transfer during one-half cycle and the net enthalpy flow per cycle become

69
DS' — /TTkC

2n

(4)

If the wall material has the same specific heat and thermal conductivity as that of the

displacer, then AT^ will be just one-half of that considered above. The average shuttle heat

transfer with n cycles per second then becomes

6 = (l/2)nDS=

dT

dx

fdTl

2n

dx

nirkC

(5)

As before, the functional dependence should be correct, but more exact calculations may give

slightly different numerical coefficients.

For a thermal conductivity independent of T we can write dT/dx = T> - 'cj/L- The

primary difference between this shuttle heat transfer and that derived by Zimmerman and

Longsworth is the dependence in the present calculation. Thus at low speeds the thermal

resistance of the solid material limits the shuttle heat transfer, whereas at higher speeds

the thermal resistance of the gas gap limits the shuttle heat transfer and Eq. (2) must be

uSed. For intermediate speeds we derive the total shuttle heat transfer by considering the

two thermal resistances to be in series. Hence

I/Q3 = 1/Q\ + 1/Q% , (6)

where Q^^ and Q^^ are the shuttle heat transfers limited by the gas gap and by the solid

material, respectively.

Equation (5) will be valid as long as the radius of the displacer and the wall thickness

is somewhat greater than the thermal penetration depth in the material. The thermal penetration depth X is defined as that depth where the amplitude of temperature fluctuation is 1/e

of that at the surface and is given approximately by [4]

X vk/nTrC , (7)

where k/C is just the thermal diffusivity. Table 1 shows values of k, C, and X for nylon at

various temperatures with n = 1 Hz. Values for k are from Ashworth, et al . [5], and values

for C are estimated from two different sources [6,7]. The specific heat and thermal con- ductivity of G-10 glass-reinforced epoxy is roughly the same as that of nylon [8]. From the

penetration depths given in Table 1 we see that finite size effects can be neglected in most

practical cases.

70
Table 1 . Thermal

thermal

conductivity, specific heat, and

penetration depth of nylon for n = 1 Hz

J

(k)

1^ (mW/cm K)

r

^ 3 (mJ/cm"^ K)

A(mm)

oUU 0 . DD n 9/1

0. 41) 1 /I

1 4011 U . ilo

1 UU ii . y / U . j4

50 2.19 440 0.40

20 0.948 112 0.52

10 0.385 22 0.75

5 0.156 3.2 1 .25

EXPERIMENTAL

To our knowledge previous measurements of shuttle heat transfer have not been made. It

was felt that such measurements were necessary to check the accuracy of the calculations from

a simple theory. Shuttle heat transfer can be measured by first observing the warm-up rate

of a known thermal mass at the cold end of the displacer cylinder. During this measurement

the displacer is operating but the compressor is not. Next, the displacer is shut off and

the static warm-up rate is measured. The difference in the two measurements gives the

shuttle heat transfer. Effects of gas pressure cycling are determined by varying the average

pressure in the system. In this paper measurements down to 120 K are reported and for this

temperature range the gas pressure had no effect.

Measurements were made using a Stirling-cycle refrigerator with a single stage displacer.

The displacer was made of nylon and the cylinder wall was of G-10 epoxy, 2.3 mm thick The

displacer was 0.95 cm in diameter and 30.3 cm long. The speed and stroke could be varied.

The radial clearance between the displacer and wall was about 0.1 mm at 145 K and 0.06 mm at room temperature. Some measurements were made with nitrogen gas instead of helium gas in the

system to increase the thermal resistance of the gas gap.

RESULTS

Figure 1 shows the shuttle heat transfer as a function of the cold-end temperature when

the warm end was at 300 K. The calculated values consider both the gas gap and penetration

depth limit using Eq. (6). Agreement between experimental and calculated values is excellent

for a stroke of 1.19 cm. For a 2.45 cm stroke the agreement is excellent at higher temperatures but worsens at lower temperatures. The disagreement may be a result of the temperature

gradient not being constant over the stroke length or it could be a result of interaction

with static thermal conduction.

71
0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

SHUTTLE HEAT TRANSFER

He Gas Speed=S4 rpm

Stroke=2.45 cm

• Experimental

Calculated

I!

300

Figure 1. Measured and calculated shuttle heat transfer as a function of coldend temperature with the hot end at 300 K.

Figure 2 shows the speed dependence of the shuttle heat transfer. This figure shows how I •1/2 I the shuttle heat transfer gradually varies from a n

' dependence at low speeds to an inde- 1 pendence of n at higher speeds. The experimental results agree fairly well with calculated

j values for both He and N2 gas in the gap. [

^1 I I I I M I I

I

I I I—I I I I I

I

'

He Gas Limit .

1 -

Figure 2. Measured and calculated shuttle heat transfer as a function of displacer speed for a cold-end temperature of 140 K. 'j

•i
We conclude that at least for the parameters used in this experiment, shuttle heat

transfer can be estimated to within about 15% by combining the two expressions given by

Eqs. (2) and (5) in the manner prescribed by Eq. (6). This imples the two thermal resistances are in series and that the necessary simplifying assumptions can be met in practice.

Optimization of the parameters of the Stirling refrigerator can then be carried out analytically. In the tests done here the shuttle heat transfer was about five times the static

conduction for a stroke of 1.19 cm. These results show that a more optimum design would have

a shorter stroke and larger diameter to minimize the total heat transfer. Because k and C

3 are proportional to T at lower temperatures, the calculated values may not be in quite so

good agreement with experiment at such temperatures unless Eq. (5) is integrated properly

between T. and T . Measurements down to about 5-10 K would be useful and are in progress.

REFERENCES

[1] J.E. Zimmerman and Ray Radebaugh, this publication.

[2] F.J. Zimmerman and R.C. Longsworth, Adv. Cryog. Eng. 16^, 342 (1970).

[3] J.B. Harness and P.E.L. Neumann, Proc. Int'l Cryog. Eng. Conf . , 5th (1972) p 97.

[4] P.J. Schneider, Conduction Heat Transfer , Addison-Wesley, Cambridge, MA (1955) p 276.

[5] T. Ashworth, J.E. Loomer and M.M. Kreitman, Adv. Cryog. Eng. 18, 271 (1973).

[6] W. Reese and J.E. Tucker, J. Chem, Phys. 43, 105 (1965).

[7] B. Wunderlich, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Report No. TR-17, Office of Naval Research Contract Nonr-591(19) (1968).

[8] J. A, Barclay, S.S. Rosenblum and W.A. Steyert, Cryogenics 16^, 539 (1976).

73

Scaling of Miniature Cryocoolers to Microminiature Size

W. A. Little

RAX

15 Crescent Dr.

Palo Alto, Ca. 94301

The very small size and thermal dissipation of superconducting sensors imposes an

extremely small load on the supporting refrigeration system. Present day refrigerators

generally are grossly mismatched to such loads. For this reason we have considered the

possibility of scaling down a miniature refrigerator to microminiature size. A set of

scaling laws is derived. These have been applied to the design of a N2 - H2 refrigerator

which might use a NbN sensor. Such microminiature refrigerators appear to offer a number

of attractive design and manufacturing advantages.

Key words: refrigerator, cryocooler, Joule-Thomson cycle, heat exchanger design.

1. Introduction

During the past decade a host of new superconducting devices have been developed which

are based on the Josephson effect. These include supersensitive magnetometer, gradiometers

,

voltage standards, current comparators, rf attenuators, bolometers and logic elements. In

these devices the power dissipated in the cryogenic environment is typically of the order

of microwatts. However, the refrigeration systems which are available to maintain the low

temperature environment for the devices have a capacity of watts to tens of watts. Such

refrigerators are thus poorly matched to the refrigeration requirements of the sensors. For

this reason we have considered the problem of scaling down a small refrigerator to microminiature size. We have derived a set of scaling laws which allow one to estimate the size

and performance of such a refrigerator. The proposed microminiature refrigerators appear

to offer a number of attractive features both in manufacture and operation, viz., ease of mass production, compact construction, fast cooldown and long operating time. On this basis one

can visualize the superconducting sensor and refrigerator as a single package, the size of

a miniature vacuum tube which would be inexpensive, replaceable and disposable.

We have considered three refrigeration systems for miniaturization, the Kirk-Stirling,

Gif ford-McMahon and Joule-Thomson systems. The first two cycles are more efficient in

general than the last but are somewhat more complex in view of their several moving parts.

Because of the simplicity of the J-T system and its absence of moving parts we chose it for

further study. Our analysis focusses primarily on the properties of the heat exchanges so

has some relevance to other cooling cycles.

Miniature J-T refrigerators using N2, H2 and He circuits are commercially available [1]

and have been described in the literature [2] . These refrigerators typically produce watts

of refrigeration at 80K, 20K or 4K. Our purpose was to scale this down by a factor of the

order of a hundred.

2. Heat Exchanger Design Considerations

The design of countercurrent heat exchangers is described in two excellent reviews:

75
WALL

Figure 1. Schematic plot of the temperature profile from one gas to the other

counter flowing gas across the wall of a heat exchanger.

Figure 2. Temperature along the length of a countercurrent heat exchanger. T is the

temperature at each point in the exchanger of the incoming gas and T" that

of the outgoing gas.

76
"Experimental Cryophysics," Chapter 2 by Hoare, Jackson and Kurti, [3] and J. G. Daunt '

s

article in the Encyclopedia of Physics, Springer Verlag [4] . The temperature profile from

the one fluid at temperature T to the other at temperature T' across the wall of the

exchanger is illustrated in Figure 1. Here AT is the drop in temperature in the gas on

one side, AT the drop across the wall and AT' the drop in the gas on the other side. Daunt w

states that one can usually neglect AT , so if the heat transf er/sec/unit area of wall is w

q then q = aAT = a'AT' , where a and a' are certain quantities to be derived later. Then

^

T -

^.T = q/K, • / where —11,1 * — + —T . ^ ' K a a' The heat transfer/sec/unit length of the exchanger, dQ will thus be given by

• • (St dQ = k(T - T')Pd2, = mi Cp(|j)d«, , (1)

where P is the perimeter of the wall, Cp the heat capacity of the gas/unit mass and mi is

the mass flow of the input gas per unit time.

Likewise for the cold return

• (St' • m' C^(|^)dJl = -dQ . (2)

Integrating dQ from (1) we have

.1 [I T-T r

= kP£ , (3)

assuming K is constant, or where it is not, some mean value as discussed by Daunt.

Using the other part of (1) and equation (2) one obtains an expression for T and T' along the exchanger. This is illustrated in Figure (2) . It is conventional to define

the efficiency of the exchanger as e = 1- ^'^

,

(See Figure 2) . From the above integration

Ti-T2

for a "balanced" exchanger i.e. with no draw off of liquid it can be shown that

= KP2.

^ kVH + mC ' P It is convement to measure kPJ, in units of mC . Then we have

P (KP£/mC ) - ^—= Wi

(KPJl/mCp) + 1

I' *

; and we call the ratio (KP£/mC ) the number of "thermal transfer units," N of the exchanger.

P We can calculate a and a' and hence obtain K as discussed in reference [1] . In general

i we want a * a' so it is sufficient to calculate a. One finds

0 . 2 /

• \0 .

8

£Pa = 0-10 C_ri 1^1 I , (5) P

^1 ri = viscoscity. Since — — + -nr ~ — , so

K a a a

,^(fr^(f)

kP£ ^ 0.05 C^m (^\ 1^) (6)

77
where d =

of it

diameter of the tube. Reynolds number Re is defined as Re = (4m/TTnd) . In terms

N = 0.05 /jRe)-°-^

(f ) (7)

The pressure drop in the high pressure line can be related to N. Following reference

[1] again

Ap = 0-10 pv^ (^) (Re) (8)

But V = (4m/pTTd ) so

Ap = 2p^J^ *N* 2Npv^ (9)

So (Ap/pv^) = M = number of "pressure heads" and therefore M = 2N. Hence

Ap = 2N 1 2^,-* ) (10)

3. Scaling Considerations

The amount of refrigeration for a given gas is proportional to m. For a refrigerator

of given exchanger efficiency working between fixed Ti, Tj ' , T2 and T2 ' , N is fixed. For

the same efficiency and with the same pressure drop we see from (10) that this requires

d (m)"*^ 1st Scaling Law

We see from the definition of Reynolds number taking in to account the above constraint

on d that Reynolds number Re is proportional to (m) " * ^ and hence from (7) for fixed N, that

I " (m) ° • ^ 2nd Scaling Law

The intrinsic cooldown time of the exchanger itself is determined by the ratio of mass

of exchanger to the refrigeration capacity. If we assume a fixed aspect ratio of the heat

exchanger tubing then its mass will be proportional to d^l, which from the above is proportional to (m) ' . Hence the cooldown time is given by

Cooldown time (m) ° • ^ 3rd Scaling Law

The length of time the exchanger can operate before fouling up with contaminants one would expect to be proportional to ratio of the volume of the exchanger to m. The volume

is proportional to £d^ and hence from the above

78
Operating time ^ (m) ° • ^ 4th Scaling Law

This indicates that the microminiature refrigerators would be somewhat more sensitive

to contamination (eg. Ne in H2) and hence would need high purity gas. However, as we shall

show the very fast cooldown could allow one to warm up, flush clean and cool down again

in less than a minute. This might be an acceptable mode of operation for several instrumentation applications.

As an example of the above scaling we consider a 110 milliwatt liquid nitrogen refrigerator scaled from an Air Products J-T refrigerator [5 ] which produces 7 watts of refrigeration

at 80K using 1360 st. litres/hr of N2 . Typical exchanger efficiency is 95% hence N = 20

and we assume 100 atm inlet pressure and Ap 6 atm. Using the above scaling and the

dimensions of the larger refrigerator we find d ~ 10 ^ cm, 2, ~ 24 cm, Re * 8000 and a cooldown time of 25 seconds. The greatly reduced gas consumption would allow operation of

the order of 400 hours per standard cylinder of gas.

Scaling of a similar N2 - H2 refrigerator would allow operation at 20K and below with

a refrigeration capacity of 60 milliwatts.

The very small size of the heat exchanger system suggests the possibility of constructing

the heat exchanger, expansion valve and particulate filter using planar photoresist technology similar to that used in the semiconductor industry. The successful development of

such a technique would greatly reduce the price of the refrigeration unit and make it

feasible to design and construct as an integral package the refrigerator and superconducting

circuit elements for use in ambient temperature circuitry. Mercereau has recently demonstrated [6] the operation of a NbsSn quantum interference device at 17K. Similar results can

be expected for NbGe at 21K. These temperatures are within range of those attainable with

J-T refrigeration alone using the N2 - H2 cycle.

4. Acknowledgements

I am indebted to Dr. J. Mercereau for several useful discussions on the refrigeration

needs of superconducting sensors.

5. References

[1] For example; Bendix Instrument and Life Support Division, Hickory Grove Road,

Davenport, Iowa 52808; Air Products, Inc., Allentown, Pennyslvania; Santa Barbara

Research Center, 75 Coromar Dr. , Goleta, California.

[2] Geist, J. M. and Lashmet, P. K. , Adv. Cryogenic Engineering 5^, 73 Plenum Press, N.Y.

(1961); Buller, J. S., Advances in Cryogenic Engineering J^, 205 (1970).

[3] Hoare, F. E., Experimental Cryophysics, pg. 14 , edited by Hoare, F. E., Jackson, L. C.

,

and Kurti, N. , Butterworth and Co. (Publishers) Ltd 1961.

[4] Daunt, J. G. , Encyclopedia of Physics, pg. 1, edited by Flilgge, S., Vol. XIV, Low

Temperature Physics I, Springer-Verlag , Berlin 1956.

79
[5] Geist, J. M. and Lashmet, P. K. , Adv. Cryogenic Engineering _5, 73 Plenum Press, N.Y.

(1961), and data on commercially available units from Air Products Inc.

[6] Palmer, D. W. , Notarys , H. A., and Mercereau, J. E., Appl. Phys. Lett. 25, 9 (1974)

527-528.

80
Small Magnetic Refrigerators to Pump Heat from Helium Temperatures to above 10 K*

William A. Steyert

Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545

A brief summary will be presented of measurements of the thermodynamic properties of several paramagnetic salts useful as magnetic refrigerants in the 1 to 4 K

region. A low power "conventional" (two switch) magnetic refrigerator design, using

these materials and the magneto-resistive switch elements studied at NBS, Boulder,

will be discussed. Also discussed will be less conventional magnetic refrigerators

where the paramagnetic refrigerant forms the rim of a wheel; each section of the

material rotates into a field, where it expel Is heat and rotates out of the field

where it absorbs heat.

Key words: magnetic refrigeration; paramagnetic materials.

1. Introduction

In 1926 Giauque [1] and Debye [2] independently suggested the use of magnetic refrigeration to produce temperatures below those previously attainable. Giauque and MacDougall [3],

in 1933, used the proposed method of adiabatic demagnetization to cool from 3.5 K to 0.5 K.

Since that time magnetic refrigeration has generally been used in a "one shot" mode. An applied magnetic field is used to force heat out of the paramagnetic material and into a thermal reservoir. After breaking contact with that reservoir, the subsequent removal of the

field produces the desired cooling of the experiment, which is in contact with the paramagnetic material. The paramagnetic material and the experiment subsequently rise to the reservoir temperature at a rate determined by the heat capacity of the isolated system and the

heat flow into it. These devices, which are still used to attain temperatures in the millikelvin range, are described by White [4].

The first device for continuously maintaining a fairly constant low temperature using

adiabatic demagnetization was constructed by Heer, Barnes, and Daunt [5] in 1954. This device made use of superconducting thermal switches and a low temperature reservoir of high

heat capacity to smooth out temperature variations during successive cycles of magnetization

and demagnetization of the working salt. This refrigerator was able to maintain 0.26 K with

a heat load of 7 yW. A further refinement of this design by Zimmerman, McNutt, and Bohm [6],

using superconducting solenoids, was able to maintain 0.26 K with a heat load of 100 yW.

More recently, Rosenblum, Sheinberg and Steyert [7] reported a similar device using the demagnetization of a pressed gold-cerous magnesium nitrate composite cylinder to pump heat from

a thermal reservoir consisting of 0.6 g of cobalt metal at 10.5 mK. The nuclear specific

heat of the cobalt acted as a thermal reservoir restricting the cyclical temperature swings

to ± 0.5 mK. The device had a refrigeration capacity of 0.1 yW. A magnetic refrigerator to

pump 0.2 W from a bath at 2 K into a bath at 4 K has been built and tested [8]. —

Work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Energy Research & Development Administration.

81
The reasons for considering magnetic cooling as an alternative to gas expansion cooling

above 1 K are:

1. The refrigeration power per unit volume is large; we are dealing with a solid instead of a gaseous working substance (the density of working atoms is much higher for the

solid). Each liter of working material removes hundreds of joules of heat from the low tern perature heat source during each cycle.

2. The magnetic cycle can operate at nearly 100% of Carnot efficiency. For magnetic

refrigeration, losses which lead to less than Carnot efficiency are readily anticipated and

can be minimized. Such losses are: irreversible losses associated with heat flows across a finite temperature gradient, frictional losses in moving parts or moving fluids, eddy cur- rent and hysteresis losses in magnet and refrigerator components, and losses from heat leaks

Losses associated with finite spin-lattice relaxation times are complex, being associated

with relaxation in an applied field where the Zeeman splitting is comparable with the therma

energy, kT. Phonon bottlenecks may also play a role. However, a judicious choice of salt

can make relaxation times short enough for our devices.

3. The materials for the refrigerants are inexpensive - about $30 per pound for rare earth ceramics, $200 per pound for rare earth metallic alloys.

Thus the small size and high efficiency of the system can result in substantial cost

reductions in low temperature applications. In principle there is no upper temperature

limit for magnetic refrigeration. In fact, magnetic refrigeration has already been achieved

at ambient temperature [9,10].

2. Refrigerants

The requirements for the selection of a material for use below the 20 K range are as

follows:

1. It should have a small electronic and lattice specific heat, otherwise some of the

refrigeration capacity will be lost in cycling the refrigerant temperature.

2. It should have its magnetic ordering temperature below that of the lowest temperature sought as it is difficult to self cool an antiferromagnetic material below its Neel

temperature or a ferromagnetic material below 80% of its Curie temperature.

3. It should have a large magnetic moment, so that the isothermal application of a modest magnetic field will force a large amount of heat out of the working material.

4. It should be chemically and physically rugged, inexpensive, and easy to fabricate.

As a first step we have measured the thermodynamic properties [8] of the following materials for use in the region below 20 K: Dy2Ti207, Gd(0H)2, Gd(P03)3, Gd2(S04)3-8H20,

Gd2Alg0^2' ^"^2^3' ^^^2^3' ^'"^ ^y^^/^- These measurements were carried out in a calorimeter

located in the bore of a 10-T superconducting magnet. A commercially available glass capacitance thermometer (Lawless type) [11] was used to measure the temperature of a refrigerant

under test. This type of thermometer is not sensitive to magnetic fields and can be calibrated by comparison with the vapor pressure of liquid helium, hydrogen, and neon, and also

by a comparison with a calibrated germanium resistance thermometer.

82
The results for all the materials can be described semi-empirical ly in the following

manner:

1. A main contribution to the entropy from the free spin value S/R = £n(2J+l), where

2J+1 is the number of degenerate energy levels for the ion of spin J and R is the gas constant. If the spin has a magnetic moment y3 (3 is the Bohr magneton), we can define an effec1 12. tive magnetic moment p^^^ = y[(J+l)/J] . (If we average over three different p's along the

three axes, we have u -^1^-^ + yy^ + y2^)/3 when we are not near saturation.) In an applied

? 2 2 ? 7 magnetic field H at temperature T the entropy will change by an amount AS/R = -p^^^B H /6k T , for ygH/kT small. This approximation is of interest to us, as it is most economical to work

with as low a magnetic field as possible. Inserting numerical values for the Bohr magneton

2 2 2

B and the Boltzmann constant k in this expression, we obtain AS/R = -0.075 Pg^^H /T , where

H is in tesla.

. 2. A field-independent lattice specific heat C. /R = a T (a lattice entropy S, /R = r^L dT _ a JR" T" ~

3 ^ ^•

3. Specific heat and entropy contributions associated with the thermal population of

high lying energy levels. These levels are created by crystalline field splittings asso- ciated with the electric fields of nearby ions acting on the magnetic rare earth ion. If

there is a high lying pair of levels at an energy A (expressed in kelvins), then the specific

/A\2 -A/T

heat in zero applied field is readily calculated as C /R ^ and the corresponding enA -A/T ^ tropy as S/R = (1 + fi (e ) for 1 < L. I n a non-zero field these values are slightly different.

4. In zero field, the contributions to the total specific heat and total entropy due to

1 /^n\2

ferro- or anti ferromagnetic transitions which are approximately C./R = j (y^) , S/R = ^ = - g- '''o'" ^ ^ ^o"

^^""^

''"o '"oughly equal to the low temperature ordering

temperature. -(These equations are correct for the two-level Schottky anomaly [12], and we

use the same specific heat coefficient, 1/4, for our definition of T as well.)

Reference [8] reports the results of measurements on a variety of compounds in more detail. In this report we will discuss only measurements on Gd2(S0^)2"8H20 for use down to

0.5 K and Dy^Ti^Oy for use down to 4 K.

In Fig. 1 we show the complete entropy-temperature diagram for the material for

Gd2(S0^)2-8H20. These curves are calculated using the known magnetic and lattice properties

of this salt as measured by us and by others. From these curves, it is easy to calculate

3

the heat removal capacity per liter for Qidi^iSQQ)^-^^^^ (Gd2(S0^)2*8H20 occupies 120cm /g-ion

of Gd'^''"''"). For Gd2(S04)2-8H20, consider a field of 6.4 tesla applied isothermally at 10 K

resulting in S^q^/R = 1.3 (see Fig. 1, ignoring the thermodynamic cycle shown for later reference). After demagnetizing to 2 K, the amount of heat which can be absorbed by removing

the field is AQ = TAS = 2 x 0.75 x 8.3 = 12.5 J/mol ; for one liter we get AQ = 12.5 x lOOO

(cm'^/£)/120 (cm"^/g-ion) = 104 J/£ for each cycle. For refrigeration at 2 K, Gd2(S04)2 and

GdPO^ appear even more promising [8] as they occupy only 73 cc/g-ion and 50 cc/g-ion, respectively, and have ordering temperatures which are thought to be below 1 K, and have lower

lattice specific heats.

Figure 2 shows the S-T diagram for Dy2Ti207, which occupies 37.6 cc/g-ion of Dy^^^.

83
This material is useful for refrigeration at 4 K and above. In addition to detailed calculations of 2 K refrigeration, we will quote expected performance for a refrigerator

pumping heat from 5 K to 15 K.

Figure 1 Figure 2

Figure 1 Temperature-entropy diagram for Gd2(S0^)2'8H20 as a function of applied magnetic

field. R is the gas constant. The thermodynamic cycle shown is discussed in connection

with the Carnot-wheel refrigerator. Sec. 4.

Figure 2 Entropy vs temperature for various applied magnetic fields for Dy2Ti20^. These

results are derived from fitting specific heat data in various fields (to 8.1 T) with the

parameters described in text. The parameters then determine S for all fields and temperatures in the range of measurement. Two adiabatic demagnetization and magnetization results

are given as arrows in the figure. These results are not quite adiabatic because of the

effect of cooling and heating the calorimeter, requiring a measured entropy 0.08 R for each

gram-ion of Dy^^^. Similar magnetization and demagnetization tests were carried out on Gd2(S0^)2-8H20 but are not shown in Fig. 1.

3. Conventional Magnetic Refrigerators

The primary limitation on previous units [5,6] used to pump heat from '=»l/4 K into a

helium bath at 1 K has been the poor on-off thermal conduction ratio of superconducting/nor84
mal switches with hot ends held at 1 K. The on-off ratio was 45. With the advent of magneto-resistive single-crystal beryllium [13] switches, ratios of ^'lOOO even at IBKare possible.

A myriad of conventional designs could be contemplated (by conventional we mean refrigerators using two switches of one kind or another). The design we will discuss here is shown

in Fig. 3. The lower switch to the thermal load is an array of four single-crystal Be

switches that is made nonconducting by the application of the magnetic field. Thermal contact to the refrigerator is made and broken by turning on and off the flow of refrigerated

helium through the heat exchange area.

' Figure 3 Figure 4

i.

Figure 3 Conventional magnetic refrigerator. The wire-salt pressing absorbs heat from

thermal load at 2 K through wires and Be switch. It then expel Is the heat into 10 K helium

gas flow. Alternating field can be provided through pill or magnet motion, or at lower

cycle frequencies, by changing the current to the magnet. This figure also applies to the

Dy2^^'2^7 ""^'^ except it pumps heat from 5 K to a 15 K gas stream.

Figure 4 Calculated efficiency, as a fraction of Carnot, as a function of refrigeration

capacity for the two conventional refrigerators discussed in the text. The points on the

85
curves corresponding to cycle frequencies v of 0.2 and 0.5 Hz are indicated.

Let us first examine the performance of this unit when used to pump heat from 2 K into

a refrigerated helium gas flow at 10 K. We can consider a refrigerant like Gd2(S0^)2; if we

use GdPO^ or Gd2(S0^)2-8H20 we will get slightly more or slightly less g-ions of refrigerant

in the refrigerator shown in Fig. 3. The construction of pressed pills is discussed in Ref.

[7] and [8]. Taking 73 cc/mole and 80% filling factor gives 1.08 g-ions; with a magnetic

field of 5 to 6 tesla we extract AS = 0.65 R per g-ion each cycle. Therefore we extract in

each cycle an energy AQ where

AQ = T AS X 1 .08 = 11.7 J/cycle . (1

)

The thermal load of the copper is small [14]. The helium gas entrained in the heat exchanger must be kept small; we neglect both of these [15].

To carry the heat we use high purity copper wires, oxygen treated to provide very high

thermal conductivity [16]. We take a value of 3000 for the electrical residual resistivity

ratio (room temperature to 4 K). This value may be a little pessimistic, as high purity

polycrystall ine copper typically gives 10,000 to 12,000 with oxygen treatment; however, we

have allowed for some degradation associated with mechanical mistreatment of the wires during assembly. Using the Weidemann-Franz law and taking the appropriate Lorenz-number as -8 2 -6

2 X 10" W-ohm/K and the resistance of copper as 1.7 x 10 y ohm-cm at room temperature,

we find the thermal conductivity k = 2 x lo"^ x 3000 x T/1.7 x lo"^ = 70 W/cm-K at 2 K. To

calculate average temperature drop AT in these wires, we use 6.2 cm as the effective length

[17], and an area of 4.4 cm , or

Q/AT = 70 X 1^ = 50 W/K . (2)

For Q/AT in the salt [17]

Q/AT = 8iTxL'xKx0.15

= in W/K (3)

taking < = 10 W/cm-K (we use the value for pressed Gd2(S0^)2-8H20 powder [8], pressed

Gd2(S0^)2 has not been measured) and the length, L', of wires as 5 x 6000 cm. The constant

0.15 is appropriate for small wires evenly distributed in a matrix in a roughly hexagonal

array [18]. Kapitza resistance is negligible. I

The thermal switches are placed in the fringing magnetic field; the wires are soldered

to the Be with indium; the indium-wire composite will probably have k = 4 W/cm-K but could

be further improved by using higher purity In. Thus [19],

86
For the switch itself, with A/£ = 0.2 x 4 x 4/O.6 = 5.3 and < [13] at 2 K = 10 W/cm-K

Q/AT = K I

= 53 W/K . (5)

The heat leak from 10 K to 2 K through the switch, when it is in an applied field where k

=

3 X

10"-^ T, is

2 2

= 3 X 10"^ X I y

0.76 W . (6)

The switches are designed to minimize eddy current heating effects. Without going into

detail, eddy current heating is estimated as 0 = 0.1 v watts (where v is the cycle frequency). Because we will be concerned with v < 1, eddy currents will be neglected.

For ease of calculation we take the helium heat exchange unit to be helium gas flowing

parallel to the 6000 wires (in the space between the close-packed wires) over a 1-cm length.

A sintered powder or copper screen device could be used instead. In the case we consider,

we have for 13 g/s flow of helium at 5 atm pressure a calculated pressure drop of 2000 Pa

(=* 0.02 atm). The heat transfer is

Q/AT = 86 W/K . (7)

We use equations for turbulent flow heat transfer and pressure drops from White [4]. We

neglect the AT in the wires; copper is a very good conductor at 10 K and the effective

length is very short.

The refrigeration capacity, 0^ is, from Eqs. (1) and (6) taking the heat leak for a

half-cycle

= 11.7 V -0.38 W . (8)

j The fraction of Carnot efficiency n is taken as Carnot refrigerator work divided by the

actual refrigerator work

'c

T^rir l\ ' AT, - (T, - AT,)]

(9)

•where T^ and T are the temperatures of the hot reservoir and cold heat source, respectively,

" C

land AT, and AT^, are the total previously calculated temperature drops. In the expression

jfor n. Qf^/Tf; and (Q^ + Q^)/^^^ - AT,) are the entropy flows AS in refrigerators pumping heat

ifrom temperatures T, and (T, - AT,), respectively. The remainder of the numerator and de-

:nominator uses the first law plus Q

= T AS to calculate the work (energy) required to move

Ithe heat between the indicated temperatures.

87
By allowing a half cycle for the expulsion of ~ 10/2 times as much heat at 10 K than is

absorbed at 2 K (accurate for high efficiencies), we have ATj^ = 11.7 v x 2 x ^/86 = 1.36 v. Combining the AT's of Eqs. (2), (3), (4), and (5) we use AT^ = 2 x n.y v/17 = 1.38 v. Thus

(11.7 V - 0.38) " ^

^

TT 7 10 + 1.36 V - 2 + 1.38 V

^^•7 ^ 2 - 1.38 V

The results, plotted in terms of n vs are shown in Fig. 4.

We have done a similar calculation for a Dy2Ti20^ refrigerator pumping heat from 5 K

into helium at 15 K. The only modification of the unit shown in Fig. 3 was to decrease A/£

of the switches by a factor of 2. Eq. 0) becomes AQ = 21 J/cycle, Eq. (2) becomes Q/AT = 122,

Eq. (3) becomes Q/AT = 565, Eq. (4) becomes Q/AT = 225, and Eq. (5) becomes Q/AT = 196 (all in

W/K). The heat leak, Eq. (6) becomes Q^ = 1.85 W and we keep Eq. (7) unchanged.

Now

Q^ = 21 V - 0.925 W (11)

and

(21 V - 0.925)

15-5

(15 - 5 + 1 .465 V + 0.82^)

21

(12)

5 - 0.82 V

These results are also plotted in Fig. 4.

The efficiency in these devices is limited by the limited heat conduction of the path

to the load and is affected even by the 1000-to-l on-off ratio of the heat switch. The utilization of an even better switch to make contact between the load and the source could be a significant improvement (an arrangement using superfluid helium, for example).

4. Carnot Wheel Refrigerator

Figure 5 shows a schematic of a wheel-type Carnot cycle refrigerator discussed in Ref.

[21]. Figure 1 illustrates the two thermodynamic cycles executed by the paramagnetic material. (Either cycle could be used, depending on the application.) On the upper left of Fig.

5 and Point A in Fig. 1, supercritical helium enters the porous wheel and is forced to flow

in heat exchange through the moving wheel. (Figure 6 gives one example of how the heat exchange might be implemented.) The wheel absorbs heat from the helium as it is demagnetized

to Point B in Fig. 5; the paramagnetic material cools the helium to 1.7 K. The helium then

absorbs heat 0^ from the load and reenters the wheel heat exchanger area at 2 K (or 4 K).

Similarly in the lower right of Fig. 5 supercritical helium (at essentially the same pressure as the helium in the left) enters the porous wheel at 10 K; this corresponds to Point C

in Fig. 1. The wheel deposits heat in the helium as the material is magnetized to Point D,

88
while the fluid leaves the wheel at 12 K. This heat Q", is deposited externally, completing

the cycle with the net result that work is used to rotate the wheel and heat is absorbed in

a low temperature and expelled at a high temperature. Note in Fig. 5 that the wheel is adiabatically magnetized as it goes from the lower left to the lower right and adiabatically demagnetized as it goes from upper right to upper left.

OUTLET

12 K

INLET CHANNEL

b

Figure 5 Figure 6

Figure 5 Schematic of Carnot wheel refrigerator. The paramagnetic material forming the rim

of the wheel rotates in a counter clockwise direction. Supercritical helium is cooled by the

demagnetizing material on the left and is warmed by the magnetizing material on the right.

C

* H Power Q is absorbed from the load and Q is deposited in the upper stage refrigerator. Magnetic field (H) and temperatures are indicated. In an actual device the pumps would be located at the highest possible temperatures in contrast to this schematic.

Figure 6 a. Construction of wheel and housing. Fluid flow is axial ly through the wheel.

The wheel porosity here is represented by cylindrical channels for ease of calculation. A

racetrack shaped superconducting magnet supplies the desired field shape,

b. Radial view of the wheel and wheel housing.

It may be necessary to avoid superfluidity in the helium in order to prevent undesirable

thermal conduction between the hot and cold sides of the refrigerator. Thus, it may be nec3 4

essary to add a small amount of He to the He to suppress the superfluidity. For operation

89
at 1.8 K and above, 20 atm of pressure on pure ^He will also prevent superfluidity. Efficient heat exchange between the wheel and the helium fluids will require forced flow.

Reference [21] details the capacity and efficiency calculation of this refrigerator,

and will not be reproduced here. However, the results of that calculation are shown in Fig.

7.

6^, REFRIGERATION CAPACITY, WATTS

Figure 7

Figure 7 Expected performance of 15 cm Gd2(S0^)2* SH^O Carnot wheel refrigerator. The

thickness in the axial direction is taken as 2.54 cm. Fraction of Carnot efficiency vs re- frigeration capacity for various assumed values of the pump efficiency, n- and temperature

of cold fluid at inlet, T-: .. Some values of rotation rate v (in Hz) required are shown on

T , 1 the curves. A maximum field of 5 tesla is required for this refrigerator.

5. Conclusions

Two different approaches to the problem of pumping heat from the liquid helium temperature region to 10 K and above have been presented in this report.

The "conventional" unit discussed here has a much smaller capacity than the wheel refrigerator but has the advantage of straightforward design and fabrication. It is easy to

instrument; thus weak spots in its design can be easily located and corrected. On the other

hand, the more powerful wheel design is a marked departure from conventional magnetic refrigeration techniques and the concept needs to be proven. It requires a pump operating at low

temperatures and is harder to instrument. While the magnetic susceptibility of the wheel is

easily measured, its temperature is not.

The two approaches discussed here show promise in developing magnetic refrigeration

above 1 K. Much better approaches and better materials will certainly be utilized in the

future.

90
6. References

[I] Giauque, W. F. , J. Am. Chem. Soc. , 49, (1927) 1870.

[2] Debye, P., Ann. Physik, 81, (1926) 1154.

[3] Giauque, W. F. and MacDougall, D. P., Phys. Rev. 43, (1933) 768.

[4] White, G. K. , Experimental Techniques in Low Temperature (Oxford University Press,

London 1968) 2nd edition.

[5] Heer, C. V., Barnes, C. B., and Daunt, J. G., Rev. Sci. Inst. 25, (1954) 1088.

[6] Zimmerman, J. E. , McNutt, J. D. and Bohm, H. V., Cryogenics 2, (1962) 153,

[7] Rosenblum, S. S., Sheinberg, H. and Steyert, W. A., Cryogenics 1_6, (1976) 245.

[8] Pratt, W. P., Jr., Rosenblum, S. S., Steyert, W. A. and Barclay, J. A., Cryogenics, in

press.

[9] Brown, G. V., J. of Appl. Phys. 47, (1976) 3673.

[10] Rosenblum, S. S., Steyert, W. A., Pratt, W. P., Jr., Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory

Report, LA-6581 (1977).

[II] Lake Shore Cryotronics, Eden, NY, USA.

[12] Morrish, A. H. , "The Physical Principles of Magnetism," (John Wiley & Sons, NY, 1965)

p. 86.

[13] Radebaugh, R., J. Low Temp. Phys. 27, (1977) 91.

[14] We have '*380 g of copper representing a AS/R of 0.02 between 2 and 10 K.

[15] If we allow 1 cc of intrained helium gas or about 0.02 g of helium for a AS/R again of

about 0.02.

[16] Rosenblum, S. S., Steyert, W. A. and Fickett, F. R. , in press. Cryogenics.

[17] Reference [20] can be used to show that for heat Q deposited uniformly along a wire of

area A and conductivity k and of length L (the section inside the salt pill), that the

average temperature drop AT along L is given by QL/3 kA. Thus, the effective length

of the wires is 1/3 the length inside the pill plus the full length external to the

pill.

[18] Reference [20] calculates the average temperature drop AT for heat Q deposited uniformly in a cylinder of length L , outside diameter D and inside diameter d and conductivity K. If the heat is removed on the inside and if no heat escapes from the outside and if D/d ^ 10 then AT = Q/8tt k L' x 0.15 (for large D/d, AT is only logarithmically dependent on D/d). We model the salt pill as many hexagonal shells (with wires

of diameter d in the middle of each shell). By symmetry, the heat flow across the

outside of the hexagon is zero. The hexagon is approximated by a circle to make the

problem analytic.

[19] The wires deposit heat uniformly along a distance t (measured perpendicular to the Be

surface) in the indium-wire composite. As with Ref. [17] AT = Q£/3 kA

[20] Steyert, W. A. and Stone, N. J., submitted to Cryogenics.

[21] Steyert, W. A., in press, J. App. Phys.

91

ELECTROCALORIC REFRIGERATION FOR THE 4-20 K TEMPERATURE RANGE

Ray Radebaugh

Cryogenics Division

National Bureau of Standards

Boulder, Colorado 80303

ABSTRACT

This paper reviews the principles and experimental results on electrocaloric refrigeration. The temperature range of 4-20 K is emphasized. Since work input comes from the electrical polarization of the dielectric material, no moving parts are required for such a refrigeration technique. The paper discusses the various types of materials which have been

studied and the disappointingly low values of the electrocaloric effect. The results are

shown to be consistent with theoretical models. The paper concludes that practical refrigeration with this method is not possible with present materials. Suggestions for further

materials research are given.

* Contribution of the National Bureau of Standards, not subject to copyright.

93
INTRODUCTION

Electrocaloric refrigeration can be obtained from materials in which the entropy is

changed by an applied electric field. It is the electrical analog of magnetocaloric refrigeration, better known as adiabatic demagnetization. With a material in the paraelectric

state, an applied electric field decreases the entropy by aligning the electric dipoles.

Electrocaloric refrigeration has the advantage that an electric field can be applied easily

to materials in the form of thin plates with electrodes. High electric fields are easier to

produce than high magnetic fields. The first measurements on the electrocaloric effect were

done in 1930 on Rochelle salt [1], only four years after the first measurements of the magnetocaloric effect [2]. After the ferroelectric state was better understood, several more measurements of the electrocaloric effect were made on such materials [3]. These measurements were all done near room temperature. Granicher [4] first suggested the use of SrTiO^

for electrocaloric cooling at low temperatures. Measurements by Hegenbarth [5] on SrTiO^

ceramic showed a depolarization cooling of 60 mK at 17.5 K. Somewhat larger effects were

seen in later measurements [6,7] on single crystal SrTiO^, but these cooling effects disappeared below about 4-5 K. Electrocaloric cooling at still lower temperatures was first

demonstrated in OH-doped KCl by three independent investigations [8-10]. Cooling to 0.36 K from a starting temperature of 1.3 K was reported [10]. Cooling to as low as 0.05 K was demonstrated for CN-doped RbCl [11]. The implications of these and other work in regard to

refrigeration from 15 to 4 K are discussed in the following sections.

THEORY

Many dielectric materials undergo a transition to a ferroelectric or antiferroelectric

state at sufficiently low temperatures. As discussed by Radebaugh [12] in a separate paper,

the entropy change associated with such a transition may be significant (S/R - £n2). Above

the transition temperature an electric field can have a significant effect on the electric

dipole entropy. The second TdS equation gives this entropy change as

Tds c^dT + T(9P/8T)^dE (1)

where s is the entropy per unit volume, c^ is the specific heat per unit volume at a constant

field, and P is the polarization. The largest entropy change occurs when (9P/9T)^ is largest

and that usually occurs near the transition temperature. The polarization is related to the

relative dielectric constant e by the relationship

P(T,E) = £ e(T,E')dE' + P^(T) (2)

where is the permittivity of free space and P^(T) is the remanent polarization in the

material. For an ideal material above the transition temperature, P^, will be zero. In such

cases measurements of the dielectric constant in various fields can give the expected depolarication-cooling effects via Eqs. (1) and (2). However, it has not been realized until

94
recently that can exist in many materials even though they are not in the ferroelectric

state. Siegwarth [13] has suggested that this remanent polarization is a result of a thermal

electret behavior. He suggests that small amounts of impurities can give rise to impurityvacancy dipoles which can be frozen in position when the sample is cooled in an electric

field. He shows that the resultant dielectric constant can have a peak at some temperature.

In the past such peaks were taken as an indication of polar ordering (ferroelectric or antiferroelectric). When P^(T) f 0, measurements of dc polarization instead of dielectric constant should be used in Eq. (1).

EXPERIMENTAL PROGRESS

Before the significance of the P^ term in Eq. (2) was known, it was thought that a

material with a high 8e/9T at 4 K would give rise to a large electrocaloric effect. A SrTiO^

glass-ceramic material developed by Lawless [14] had a large 3e/3T in the range 4 - 15 K. Because 9e/8T was positive below about 30 K, cooling was expected to occur during polarization

Evidence suggested the material was in the antiferroelectric state and not subject to hysteretic heating [16]. The feasibility of using these SrTiO^ glass-ceramics for electrocaloric cooling was studied in a joint NBS/Corning Glass Works effort. Detailed results of

that study are given elsewhere [17]. In that study the materials were to be used in a Carnot

cycle between about 4 and 15 K. It would thus serve as a last stage below a 15 K mechanical

refrigerator. Heat switches were to be utilized to carry out a Carnot cycle.

Extensive tests on these SrTiO^ glass ceramics showed that only hysteretic heating

occurred at 4 K. Small cooling effects of about 30 mK were seen during depolarization in the

10 - 40 K temperature range. Direct measurements of dc polarization showed a zero temperature

derivative at 4 K and only a negative derivative above that [13]. The slope was consistent

with the cooling observed, i.e., Eq. (1) was valid. At this point the inconsistent behavior

of the dielectric constant with respect to polarization was explained by Siegwarth [13] to be

due to electret effects.

Measurements on several other materials were made in the NBS/Corning study. These

included SrTiO^ ceramic, KTaO^ single crystal and ceramics, lead zirconate titanate (PZT)

ceramics and Pb2Nb20y-type ceramics. The largest electrocaloric effects were seen in SrTiO^

ceramics [17,18] followed closely by a KTaO^ single crystal [17,19]. In SrTiO^ ceramics a

temperature drop of about 0.1 K was observed at 10 K when depolarized from 26 kV/cm. It was estimated that the cooling would be about 0.5 K if the hysteretic effects could be eliminated.

The cooling effects became insignificant at 4 K in this material and in KTaO^ single crystal.

The results were reasonably consistent with a theoretical model based on the lattice dynamics

of these materials. It was shown [17] that since these materials were the displacive type,

the electrically active entropy was associated with the transverse optic mode of the material.

Since the calculated electrocaloric effect was slightly lower than observed values, it was

suggested that there may be some interaction of the optic mode with the acoustic modes [17].

Through this interaction the electric field has some influence over the entropy of the

acoustic phonons. From that analysis it was concluded that the maximum optic-mode entropy

change in SrTiO^ at 4 K is about AS/R - 5 x 10' at 4 K. Even if the total acoustic mode

95
entropy could be removed by an electric field, it would still give only AS/R - 10' at 4 K. These entropy changes are much too small [12] to be of any practical significance. Such

behavior is typical of the displacive type materials. In these materials a transition to the

ferroelectric state occurs when the transverse optic mode energy at the Brillouin center

becomes zero at some finite temperature. No permanent electric-dipoles exist in these

materials above the transition temperature. Thus, there is no analogy between these materials

and paramagnetic materials. There is no reason to expect entropy changes for these materials

on the order of R£n2 as is the case for magnetic systems [12].

SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER WORK

Order-disorder ferroelectrics do have permanent dipoles above the transition temperature

and are analogous to magnetic systems. Potassium dihydrogen phosphate, KH^PO^, is a classical

example of such a material and its entropy change [20] at the ferroelectric-paraelectric

transition is AS/R = (l/2)£n2. However, since the transition occurs at 122 K it has no controllable entropy available in the 4 - 20 K temperature range. At present there is no other known order-disorder ferroelectric or antiferroelectric with a lower transition temperature, except for doped materials. If such a material were found it would be useful for

refrigeration at a lower temperature. The strength of the electric dipolar interaction may

preclude [21] a transition temperature lower than about 15 K unless the dipoles are diluted.

As mentioned earlier, the doped alkali halides such as KC1:0H and RbCl:CN have been used

for cooling at temperatures below 1 K. These are order-disorder materials and the entropy

change from the ordered state to the disordered (paraelectric) state is R£n6. This change,

however, is on a mole basis for the OH or CN dopant. Since these materials are doped to only

18 -3

about 5 X 10 cm" , the refrigeration power per unit volume is rather small. At temperatures

above 1 K the lattice heat capacity of the host material is so large that the electrocaloric

cooling effects become too small to be of any use for refrigeration. If the concentration

20 -3 can be increased to at least 10 cm , refrigeration in the 4 - 15 K temperature range with

these materials may be practical if high enough fields can be reached without breakdown.

Some effort along this line is now in progress [22]. The problem to overcome in this approach

is the clustering of the dopant dipoles when the concentration becomes high. Since clustering is an ordering mechanism, the dipolar entropy is partially or entirely removed even at

20 -3 room temperature. It is uncertain whether or not a dipole concentration of 10 cm can be

achieved without clustering, but this line of research should be pursued further.

96
REFERENCES

I] P. Kobeko and J. Kurtschatov, Zeit. fur Physik 66, 192 (1930).

2] P. Weiss and R. Forrer, Ann. Phys. (Paris) 5, 153 (1926).

3] See, for example, P.D. Thacher, J. Appl . Phys. 39, 1996 (1968), and references cited

therein.

4] H. Granicher, Helv. Phys. Acta 29, 210 (1956).

5] E. Hegenbarth, Cryogenics 1, 242 (1961).

6] A Kikuchi and E. Sawaguchi , J. Phys. Soc. Japan 19^, 1497 (1964).

7] E. Hegenbarth, Phys. Stat. Sol. 8, 59 (1965).

8] W. Kanzig, H.R. Hart, Jr. and S. Roberts, Phys. Rev. Lett. 13, 543 (1964).

9] U. Kuhn and F. Luty, Solid State Commun. 4, 31 (1965).

10] I. Shepherd and G. Feher, J. Phys. Chem. Solids 28, 2027 (1967).

II] R.O. Pohl, V.L. Taylor and W.M. Gouban, Phys. Rev. 178, 1431 (1969).

12] R. Radebaugh, this conference.

13] J.D. Siegwarth and A.J. Morrow, J. Appl. Phys. 47, 4784 (1976); J.D. Siegwarth, J. Appl.

Phys. 48, 1 (1977).

14] W.N. Lawless, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 42, 561 (1971).

15] W.N. Lawless, U.S. Patent No. 3,638,440 (1972); Proc. Cry. Cooler Conf. (1973), Tech,

Report AFFDL-TR-73-149, Vol. 1, p 417.

16] W.N. Lawless, Ferroelectrics 7, 379 (1974).

17] R. Radebaugh, J.D. Siegwarth, W.N. Lawless and A.J. Morrow, Tech. Report NBSIR 76-847

(1977).

18] W.N. Lawless and A.J. Morrow, Ferroelectrics 15^, 159 (1977).

19] W.N. Lawless, Phys. Rev. 816, 433 (1977).

20] F. Jona and G. Shirane, Ferroelectric Crystals , Macmillan, New York (1962), p 251.

21] S.K. Kurtz, Trans. Amer. Crystal lographic Assoc., Vol. II on Appl. Crystal Chem. (1975).

22] S. von Molnar, private communication (1977).

97

One Million Hours at 4.5 Kelvin*

W. H. Higa and E. Wiebe

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California 91103

A decade ago the authors published a paper [1] describing some novel

approaches to simplify the construction of a 4.5 K closed cycle refrigerator

(CCR). These OCR's are used to cool traveling wave masers (TWM) which are used

on the large antennas of the Deep Space Communications Complex which JPL

operates for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Since that publication, some thirty of these CCR's have been installed, and

a total of more than a million hours of operation have been logged. The purpose

of this paper is to review the innovative features, the changes and the improvements which have been made, and to summarize the operational experiences of the

past decade.

Key words: Cooling capacity monitor; cryogenic heat exchangers; fixed J-T

valve; Gifford McMahon; masers.

1. Introduction

Figure 1 shows the flow diagram for the Joule-Thompson (J-T) circuit which has been

added to a 15 K refrigerator in order to produce approximately 1 watt of refrigeration at

4.5 K. Although the CTI Model 350 refrigerator has been used by JPL, any comparable unit

which can provide around 3 watts of cooling at 15 K and around 15 watts at 70-80 K may be

used.

A compressor assembly supplies helium gas at 20 atmospheres pressure with return pressures of 7 atmospheres from the Gifford-McMahon cooler and 1 atmosphere from the J-T stream.

The reciprocating displacer-regenerator assembly causes large pressure fluctuations, and it

; is necessary to use a pressure regulator (set at 18 atmospheres) to provide constant pressure to the J-T circuit in order to minimize temperature variations. Two charcoal traps are

used at 70 K and 4.5 K respectively in order to remove contaminants before they reach the

] J-T valve.

In order to accelerate the cool -down procedure, especially when heavy superconducting

magnets are used with the TWM, provision has been made to use liquid nitrogen precooling of

the 4.5 K stage. The heat switch [2], which uses hydrogen gas to provide thermal conduction between copper plates, is used to further assist in the cool-down process. The fixed

J-T valve has proven to be completely reliable and reproducible.

Further details are given in the next section. A subsequent section deals with instru-

' mentation to facilitate the operation and maintenance of the CCR system. Special applications are discussed in the final section along with operational experiences to date. For

the benefit of those not familiar with our original paper, we have tried to provide suffiicient details so that there is no need to refer to that publication.

2. Joule-Thompson Components

, The use of flexible metal hoses with helical convolutions for cryogenic heat exchanger

lapplications has proven to be completely successful. The thin-walled phosphor bronze hoses

(Anaconda Copper) have been found to have excellent transverse conductivity and very ade-

;quate longitudinal insulation. Figure 2 shows the principal elements of the heat exchanger

prior to assembly. The inner surface of the flexible hose and the outer surface of the

smaller stainless-steel tube form one passageway for the helium gas; while the outer surface of the flexible hose and the inner surface of the large stainless steel tube form the

*This paper presents the results of one phase of research carried out at the Jet Propulsion

Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under Contract No. NAS 7-100, sponsored by

the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

99
FROM

COMPRESSOR

HIGH PRESSURE

TO COMPRESSOR

LOW PRESSURE -

PRESSURE

REGULATOR

TO COMPRESSOR

INTERMEDIATE

PRESSURE

A

1^ VALVE

DRIVE CAM

CHARCOAL

TRAP

SECOND HEAT

EXCHANGER

EXHAUST VALVE

INLET VALVE

DISPLACER - REGENERATOR

ASSEMBLY

70 K STATION

THIRD HEAT

EXCHANGER

CHARCOAL

TRAP

15 K STATION

HEAT SWITCH

LIQUID

NITROGEN

PRECOOLER

--4.5 K STATION

Figure 1. Schematic diagram for CCR.

100
Figure 2. Elements of a cryogenic heat exchanger prior to assembly (see text).

101
counter flow passage. Careful welding and brazing techniques are essential for a good

exchanger. The design of the end flanges is a matter of choice on the part of the designer;

Figure 2 shows an early configuration.

For applications requiring less flow restrictions than the exchanger of Figure 2, we

have also used the alternative shown in Figure 3, again using thin-walled flexible metal

hose in a self-explanatory configuration. The exchanger in Figure 2 may be referred to as a parallel flow type, while that in Figure 3 is an orthogonal flow type. Figure 3 also shows

a more recent end flange design which we now use in our exchangers. Table 1 gives the

dimensions of the heat exchangers and charcoal filters.

Figure 4 shows a cutaway view of the fixed J-T valve which has been used in all of our

CCR's. The hypodermic needle is pressed into the body of the valve, and the flow rate is

adjusted by sizing a stainless-steel wire to the proper diameter and inserting into the

needle. The 6-mil wire (not shown in Figure 4) fits into a 7-mil hole, and the end cap is

soldered after flow adjustment has been made. The adjustment is made at ambient temperature;

a flow meter is connected to the low pressure side of the J-T valve, and a flow of 0.14 SCFM

with 18 atmospheres on the high pressure side assures a flow of around 1.4 SCFM under operating conditions.

The thermal switch [2] consists of concentric copper tubes with one set attached to the

15 K flange and the other set attached to the 4.5 K flange. The entire assembly is then

enclosed in a stainless-steel tube and filled with hydrogen gas to a pressure of around

4 atmospheres. The hydrogen gas provides thermal conduction from flange to flange until it

freezes out at around 20 K. Thereafter, the only conduction is due to the thin-walled

stainless-steel tube. It is to be noted that this thermal switch is operable in any orientation relative to the local vertical, a feature which was important in a special application

to be described later. The liquid nitrogen precooler consists of an arrangement for providing a large surface-to-volume container for a liquid nitrogen stream which is supplied

through thin-walled stainless-steel tubes. After precooling of the maser and superconducting

magnet assembly, the liquid nitrogen inlet and outlet tubes are shunted to each other via a flexible rubber hose and need no further attention.

3. Instrumentation

The successful performance of the cryogenic system described, in a worldwide network of

tracking stations, has been due largely to the monitoring instrumentation employed. These

instruments provide information on the operating condition of the overall system during the

cool-down and while operating. Operating personnel are quickly trained to anticipate problems in the system.

Thermocouples are used on all three stages (70 K, 15 K, 4.5 K) shown in Figure 1. Accurate monitoring of the 4.5 K stage is provided by a helium vapor pressure gauge. An

electric heating element is also attached to the 4.5 K station so that a variable heat load

may be applied to test the cooling capacity of the cryocooler. During cool-down the operator may record on a strip chart the output from any of the sensors as a diagnostic procedure

when necessary.

Table 1. Dimensions of heat exchangers and charcoal filters

Component Outer diameter, cm Length, cm Comments

Heat exchanger No. 1 3.1 28

Heat exchanger No. 2 2.3 20

Heat exchanger No. 3 1.7 19 2 in series

Charcoal trap No. 1 2.3 20

Charcoal trap No. 2 1.3 8.8

102
OUTER S.S. TUBE

Figure 3. Orthogonal flow heat exchanger partially assembled (see text).

103
NEEDLE

Figure 4. Cutaway view of J-T valve employing a hypodermic needle.

104
A challenging problem has been that of determining the cooler capacity while the

system is in use, and particularly during critical missions. The use of the electrical

heater on the 4.5 K stage provides a positive means of measuring the capacity, but it can also overload the cooler and require many minutes to recover. A solution [3] to this perplexing problem has been found and may be used in the future on all systems.

It was found that by monitoring the temperatures at two judiciously selected positions

(x and y in Figure 1) on the final heat-exchanger, one could easily monitor the cooling

capacity of the CCR. Resistors at x and y form two sides of a bridge circuit; the unbalanced

condition may then be directly calibrated against the heater power input at the 4.5 K station.

Once calibrated, the monitor provides a continuous indication of cooling capacity. A flow

meter in the J-T return line is used concurrently with the capacitor monitor to remove any

possibilities for ambiguous readings.

4. Applications

Figure 5 shows the cryocooler just prior to the installation of the TWM assembly at

the 4.5 K station. A radiation shield (not shown) is attached to the 70 K station and sur- rounds all areas cooled by the 15 K and 4.5 K stations. The noise temperature at the coaxial

line input terminal for an S-band TWM was around 5 K. The coaxial signal input line con- tributed approximately 3 K of the above noise temperature.

During the Mariner to Venus and Mercury (MVM) mission a request was received to reduce

the 5 K noise temperature by at least 2 K. This was achieved [4] by replacing the 0.5-meterlong input transmission line with a shortened coaxial line as shown in Figure 6. The center

conductor was made of copper and attached directly to the 4.5 K station. The fused quartz

dome provided the vacuum seal required. The noise temperature at the waveguide input was

2.1 K and is believed to be a record low for an S-band maser operating at 4.5 K.

In concluding this brief discussion on applications to masers, we would like to point

out that the last application required that the cryocooler be operated upside-down relative

to the usual configuration. Very little difference in the operating characteristics was

noted.

5. Conclusions

The tracking stations in which masers are used are located in Goldstone, California,

Woomera, Australia and Madrid, Spain. Some training of station personnel was provided when

equipment was originally installed; however, repairs and maintenance procedures are now carried out on a routine basis by station personnel. Only major repair operations are performed at a repair depot in California. Routine mechanical maintenance is scheduled once annually, and the only other operator procedure required is to purge the J-T circuit with

a vacuum pump once or twice per year. The latter operation requires but one or two hours to

execute. An operational 4.5 K cryocooler has, indeed, been realized.

Other organizations, with and without cryogenics experience, have successfully duplicated the CCR described here.

6. References

[1] Higa, W. H., and Wiebe, E., A simplified approach to heat exchanger construction for

cryogenic refrigerators, Cryogenic Technol . (March/April 1967).

[2] U. S. Patent No. 3,260,055 issued to E. Wiebe on Thermal Switch.

[3] U. S. Patent No. 3,914,950 issued to E. Wiebe on Capacity Monitor.

[4] U. S. Patent No. 3,902,143 issued to R. Clauss and E. Wiebe on Ultra Low-Noise Input

Transmission Line for Masers.

105
Figure 5. Partially assembled CCR with some components identified. A

radiation shield is attached to the 70 K station and surrounds

all the lower temperature parts.

106
MASER

ADAPTER

PLATE

SUPPORT BRACKET

FOR SUPERCONDUCTING

MAGNET

Figure 6. Signal input transmission line for 2.1 K S-band maser.

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to their many colleagues who have helped in this effort.

Special thanks are due R. Clauss and R. Quinn.

107

Design Compromises in the Selection of Closed-Cycle Cryocoolers

Fred F. Chellis

Development Engineer - CTI -CRYOGENICS , Military Products Group

The systems designer is often faced with a dilemma when choosing a closedcycle cryocooler for a specific application. He must choose between his need

for extremely long operating life, and his desire for small size and minimum

weight. The perfect all-purpose closed-cycle cryocooler does not exist. Each

application has its own special requirements which affect the cryocooler con- figuration: A paramp cooler in a satellite communications antenna is not

limited as to size and weight but must operate 24 hours a day continuously for over two years with hands-off operation; whereas, a cooler in an airborne infrared set must be designed primarily for minimum size and weight.

This paper describes some of the problems in designing a cryocooler for

a specific application and stresses early cooperation between the user and the

designer of the cryocooler. Actual case histories will be discussed.

Key words: Cryocooler, infrared, SQUID, Josephson junction, satellite

communications.

1 . Introduction

One of the earliest closed-cycle cryocoolers was developed in 1958 for cooling a 3 channel ruby laser in a target tracking radar set. This system included 3 stages of ex- pansion, plus a Joule-Thomson stage to provide cooling at 3.8K. Soon thereafter similar

systems were installed in the Telstar antenna in Andover, Maine for intercontinental telecommunications via satellite, and in the giant antenna at Goldstone, California for deep

space tracking. The Goldstone installation provided the principal communications link with

our astronauts and is still in service today providing communication with the Mariner deep

space probes, as they travel the outer reaches of our solar system.

With the development of the parametric amplifier (paramp), which operates at 20K, a simplified and somewhat smaller two-stage cryocooler was developed with an emphasis on high

reliability and long unattended operating life. These machines typically operate continuously for over 2 years without repair or overhaul. To accomplish this, they are conser- vatively designed with an oi 1 -lubricated compressor and low operating speeds.

In the early 1960's the closed-cycle cryocooler was adapted to the cooling of small infrared devices for military airborne applications, including reconnaissance and target ac- quisition. Here the emphasis was upon miniaturization to reduce size and weight of the

cryocooler and to minimize cool -down time. In order to get the most cryocooler in the

smallest package, it was necessary to reduce the size of mechanical components and to in- crease operating speed and charge pressure levels. Many of these coolers were built and

are presently in service. However, the cost of maintenance and the training of specialists

in field repair of these systems has prompted the search for a low life cycle cost system

for future applications. Here the emphasis is not really on miniaturization and infinite

operating life, but upon an acceptable system size with an operating life of about 3000

hours with no maintenance. Today with the rapid improvement in electronics design, and ever smaller electronic packages, the cryocooler stands out as the largest, most expensive

single component in an infrared system. Therefore, there is a continuing effort to develop

more reliable cryocoolers in smaller sizes, at lower cost of ownership.

2. Types of Closed-Cycle Cryocoolers

All closed-cycle cryocoolers in general usage today operate on a cyclic thermodynamic

process and employ the following components: A compressor with an aftercooler heat ex- changer that removes the heat of compression from the working gas, and an expander with a reciprocating displacer element and a regenerative heat exchanger that alternately removes

and restores heat to the working gas flowing through it. Closed-cycle cryocoolers may be

subdivided into the following classes in accordance with their operating principles (also

see Figure 1 )

109
2.1 . Gifford-McMahon (G-M)

In Gifford-McMahon cryocoolers the compressor assembly and the expander assembly are typically widely separated from one another, and two interconnecting gas lines join them.

The expander requires a small motor to move the displacer up and down and to operate the

valves in the expander head. The presence of valves in both the compressor and the expander

isolates them from one another and allows the compressor to operate at a different speed

from the expander. This arrangement allows the interconnecting lines to be of almost any

desired length since their volumes are effectively isolated from the thermodynamically

active volumes in the system. The long lines allow separation of the compressor package

from the expander, thereby removing the principal mass and source of heat and vibration

from the critical region of the device being cooled. These advantages are somewhat offset

by the larger size and higher power requirements of this type of system.

2.2. Integral Stirling

The basic integral Stirling cryocooler consists of a compressor section and an expander

section combined in one integrated package. The reciprocating elements of the expander

and compressor are mechanically driven from a common crankshaft with the proper phase re- lationship so that no valves are required in the system. The integral Stirling cycle cryocooler is inherently the most efficient of all cryocoolers and has a particular appeal be- cause of its basic design simplicity, compactness, and lower power input. The integral

Stirling does have the disadvantage that the compressor, with its heat and vibration

output, must be located in close proximity to the cooled device, since the compressor and

expander are combined in one assembly.

2.3. Split Stirling

In the split Stirling system the compressor, with its motor and heat exchanger, com- prise one package while the expander comprises a second package and the two are interconnected by a single gas line. This overcomes the principal objection to the integral

Stirling design, since it allows the compressor to be separated from the expander thus re- moving the bulk, heat and vibration of the compressor from the sensitive region of the

detector, amplifier or other cooled device. This also considerably simplifies the packaging problem.

Reciprocal motion for the displacer is provided by a compact pneumatic drive wherein

the sinusoidal pressure fluctuations, generated by the compressor, provide the necessary

forces to drive the displacer up and down in proper timed relationship with the compressor.

Since the system uses no valves, the gas line constitutes an important void volume which

must be minimized by limiting the line length and, therefore, the distance between the

compressor and expander. Gas lines up to five feet in length have been evaluated but 12

to 18 inch line lengths are more practical. Because of the added void volumes associated

with the interconnecting line and the lack of a direct mechanical linkage between the displacer and compressor, the split Stirling cooler is inherently less efficient than the

corresponding one-piece Stirling.

2.4. Integral Vuilleumier (VM)

The VM cryocooler is best described as a Stirling cycle cooler wherein the mechanical

compressor component has been replaced by a thermal compressor. The only mechanical input

which is required in this type of system is that needed to shuttle the displacers back and

forth and this can be accomplished with a very small electric motor, (compared with the

larger motor in the Stirling cycle machine). Since the mechanical forces required to

drive the VM are substantially lower than those in other types of cryocoolers, it follows

that mechanical wear would be significantly reduced with a consequent increase in operating life and reliability. However, because the compression is provided by transfer of

electrical heat to the working gas, this cycle is inherently less efficient than the onepiece Stirling counterpart, and an added electronic package is required to control the

heater at the hot end. Because of high operating temperatures in the compressor, wear of

the hot displacer sealing and riding surfaces is a significant design consideration.

110
2.5. Split VM

The split VM configuration bears the same relationship to the VM as the split Stirling does to the Stirling configuration. Here we have a thermal compressor (instead of a mechanical compressor) communicating with a remotely-located pneumatically-actuated ex- pander through a single gas line. This system incorporates the advantages of the split

Stirling configuration with those of the VM and shares the disadvantages of both.

3. Design Considerations and System Trade-offs

Very small closed-cycle cryocoolers (in the capacity range of about 0.5 watt at 77K

or smaller) have a sufficiently low input power requirement (100 watts or less) that they

may be conductively cooled by bolting them to a large metal mass or convectively cooled by

ambient air. However, cryocoolers with a higher input power require forced air cooling

to move air over external fins on the compressor section of the cryocooler for proper

heat rejection.

With very large systems, where the input power is more than 400 watts, heat rejection

may require special liquid cooling techniques involving oil or a special coolant, a circulating pump and a liquid-to-air heat exchanger with a fan or other source of forced air

cooling. These additional elements add considerably to the size and weight of the closedcycle cryocooler system.

Because of mechanical wear and other considerations, it is unreasonable to expect that

a cryocooler will maintain the same level of cooling capacity throughout its operating

life. The wear of compressor piston seals and displacer seals degrades performance in two

ways. Firstly, the seals begin to leak, which allows gas blow-by, and secondly, the wear

products accumulate in gas passages and the regenerator matrix to restrict gas flow. Additionally, outgassed organic materials from bearing lubricants, motor windings, etc. migrates to, and freezes out in, the regenerator matrix and in the clearance spaces at the

cold end of the expander. It is therefore necessary to provide excess cooler capacity in

the basic cooler design, in order to have sufficient capacity at the end of the required

operating period. The problem is that added cooling capacity requires a larger system,

and a larger system requires more power input. Since a cryocooler is a 100% loss device,

all the electrical power which goes in to drive the system must be rejected as heat. So,

the larger the system, the larger the fan, fins, heat exchanger, etc. needed to get rid

of the heat.

Therefore, there is an important trade-off between cooling capacity (system size) and

operating life requirements. If the physical size of the closed-cycle cryocooler is of

great importance, then the systems designer should concentrate upon minimizing his cooling

requirements. This can be done through careful design of the actual cooled device to

minimize thermal loads caused by heat conduction and radiation and by the elimination of

unnecessary factors of safety in his design. A realistic overall factor of safety is best

arrived at through close and early cooperation between the cryocooler design engineer and

the designer of the cooled system.

Some of the most difficult conditions are created in military airborne applications

where a cryocooler must operate in a 55°C environment and often in a totally enclosed

chamber close packed with other heat rejecting apparatus. A cryocooler 's main purpose in

life is to reject heat and it is happy only when it receives proper cooling.

Closed-cycle cryocoolers have a reciprocating di spl acer/regenerator element in the ex- pander which is driven by either mechanical or pneumatic means. The motion of the displacer

is, typically, not balanced and so creates a vibration which is transmitted to the cooled

device which is mounted on the cold tip. This is not generally a problem so long as the

expander, with its cantilevered cold tip, is rigidly mounted. However, some of the newer

devices including Josephson junctions and SQUID 's are so sensitive to microphonics that integrating them with a closed-cycle cryocooler presents a serious problem which has not yet

been solved.

Another problem that is often encountered is that of thermophonics . The problem is

inherent in the cyclic operation of the cryocooler wherein the actual temperature at the

111
cold tip fluctuates a few mi 1 1 idegrees with each expansion event of the cooler. This

problem is especially noticeable with some of the new supersensitive devices such as SQUID magnetometers and Josephson junctions. The thermal "ripple" can often be smoothed

out by the interposition of a thermal mass (lead block, for example) between the cold tip

and the load (cooled device). However, the cooldown time of the system is increased, and

the system's designer must choose between signal interference due to thermophoni cs and

minimum system cooldown time.

4. Examples of Actual Cryocooler Applications

When selecting a closed-cycle cryocooler for a particular application, it is helpful

to know how others have faced this problem and what concessions they had to make in order

to fulfill their needs. Past experience has shown that nearly every application has its own particular requirements which can best be met by tailoring the design of the cryocooler

to the specific application. The following examples demonstrate the variety of available

systems and briefly describe the life history of each. (See Table 1.)

4.1. Ground Based Closed-Cycle Cryocooler for Satellite Communications Application

At the present time there are over 800 satellite communications ground stations in

continuous around-the-clock operation scattered around the entire globe. Some of these

are in military communications networks; others are in civilian telecommunications duty.

Some are in the U.S., but most of them are located in foreign countries, (including Russia

and the Peoples Republic of China). These systems use a parametric amplifier cooled to

20K and operate continuously for 16,000 to 18,000 hours without repair or maintenance.

The total useful life of a system is well in excess of 100,000 hours. A closed-cycle

cryocooler working on the Gifford-McMahon principle was chosen for this application since

it permitted installation of the expander assembly at the focal point of the parabolic an- tenna, with the parametric amplifier components mounted on the cold tip of the expander for

cooling to 20K. (See Figure 2.) The 175 pound compressor package was located at ground

level in the base of the antenna with 100 feet of gas lines communicating with the ex- pander. The overriding design requirement for this system was extremely long, maintenancefree, operating life. The size of the total system was unimportant and the total input

power requirements were of secondary importance. These cryocoolers have accumulated an impressive reliability record. After millions of hours of total accumulated running time,

the demonstrated MTBF of these systems is in excess of 20,000 hours. Since shutdown of

these coolers would incur a severe penalty in terms of loss of TV programming or telephone

and data links, the servicing and maintenance schedule calls for replacement of an adsorber

trap at 3,000 hour intervals (without system shutdown) and scheduled overhaul of the ex- pander head every 16,000 hours (2 years) of operation. This impressive reliability ex- perience was achieved by using a medium speed (1,800 rpm) oi 1 -1 ubri cated compressor combined with a slow speed, semi-dry lubricated expander employing a 72 rpm drive motor

(hence, eliminating the requirement for extra gears and bearings which would have impacted

the life expectancy of the system).

4.2. Airborne Infrared Cryocooler for Use in B-52 Bomber

This cryocooler (Figure 3) was tailored to meet the requirement for cooling a Forward

Looking InfraRed (FLIP) detector array to 20K for use in the B-52 bomber. Here again, the

overriding consideration was for a cryocooler to operate reliably and continuously for ex- tremely long periods, and it was decided to incorporate the design philosophy which was

used in the satellite communications coolers but to scale down the size to meet the airborne requirements. The compressor package for this system utilizes a high speed, oillubricated compressor pump in conjunction with a medium speed gear motor driving a semidry lubricated expander operating on the Gifford-McMahon principle. Three foot gas lines

allow the compressor to be located away from the expander. The service schedule for this

system calls for adsorber replacement at 600 hours. There is no scheduled maintenance.

Over 400 units of this system have been installed and are in current use. The demonstrated

MTBF for this system is in excess of 1000 hours. It will be noted that we have sacrificed

some operating life in order to gain a more compact package for airborne use. Since the

useful operating life of the system is only required to be 3000 hours, and since aircraft

are overhauled at regular intervals, such a sacrifice is reasonable.

112
4.3. Airborne Infrared Coolers for High Performance Aircraft

Because of space limitations on small aircraft the overriding consideration in closedcycle cryocooler selection is minimum size, weight and power input. A G-M system is generally not applicable. The Stirling (or, more recently, the split Stirling configuration)

is the type of cryocooler most often selected for this application. The integral Stirling

cryocooler is available in both 20K and 77K configurations for airborne infrared systems.

A typical 20K system is the one used for cooling the AN/AAS-18 infrared system on the

RF-4C reconnaissance aircraft (Figure 4). Over 1,200 of these systems are in service.

This system uses liquid cooling in the cooler heat exchanger to remove the heat of com- pression and has a coolant circulating pump and an auxiliary heat exchanger and associated

liquid coolant piping. In this capacity and temperature range it will be noted that the

integral Stirling system has essentially the same size and weight requirements as a comparable G-M system. However, the power input requirement for the integral Stirling is about

half that for the G-M system.

4.4. Miniature Stirling Cryocoolers for Infrared Applications

Recent innovations in electronics design have made it possible to build a truly compact infrared set with minimum cooling requirements. For this application integral Stirling cryocoolers have been developed to provide up to 1 watt of cooling at 77K with less

than 100 watts of input power and a total system weight of about 3 pounds (Figure 5). To

accomplish this, it was necessary to employ high operating speeds and elevated charge

pressure levels which adversely affect the operating life of the machine and increases vibration level at the cold tip where the infrared detector is located. Even though the

cryocooler may be well balanced mechanically, vibration transmitted from the compressor

creates microphonics which are picked up by the infrared detector on the more sensitive

applications. This problem has been solved in some applications by use. of the split

Stirling system (Figure 6) wherein the expander is separated from the compressor package

by a distance of one or two feet thus minimizing transmitted vibration and importantly

easing packaging problems. These systems are in the advanced development stage and are beginning to appear in a limited number of airborne applications. Extensive life testing

is underway to prove reliability and demonstrate a reasonable maintenance schedule.

4.5. VM Cryocooler for Airborne Uses

The U.S. Air Force has been the principal sponsor in the development of VM and split

VM cryocoolers for airborne uses, with the emphasis on reduced life cycle cost. The

reasoning is that the total cost of a really reliable cryocooler, over its operating lifetime, will be lower (in spite of higher initial purchase cost) because of lower maintenance and repair costs. Wright Patterson Air Force Base is currently funding a program

for the procurement of a split VM cooler (Figure 7) which will be known as the Air Force

Standard Cooler. The goal is to have one standardized cooler in the Air Force inventory

which would be specified for a wide range of future airborne cryocooler needs. Although

these systems are not yet in common useage, they will be incorporated into a variety of

airborne applications in the near future.

5. Summary

In summary, there is no single cryocooler design that is optimized for all applications. Each type of cryocooler has inherent advantages and disadvantages. The factors of

size, weight, power, operating life and reliability must be carefully evaluated and suitable trade-offs made in order to select the optimum cryocooler configuration for a specific

application.

The presently accepted procedure is to modify an existing cryocooler design or to

develop a new one to fit the interface requirements of each specific application. This approach is both time consuming and expensive.

The recent trend in military cryocooler design is toward standardization. The U.S.

Army has developed a modular approach to infrared set design which includes a standard

cryocooler configuration of the integral Stirling type. The U.S. Air Force is concentrating on a standardized cooler employing the split VM configuration. These are both

113
small systems operating in the capacity range of 1 watt @ 77K, and they will find their

place in a variety of applications where the cooling and interface requirements are similar.

However, a new generation of cryocooled devices is in the planning stage, which will have

greater sensitivity and will require cooling at 20K or lower. These include such exotic

devices as MFPA's (Monolithic Focal Plane Arrays), SQUID's (Superconducting QUantum Interference Devices) and Josephson junctions. These systems will require a new generation

of cryocoolers with greater emphasis upon reduced vibration and thermal stability in order

to minimize problems of microphonics and thermophonics in the cooled device.

The perfect all-purpose, closed-cycle cryocooler has yet to be discovered.

114
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116

I
REFRIGERATOR ASSEMBLY COMPRESSOR ASSEMBLY

ADSORBER TRAP

Figure 2. Ground-Based Paramp Cryocooler

3 Watts (3 20 K; G-M Cycle

117

!

Figure 4. Airborne Infrared Cryocooler

1 Watt 0 20 K; Integral Stirling

119
Figure 5. Airborne Infrared Cryocooler

1 Watt @ 77 K; Integral Stirling

120
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121
Figure 7. Airborne Infrared Cryocooler

1 Watt @ 77 K; Split VM

122
MAGNETIC AND VIBRATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF

A CLOSED CYCLE REFRIGERATOR

John E. Cox and Stuart A. Wolf

Naval Research Laboratory

Washington, D. C. 20375

ABSTRACT

A hybrid 4.5K refrigerator consisting of a CTI 1020 cryodyne with a Joule-Thorn son expansion valve, has been

evaluated with regard to its magnetic and vibrational

signatures for frequencies up to 500 Hz in both cases.

Data suggest that an off-the-shelf system of this type is

not compatible with the use of Josephson devices as sensitive detectors of magnetic field changes.

Key Words: cryogenic refrigerator, closed cycle refrigerator, vibration spectrum, magnetic signature.

1. Introduction

The coming of age of superconducting circuit elements such as coils,

cavities and Josephson devices served as the genesis of renewed interest

in closed cycle cryogenic refrigerators. If compact, 1 ight-weight refrigerators could be utilized to maintain an ambient temperature of 4 to 12

kelvin without excessive mechanical vibration, magnetic noise or maintenance routines, then machines of this nature could be interfaced with the

superconducting devices for remote or unattended deployment. ONR funded the

purchase of several such refrigerators, and NRL obtained one of them. At

that time, there was interest in commencing superconducting cavity research,

and it was deemed desirable to obtain a 4.5K machine that could potentially

be married to the cavity and auxiliary components. This report describes

some of the characteristics of a 4.5K two watt Cryogenic Technology Inc.

(CTI) hybrid refrigerator.

2. Description of the CTl Refrigerator

A CTI model 1020 cryodyne refrigerator is the nucleus of the 4.5K

machine, shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The 1020 is a two-stage GiffordMcMahon cycle refrigerator operated at 1.2 Hz by a 60 Hz permanent magnet

motor. In steady state operation, the first stage is capable of achieving

50K and the second stage can achieve lOK operation. Appended to this

machine is a Joule-Thomson (JT) loop, consisting of counterflow heat exchangers, a parallel plate heat exchanger, the JT valve, 4.5K cold station,

and a back pressure regulator to increase the temperature of the 4.5K

station without electrical heaters.

Fig. 4 shows the underside of the base plate, consisting of two vapor

pressure gauges, gauges for helium pressures at three points of the JT

loop, vacuum gauge, motor housing, and various valves for charging the vapor

pressure bulbs and directing the helium flow.

123
1 - Top view of the NRL-CTi 4.5-K refrigerator 4 5.K refrigerator

12Z^
The components above the base plate are wrapped in 4 to 6 layers

of aluminized mylar "super insulation" which serves to restrict radiant

thermal energy from impinging on the cold parts. The entire assembly

is then enveloped in another 8 to 10 layers of aluminized myla_r^, and

a stainless steel vacuum bell jar is placed over the ensemble. A 10 Torr

or better vacuum is necessary to eliminate convective air currents and

ensure the attainment of 4,5K.

There are two electrical feed throughs in the base plate (Fig. 1)

that carry leads to a carbon resistance thermometer located on the underside

of the 4.5K heat station, and a thermocouple and a heater for each of the

three heat stations (4.5, 10 and 50K) . The plates of the heat stations, and

the heat exchangers are of copper, while all other parts visible in Figures

1, 2 & 3 are of 304 stainless steel.

One can impose heat loads on the various stations, and monitor the

temperature variation via the thermocouples. For the 4.5K station, one

can also raise the temperature by increasing the back pressure seen by the

expanding gas. On the other hand, one can bleed off some of the helium

charge, lower the compressor input to less than one atmosphere and reach

temperatures of 3.8K, Ostensibly, one can vary the temperature from

3.8K to essentially 300K, depending on the heat station used and the

thermal load imposed.

The NRL-CTI machine is a hybrid model. The 1020 by itself utilizes a 3-hp compressor supplying 275 psig and returning the expanded helium at

75 psig for a compression ratio of 3.6. A JT loop requires supply pressures

on the average of 250 psig with a return near atmospheric pressure, a compression ratio of 16 or so. Thus, one had the option of using two

compressors, each with compression ratios of approximately 4, or a twostage compressor capable of doing the job by itself. It was decided to

use the 25-hp Dunn & Bush compressor incorporated in the CTI model 1400

liquefier, the successor of the famed Collins liquefiers. This compressor

has nearly three times the capacity necessary for the refrigerator, but

its ready availability and known characteristics were the deciding factors.

There are bypass regulators on the compressor to shunt the extraneous

helium around the refrigerator and back into the input side of the compressor .

The compressor package is approximately 44 inches square, 32 inches

high and weighs 1800 lbs. It is a water cooled device, requiring six

gallons per minute at 90F max and 30 psig min. Power requirements are

23 kW, 208/220/440 V, 30, 60 Hz.

The refrigerator is 12" in diameter and 44" high overall. Inside

the bell jar is approximately 9" vertical clearance above the 4.5K station.

The refrigerator weighs approximately 100 lbs. Electrical requirements are

100 watts, 120V, 60 Hz for the displacer motor. The compression and refrigerator are connected by three 20-ft. flexible lines with Aeroquip 5400

series self sealing couplings.

3. Vibrational and Magnetic Characteristics

The vibrational and magnetic characteristics of closed cylce machines

are of particular interest to people working with Josephson detectors, for

125
these instruments are sensitive to fields as small as 10 tesla. Magnetic interference can come about from time varying magnetic fields either

directly or by moving the detector in the presence of a static field.

The vibrational modes of the 4.5K and lOK stations were measured

by a piezoelectric type Endevco accelerometer . The signal was fed through

charge amplifiers to a Sangamo Sabre III tape recorder. The taped output

was subsequently passed through a Ubiguitous spectrum analyzer which presented a plot of acceleration in gravity units vs frequency in Hz. Displacements were determined numerically by the equation

0.0511V ^

where D is the double amplitude excursion in inches, G is the acceleration

in g's and v is the frequency in hertz. A plot of excursions (peak to

peak) vs frequency is shown in Figure 5 for both the 4.5K and the lOK

station locations.

Because the accelerometer is an oil filled device, it was impossible

to cool the refrigerator to its working temperature. Rather, the vacuum

bell jar was removed, the super insulation covering the 4.5K and the lOK

station was removed and the accelerometer was placed on the respective

stations. Operating for any length of time in air in this manner, the

lOK station would ice up and the accelerometer response become sluggish.

Therefore, data had to be taken before any significant change from room

temperature could occur.

As is expected, there is a large impulsive vibration at 1.2 Hz, as well as vibrations at 60 Hz and many of its harmonics, due to the 1020

displacer. The 4.5K station is mounted on what is essentially a cantilevered beam. In Figure 3, one can see the parallel plate heat exchanger attached to the lOK station via a stainless steel bracket. The 4.5K station is

mounted above this heat exchanger by two stainless steel rods attached to

the same bracket. In addition to picking up vibrations from the 1020

engine, the 4.5K station is susceptible to vibrations due to the helium flow

through the JT valve, parallel plate heat exchangers and the charcoal traps.

The spike at 180 Hz for the lOK station seems to be shifted slightly to 190

Hz for the 4,5 station. It is believed that this shift is real and can be

attributed to the factors just mentioned, as can the relatively broad band

of vibrations below 30 Hz.

Signals with frequencies that are harmonics of 60 Hz are always subject

to suspicion, especially when one is making ac electrical measurements.

However, the profile of Figure 5 is such that the indicated displacements

are real. The profile of the displacements of the two stations is different,

with the magnitude of the displacement of the 4.5K station larger and at

times shifted slightly in frequency from lOK station data. Again, this

is to be expected from the cantilevered nature of the 4.5K station.

126
10"

10"

10 K STATION

4.5 K STATION

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100 200 300

FREQUENCY (Hz) 400 500

Double Amplitude Vibrational Spectra as a Function of Frequency.

TABLE I AC MAGNETIC FIELDS (10-7 TESLA)

TABLE II DISPLACER MOTOR FIELDS (IQ-^ TESLA)

Location Motor on | Compressor on

1

Frequency (Hz)

1.2 60 190 480

A 2.5* 6.8 X 4 X X 4.5 8.8

B 4 3

X 4 4

X X 8 8

C 7 3 X 8 3

X X 9 7

A' 2.8 2.7 X 10.5 2.8 X X 13.5 4.8

B' <1 5 X 2.5 5 X X 4 8

C 0 3

X 3 3 X X 4 5

Location Motor on Compressor on 1.2 2.4 60

D X 300 100 2,000

X X 300 150 2,500

E X 300 200 5,000

X X 600 200 2,500

127
A pair of Siemens hall probes model RHY18 were calibrated for dc

fields at liquid helium temperatures and installed in the CTi refrigerator. However, ac measurements using a dc biasing voltage resulted in

inadequate sensitivity. Instead, a Bell model 240 incremental gaussmeter

was fed into a PAR 210 selective amplifier and PAR 220 lock-in detector used

as a tuned amplifier and the subsequent signal was monitored on an oscilloscope. Because we did not want to damage the factory packaged calibrated

probe, we decided against severing the leads to install the probe so as to

make measurements with the refrigerator operating. Instead, these measurements were_made in a manner analogous to the accelerometer data. Sensitivities of 10 gauss were realized with these instruments.

Magnetic data were taken at eight locations, as listed in Table 1 and Figure 1. At each of the refrigerator locations, three sets of measurements were made; background field, field with motor on and compressor

off, and field with both motor and compressor on. Positions A and A'

measure the vertical fields on the two stations, while the others determine

the horizontal fields. Position B is approximately 90° from the bakelite

clamp holding the 4.5K station to the counterflow heat exchanger column.

Position C is essentially opposite this clamp. Postions B' and C' are

located on the lOK station with the same relative orientation as positions B

and C

.

All harmonics of 60 Hz were checked, but in most cases the background

was a strong as the signal detected with the refrigerator on; the exceptions being those indicated in Table I. The frequency range checked was

from 1 to 500 Hz.

The asterisk at location A for 1.2 Hz fields means that there is a measurable field at this frequency with the displacer off, but the cause of

the field is a natural structural resonance at 6.75 Hz. The Q of the

measuring circuit was approximately 20 which allowed a signal at 1.2 Hz to

be detected. When the motor was turned on a real 1.2 Hz vibration was

established, and this motion in the earth's field caused additional pickup.

Since only the vertical field is present, we reason that the motion is due

to building vibration. There were no frequencies present in the magnetic

measurements that were not also present in the vibration measurements.

In Fig. 1 positions D and E indicate the location of the Hall probe

for determining the radial and axial fields due to the displacer motor.

These values are shown in Table II. The 2.4 Hz vibration detected here

could not be seen on the lOK or 4.5K stations. The reason for the amplification of field values with the compressor on is not understood.

4. Operating Experiences

During shipment, the check value in the suction line of the compressor

worked loose, thereby bleeding down the helium charge in the compressor

module. Before the refrigerator could be connected, the compressor had

to be evaucated and purged to remove contaminants. When the refrigerator

had approximately 1000 hours running time, that same check valve leaked at

least three additional times. Another source of difficulty is one of the

shunt regulators for diverting that portion of the supply gas not needed

by the refrigerator. The orifice seat became deformed, thereby causing

128
continuous bypassing of compressed helium and reducing the supply pressure

from 245 psi to 175 psi. A new seat was installed, but the regulator

continued to leak helium to the atmosphere despite three ret ightenings of

the valve housing, two of them with uniform tension supplied via torque

wrench

As an afterthought CTI engineers decided that a pressure relief

valve ahead of the back pressure regulator was a desired safety feature.

The elbow was removed and returned to CTI for insertion of the regulator, but re-installation of the elbow resulted in a leak around the Swagelok stainless steel fittings. The leak was finally isolated, but it is not

certain that it is ful sealed. A non-detectable leak may still be present.

Another after-thought was a pressure relief valve on the bell jar. In the

event of a helium leak developed in the cold end, the bell jar could become

a bomb. The recommended valve was purchased and installed, but it would

never seal vacuum tight. A second type of valve was installed, but at

present one cannot maintain a good vacuum. The cause of the leak is unknown.

Because of possible helium leaks in the closed cycle system, one cannot be

certain that it is not helium leaking out to the vacuum volume. On the

other hand, the many layers of aluminized mylar present large virtual leaks

to a leak detector, thereby making it impossible to conclusively identify

real leaks from these virtual leaks. In retrospect, it is unfortunate that

the advice of CTI regarding the relief value in the bell jar was taken.

Instead, one should merely have removed the bolts attaching the bell jar to

the base plate, thereby permitting easy exit for any catastrophic helium

bu ildup.

The CTI design engineers and their field service engineers seem to be

at odds regarding the configuration of the bypass regulation system and

the associated surge tanks. One needs a ballast tank to store helium that

is excess when the refrigerator is warm but is necessary when the refrigerator is at operating temperature, due to the volume reduction of the cold

gas. It would seem that improvements in this system could be made.

5. Conclusions

While a detailed evaluation of this machine has not been carried

out, it is clear that the machine in this configuration is not suitable for

int^rf acing_y|th current SQUID devices. SQUID operating range is typically

10 to 10 T. Therefore, the noise produced at the cold stations is

greater than the operating range of the least sensitive SQUID. Non-cryogenic

magnetometers would be more suitable in this field range.

6, Acknowledgements

We are indebted to J. Kennedy for his assistance with the Hall probe

measurements, and to H. Forkois for the accelerometer measurements.

129

Closed-Cycle Refrigerator for a Superconducting Susceptometer

Daniel A. Vincent

College of Engineering

University of South Florida

Tampa, Florida

A closed-cycle 4.5 K refrigerator has been used to cool a chamber for condensing helium. The liquid helium is transferred

to a SQUID superconducting susceptometer devi7ar by gravity flow

with the boil-off gas recirculating to the condensing column.

Vibration and electromagnetic noise isolation is maintained

between the refrigerator and the susceptometer.

Key words I Cryocooler; helium refrigerator; refrigeration,

helium; SQUID refrigeration.

1 . Introduction

The continued advances in commercially available superconducting

Instruments has stimulated the need for reliable low capacity helium liquefaction systems. The refrigerator described here incorporates a commercially available cold head utilizing the Gifford-McMahon (G-M) cycle capable

of reducing the temperature to about 15 K. This refrigerator precools and

sustains a separate closed-cycle helium flow at sufficiently low temperature

to permit liquefaction through a Joule-Thompson (J-T) throttling valve. The

J-T loop Incorporates countercurrent heat exchangers to transfer a portion

of the incoming heat load to the exhaust gas. A two stage compressor and

filter unit is used to compress the helium gas from the two expansion

exhaust pressures to the required supply pressure. To maintain a high

level of reliability and long operating periods between overhauls, the

helium circulating in the refrigerator circuits must be ultra pure. A

30 liter storage tank included in the compressor unit provides a source of

pure gas and maintains constant operating pressure as the gas volume

changes during cooldown and heat load variations. Pressure regulating

valves admit the gas In and out of the tank as the demand requires. The

gas contained in this tank and the compressor unit and piping is purified

by circulation through a cryogenic adsorption device prior to initial cooldo\m.

Refrigerators of this design have proven to be very reliable after many

years of continuous operation lJL,23. Unfortunately mechanical vibration and

electromagnetic interference make them incompatible with direct connection

to superconducting (SQUID) instrumentation [3]. The secondary liquefaction

system shown in Figure 1 has been added to allow sufficient separation of

the refrigerator and the instrument dewar to permit vibration damping and

electromagnetic shielding between the two units.

2. System Description

Referring to Figure 1, commercial purity helium gas is admitted into

the condensing chamber through a precooling column thermally connected to

the 60 K and 15 K G-M refrigeration stations. The condensing chamber is a copper container thermally linked to the 4.5 K refrigeration station of the

J-T loop. Refrigeration capacity of tne two G-M stations is on the order of

10 watts in excess of the cooling required for the J-T loop. The liquefaction station has a capacity of 2.5 watts at 4.5 K. The J-T exhaust is

maintained at a pressure slightly above atmospheric (about 980 mm Hg) to

overcome line losses and insure a positive pressure at the compressor inlet.

The condensing chamber is maintained at a sufficient pressure to provide a temperature drop to the 4.5 K station capable of condensing approximately one liter of helium per hour. The condensed liquid is transferred

into the superinsulated instrument dev/ar by gravity with the room temperature

131
COMPRESSOR CONNECTIONS

J-T RETURN SUPPLY ENGINE RETURN

Figure 1. Schematic Diagram of the System

132
boil-off gas returning to the top of the condensing column. Since there are

no small passages in this circuit, the purity requirement of this fluid is

much less stringent than in the refrigerator circuit.

The flov^ rate is low (one liter or less per hour) and the only transfer

mechanism between dewars is a small differential pressure created by the

helium liquid level drop. An efficient transfer tube is essential to effect

liquid transfer under these conditions. The liquid passage is a 6 mm thin

wall tube wrapped with aluminized Mylar superinsulation inside a copper heat

shield connected to the 60 K station of the refrigerator. This copper

shield is also wrapped v^'ith superinsulation and encased in a stainless steel

vacuum jacket. The transfer tube vacuum communicates with the refrigerator

vacuum space which is continuously cryopumped by getter material mounted

on the 15 K and 4.5 K stations.

In addition to the liquid helium transfer method described here, the

condensing chamber is provided with a gas -locked room temperature access

for "dip stick" experiments compatible with the refrigerator noise. For

this application the liquid helium can be retained in the condensing chamber by temporarily raising the pressure in the instrument de\var.

3. Acknov/ledgments

1 The author would like to thank Professor Bascom Deaver and his associates at the University of Virginia for their a,.; j 1. v tance in acquiring and

modifying much of the equipment used in this project.

4. References

j

i [iD Higa, W. H., and Wiebe, E., A Simplified Approach to Heat Exchanger

Construction for Cryogenic Refrigeration, Cryogenic Technology

(March/April 1967).

i [2j Higat W, H., One Million Hours at 4.5 K, in this publication.

CS]] Cox, J. E., Evaluation of a 4.5 K Closed-Cycle Refrigerator,

NRL Memorandum Report 3088 (July 1977). See also J. E. Cox and

S. A. Wolf in this publication.

133

Cryogenic Applications of Closed-Cycle

Mechanical and Adsorption Refrigeration

Will iam H. Hartwig

The University of Texas at Austin

Austin, Texas 78712

Experiments were conducted to observe the effects of the superconducting

transition of a lead X-Band cavity cooled to 6.7°K by a closed-cycle Cryodyne

refrigerator[l]. The Q changes rapidly below 7.2°K, and both drift and shortterm stability undergo large changes near the transition. The refrigerator

did not liquify the Helium gas. The overall objective was to develop an ex- periment chamber to measure photodielectric changes in semiconductors[2 ,3 ,4]

.

Cooling time, vibration effects and temperature gradients were among the problems to be overcome. Results of the experiments are analyzed and related to

the characteristics of the mechanical refrigerator.

Subsequent research, on a non-mechanical gas compressor [5], with potential applications to pre-coolers, radiation shields, and the prospects for

achieving low temperatures, is also discussed.

Key words: Adsorption refrigeration; closed-cycle refrigeration; infrared

detector cooling; non-mechanical gas compression; superconducting cavities.

1. Introduction

Applications of cryogenic devices such as superconducting resonant circuits (SCR's) and

infrared detectors would be greatly enhanced by advancing the technology of cooling. Work

done in past years in the author's laboratory demonstrated two aspects of studies on SCR's

pertinent to this subject. Closed-cycle mechanical refrigerators could be used as convenient and reliable systems for some purposes, but the vibration and periodic energy removal

of reciprocating expansion engines introduced large temperature excursions as the specific

heat dropped with temperature.

An experimental X-band oscillator using a superconducting lead cavity was built to

study the stability and spectral purity as a function of temperature. The cavity was cooled

to 6.7°K by a closed-cycle CRYODYNE refrigerator. Near the transition temperature, 7.2°K,

the Q changed rapidly and both the drift and short-term stability were undergoing large

changes. Unloaded Q's of 10'*-10^ were achieved in the operating range above 6.7°. Q's in excess of 10^° have been observed at lower temperatures by numerous investigators. The anticipated outcome was an oscillator which can provide superior short-term stability and utilize a Cesium beam tube to provide long-term stability.

Another advantage of a superconducting cavity is its clean spectrum. The quartz crystal, while a highly refined component, cannot match the cavity at X-band frequencies. Means

are readily available to tune the cavity over a wider range than available to the quartz

crystal. Frequency multiplication, which degrades the spectrum of a quartz oscillator, is

not needed. The advantages of closed-cycle refrigeration is the freedom from liquid transfer problems and absence of the logistics associated with maintaining a reliable supply of

liquid. Closed-cycle systems can be manufactured to operate over a wide temperature range,

particularly above 4.2°K, which is awkward for liquid helium. The CRYODYNE refrigerator

used in this experiment could be redesigned with a Joule-Thompson expansion valve to operate

well below 4.2°K.

Later experience by NASA using mechanical refrigerators to cool crystals used for IR

detection, showed the piezoelectric noise introduced was objectionable. This paper describes briefly the results of those experiments, and goes on to discuss new concepts in nonmechanical gas compression that may offer some alternatives, particularly for temperatures

of 20K and above.

2. Advantages of Superconducting Resonant Circuits

Superconducting resonant circuits (SRC's) have been fabricated which span the frequency

range from 10 MHz to 12 GHz at the fundamental frequency. Higher frequency operation is

135
possible, but increases in the RF losses suggest that harmonic, rather than fundamental,

operation must be used above 30 GHz. Typical O's range from 10^ to 10^^ , depending on the

frequency, geometry, surface condition of the SRC, coupling, magnetic shielding, and the

operating temperature.

The geometry of the SRC establishes the frequency and will limit the lower usable frequency. Bulk circuits, consisting of helical inductors in parallel with concentric capacitors, resemble conventional L-C elements and can be conveniently fabricated in the 10 MHz100 MHz range. Above 100 MHz and continuing to about 700 MHz, helical resonators represent

the most favorable configuration. At approximately 700 MHz the helical resonator degenerates to a quarter-wave transmission line cavity, which can be used to approximately 1000 MHz

Above this frequency, microwave cavities are utilized.

The high Q's obtainable from SRC's are unparalleled by those of any other available

circuit element. The exceptional frequency and phase stability characteristics of the SRC

make it particularly attractive as a frequency control element[5]. The SRC can be used at

the fundamental frequency to approximately 30 GHz, which ordinarily are approached only by

normal conducting, medium Q microwave cavities. No quartz crystal can attain these frequencies without the added complexities of frequency multipliers.

The SRC is particularly suited to both slow and fast tuning arrangements. Mechanical

tuning can be used to slowly adjust any long-term drift of the SRC. Optical tuning can be

used to slowly adjust any long-term drift of the SRC. Optical tuning can be used for highrate correction of short-term instabilities, with some depreciation in Q. This tuning

capability represents another advantage not directly possessed by the quartz crystal.

Excellent spectral purity is assured, with the high Q providing greater than 80 db re- duction of spurious modes. Closely spaced cavity modes are readily filtered or suppressed

via coupling or mode traps.

3. Limitations on Stability of Superconducting Resonant Circuits

Although SRC's unquestionably hold great promise for frequency control applications,

there are certain limiting factors of their stability which must be recognized. Some of

these limitations may be substantially overcome through compensation techniques, but can never be completely eliminated. The primary mechanisms involved are temperature control

and mechanical vibrations. Other limitations are less effective, but must be considered.

a. Temperature Effects

The surface reactance of the superconductor is only a slow function of the temperature,

T, when operation is well below the transition temperature, Tc. However, for extremely

stable circuits, even minute changes are important. The surface reactance is given by

X(t) = wyX(t) (1)

or L(t) = yX(t), y = 4Tr(10-7) hy/m, t = T/Tc (2)

The empirical equation for the penetration depth, x, is given in the 1 iterature[6] as

A(t) = A^(l - t^)-l/2 (3)

A = penetration depth at 0°K.

The total circuit inductance is the sum of L(t) and the geometrical inductance. Assuming a temperature control swing of + 50y°K at 4.2°K, straightforward calculations give a frequency

stability of

136
f= 12(10-^2) (4)

0

This assumes a cylindrical cavity operated in the TE^^^ mode at a frequency of 10 GHz.

The temperature control range of 50y°K may be exceeded if enough thermal inertia exists

in the system It has been observed by the authors that considerable thermal inertia

exists in a helium bath when operation is below 4.2°K, but above the superfluid state of

helium. The specific heat of the cavity is diminishing as temperature drops, and this

becomes a critical factor when mechanical refrigerators are used.

Cavities constructed of metal are subject to dimensional changes upon variation in the

ambient temperature. Both the length and diameter of the TEoil cavity are effective in

controlling the center frequency. However, at liquid helium temperatures, "^^ny materials

no longer suffer appreciable dimensional change. For example, the thermal coefficient or

linear expansion of copper is so small as to be undetectable below 20°K[6,7]. An upper

limit is taken as the value near 20°K of 10-7 per °K. Thus, for the X-band cavity mentioned above, a + 50y°K deviation produces a frequency shift:

f= + 5(10-^2) (5)

0

This is a conservative figures, since a = 10"^ per degree is an upper limit.

Another problem involving dimensions and temperature is repeatability. Because of the

simple geometry of the cavity, this difficulty can be minimized. The cavity can be made of

a single cylinder, having no solder joints, and annealed. This should eliminate thermal

deformation due to hystersis in regions of strain. Also, a cavity of this type could be

constructed easily with a quartz substrate. Mechanical or dimensional changes due to

pressure differentials between the interior and exterior of the cavity can be eliminated by

providing a vacuum sealed isolating can or jacket. This also adds some thermal inertia to

the system.

b. Effects of Mechanical Vibration

The structural deformation of the cavity due to mechanical vibrations is a negligible

effect for rigidly designed microwave cavities. However, the vibration of the coupling system may not be negligible, since the cavity frequency can be, to a lesser or greater degree,

influenced by the coupling.

For an inductively coupled cavity, the inductance of the loop which is coupled in series with the cavity inductance is given by[7]:

3L X,

0 0

where B = the coupling factor; = equivalent cavity inductance; X] = isolated reactance

of the loop; Qo = unloaded Q of the cavity; and Zq = characteristic impedance of the transmission line. Thus, the resonant frequency, given by = [(Lq + Lc)C]-^, will be con- trolled by 6, which in turn can cause a frequency error due to vibrations in the probe. The

power coupling factor^ V> is given approximately as 4B for 3«1 . Using Lg = 3.2 x 10-8 hy,

Zq = 50 ohms, Qo = 10^, and X] = 15 ohms, a frequency instability of 2 x 10-^3 is caused by

a 3 db increase in (assuming 20 db initial decoupling per probe), and a frequency instability of 2 X 10"^2 is caused by a 12.8 db probe increase in Y. These increases in y correspond to rather strong vibrations. Mechanical snubbing of the probes and proper choice of

3 will render the vibrational effects negligible. Fixed iris coupling will also circumvent

137
this problem.

c. Other Effects

Measurements on a 30 MHz SRC oscillator indicated that a frequency instability of

5 X 10-12 can result due to magnetic field variations on the order of the earth's field[5].

This can be eliminated by shielding the SRC in the r and <^ direction and cancelling the z component of the earth's field with a Helmholtz coil. Such an arrangement leads to less

than a milligauss environmental magnetic field. Also, this low field environment improves

the upper limit on Q by minimizing losses due to trapped flux[2].

The center frequency of a resonant circuit can be approximated by

0,^ (0. (1 + 1/2q2)] (7)

where: = (LC)"^''^

A change of a factor of 2 in the quality factor of a cavity having an initial Q of 10^ causes a frequency change of 1 part in 10^^. Thus, this effect is negligible for cavities

having Q's in excess of about 10^.

Thus, even though basic limiting factors exist for the frequency stability of SRC's,

they are generally so small as to limit the total instability to 1 part in 10'^ for either

a 50p°K temperature change or large mechanical vibrations. Considerably better stability

figures can be achieved if thermal inertia exists and proper design and operating procedures,

including compensation , are followed. No estimate of the ultimate stability is possible due

to lack of experience data.

4. Design of an X-Band Oscillator Using a Closed-Cycle Refrigerator

a. Cavity and Electronic Systems Design

The cavity chosen for the X-band oscillator is a cylindrical microwave structure operated in the TEqi"] mode. The degenerate TMiii mode is partially suppressed by coupling and

the degeneracy is further removed by the use of a mode trap.

Since all currents are circular, the cavity can be made in three parts for ease of

fabrication with little effect on the losses. The circuit is shown in Figure 1. The mode

trap for the TM wave consists of the extra length, i, in a region of maximum TMin fields,

but minimum TEgn field.

Two coupling methods were tried. First a small loop placed at a maximum H field

position in the cavity and the waveguide were tried. This method proved to be unsatisfactory because of apparent probe resonances as the loop was moved into and out of the cavity.

Finally, fixed iris coupling was successfully used. A 0.125" diameter iris, 0.030" thick,

was placed midway on the cavity's radius. This coupling provided adequate signal and loaded

Q which which was not coupling-limited when the circuit was operated at 6.7°. For lower

temperatures, the size of the iris would have to be reduced to prevent an overcoupled condition. I

The cavity was fabricated from brass and finely sand-blasted to obtain a homogeneous I surface. The lead surface was electroplated to a thickness of approximately 5 microns by

standard processes. i

The electronics used to phase lock a 2K25 klystron to the high Q cavity are shown in

] Figure 2. A standard Pound's stabilized microwave bridge was employed. The phase lock

amplifier was provided with variable gain so as to be able to vary the tightness of the

lock as the temperature was changed. The frequency monitor was a HP 2590B microwave fre- |

quency converter used in conjunction with a standard UHF counter. One second gate times ' were used for all frequency measurements. The phase error voltage returned to the klystron

138
repeller was monitored with a high frequency oscilliscope. All RF coup! gemc environment was through thin wall, stainless steel waveguides.

X-Band Cavity

FIGURE 1.

X-Band Oscillator System

FIGURE 2.

139
b. Closed Cycle Refrigeration

The heat load of the SRC was very small and as a result was ideally suited for use with

certain closed cycle refrigerators. The refrigerator used in these experiments was a threestage version of the CRYODYNE. The unit was capable of approximately 6.7°K with zero heat

load, using only standard expansion-compression techniques with gaseous helium as the coolant. (Lower temperatures would have been available with the addition of a Joule-Thompson

expansion valve.) This unit is particularly well suited for studying the effects of a rapidly changing Q on frequency stability for lead circuits, since lead's transition is

7.2°. Use of higher temperature materials would give much improved Q's at the same temperature.

A careful thermo-mechanical design was undertaken to minimize heat loads due to radiation. The following design resulted. Two radiation shields, individually connected to the

two upper temperature stations (T-] = 77°, T2 = 12°), were conductively connected to the

waveguide connecting the cavity to the outside environment. Microwave choke flanges were

used with a 0.030" separation at each of the connections to eliminate thermal conduction

between stages. The radiation shields were made of polished aluminum, and an additional two

layers of aluminized mylar were used inside each of the shields. Finally, a vacuum shield

can was used as the outer container, and the vacuum integrity was obtained with a plexiglass vacuum window.

The temperature of the cavity was monitored by calibrated carbon resistors and an additional lead resistor was provided to indicate when transition to the superconducting

state occured. The seco.id stage temperature was read from a hydrogen vapor pressure gauge

and the first stage was monitored by an Au/Co-Cu thermocouple. An initial vacuum of 100

microns was obtained before starting the refrigerator. The system was then cryopumped below

the scale of the vacuum gauge, i.e., less than 1 micron.

The cavity was conductively connected to the third stage with a 0.25" disc of lead between it and the temperature station. The relatively high specific heat of lead at low

temperatures, and its relatively good thermal conductivity, provide sufficient thermal inertia to damp out the temperature variations that may occur in the third stage. Indium gaskets were used in all conduction joints to provide quicker and more uniform cooling, and

the waveguides were painted flat black on the insides.

5. Performance

At room temperature, with a Q of approximately 20,000, the frequency stability is 1 part in 107. At 6.7° the stability improved to 1 part in 10^, in agreement with the predicted increase in Q to approximately 200,000.

The cooling time for 6.7° operation was approximately seven hours with continuous operation available after this. No large short term fluctuations were noticed indicating that

the lead disc was effective in providing thermal inertia of the quality required for these

experiments. Frequency modulation was observed due to temperature variations at the refrigerator expansion engine frequency. Q measurements did not depend on precise frequency control, however. The cooling was very slow and uniform as indicated by an hour lag time between the time that the upper part of the cavity became superconducting and the time the

bottom of the cavity reached equilibrium.

6. Cryogenic Refrigeration Concepts Utilizing Adsorption Pumping in Zeolites

Refrigeration without lubrication, vibration and noise has heretofore been accomplished

in at least three distinct forms; thermoelectric junctions that pump heat across a semiconductor PN junction [^], ammonia-water systems that remove heat in an adsorption-percolationcondensation-evaporation cycle [^°], and chemisorption systems that exchange hydrogen from

lanthanum, nickel or other metal hydrides to develop a pressure difference for circulation of

Ho gas in a 20K refrigerator [^^'^^]. While technically sound, these systems have a mix of

advantages and disadvantages that render them unsuitable as the basis for complete cryogenic

refrigeration cycles.

The author and his associates at The University of Texas at Austin have explored the

140
properties of zeolites as potential adsorption compressors which might lead to a complete

range of cryogenic refrigerators operating against ambient conditions L^^'^"^]. Zeolites

are in a class of aluminum silicate clay minerals that have crystal structures composed of

interconnected voids which enable them to adsorb a variety of gas molecules, depending upon

their diameter, dipole and quadrupole moments, and other physical properties. The adsorption of gas molecules on the interior surfaces of the voids is an ionic interaction with a characteistic potential energy called the heat of adsorption. The molecular adsorption pro- cess results in an exothermic attachment of the gas molecules to the surface of the voids,

resulting in gas storage at near-liquid densities. This is the basis for using zeolites in

a variety of gas separation processes, such as removal of highly polarized H2O molecules

from industrial gases. D ue to their high electrochemical activity, zeolites are also widely

used as catalysts. This section of the paper describes the use of zeolites as non-mechanical gas compressors, since adding the activation energy to a zeolite charged with gas molecules drives them out under pressure.

7. Adsorption of Gas in Zeolites

The zeolite crystalline structure takes a variety of forms, with the unit cell containing hundreds of atoms [^^]. Zeolite X, for example, has a typical unit cell content:

Na86[(A^02)86(Si02)io6] ' 264 H2O and a cubic unit cell volume of about 15,500A3. The unit

cell contains about 8 voids, or cages, about IsA in diameter, so the crystal volume is

about fifty percent void volume. Normally the voids are filled with H2O molecules, but

these can be removed by heat and high vacuum activation. The voids are interconnected with

each other by apertures of various diameters which makes the void inaccessible to molecules

which cannot enter because of their own "kinetic" diameters.

Figure 3 is a two-dimensional representation of a zeolite crystal consisting of a matrix of interconnected voids. The internal surface of the voids is typically made up of

the ions of oxygen, aluminum, silicon and sodium or some other metal. The zeolite can be

used as a selective adsorber of gas molecules with natural of induced dipole moments. As a crude picture, one can visualize a layer of polarized gas molecules attaching themselves to

the surface. This creates a smaller void volume in the process, but still one with an attractive surface that can adsorb another layer, and so on until the void is full. In the

process of filling the voids the weight increases, giving an experimental method to measure

the mass of gas adsorbed.

8. Zeolite Adsorbers as Gas Compressors

The standard instrument for measuring the adsorbed massof gas is the differential gravimetric analyzer that records the apparent weight of a known mass of zeolite plus its

adsorbent as a function of temperature and pressure. The true ratio of mass of gas per unit

mass of zeolite is found by subtracting the error due to bouyancy as the pressure changes.

Figure 4 is a plot of gas-zeolite mass ratio, x/m, as a function of pressure for various

constant temperatures for N2O in the zeolite NaY for pressure up to 7 Atm.

Gas molecules adsorbed in the zeolite cages are packed into a much smaller volume of

space than normal at any temperature, T, above their boiling points. The actual density is

close to that of the liquid, after they lose their heat of adsorption. All physical adsorption processes are exothermic, and for the Gibbs Free Energy to be a minimum, the heat of

adsorption, Hg, is negative since entropy change, AS, is negative, and

AG = AH, - TaS (8)

a

The integral heat of adsorption is the total heat evolved from a condition of zero adsorbate loading to some final value. Differential heat of adsorption is the slope of the

integral heat with a change in adsorbed gas. Heat of adsorption must be removed and then

re-supplied as an adsorption cycle takes up and d^'scharges gas at constant pressure.

The state of theoretical knowledge is not yet satisfactory for pressures above one atmosphere. The epic works of the past on the mathematical modeling of low pressure adsorption phenomena have been contributed by a number of workers including Freundlick [^^], Lee

141
Fig. 3 Two dimensional representation of a zeolite with sodium cations imbedded

in the surface of internal voids. Gas molecules are adsorbed on the

surface due to their polarization in the ion fields. Other molecules

are adsorbed due to dipole-dipole interactions, or other more complex

potentials.

and Basmadjian [^^], Riekert [^^], Dubinin and Polanyi [^^], Ruthven [^°], Lippens and

DeBoer [^^l, Langmuir [^^], and Brunauer, Emmett and Teller [^3] to cite only a few.

Work at The University of Texas at Austin is directed at extending the theory to non- dilute situations using solution theory. The methodology of ti^eating concentrated solution

theory. The methodology of treating concentrated solutions have been given by I. Prigogine

[2'+] and other [^5, 26]_ There are several reasons for this choice: (1) forming a solid

solution by two substances is analogous to forming an adsorbed phase in the zeolite, (2)

the theory of solutions is well understood and its mathematical techniques are powerful,

and (3) the state-of-the-art in modeling adsorption phenomena in zeolites is basically em- -pirical; solution theory could provide constants that are pleasing because they are physically related to the actual phenomena.

The adsorption isotherm, derived from lattice solution, theory, has the form.

1A2
I I I I I I I I I 1 I I I I I I 1 I I I I I I I I 1 I I I I I I I I I , I 1 I M I I I I I t I I I M I I I I I I I I I I I I I I

K

K

K : K

K

'.

K ~

I' 1 1 I I I I I I 0.0 1.50 3.30 5.10

PRESSURE (ATM)

6.90

Fig. 4 Weight ratio of gas to zeolite, x/m for adsorbed in zeolite 13X,

P = P. x/m

1/a + x/m

exp

(1 + ax/m")2 • 2kT (9)

The term u is the sum of all the potential energies which the gas molecules experience within the zeolite void or on the void surface. The potential may also be modified by any

effects of the zeolite surface itself, as for example shifts in the position of metal

(Na, K, Ca) cations across the distributed anion surface. All the components of u are basically electrostatic, traceable to the interaction of a polarizable molecule in the electric

fields of the zeolite ions and other gas molecules. The interactions are quantum-mechanical

in nature, and include dispersion, repulsion, polarization, dipole and qudrupole contributions. The constants P^^, a, and c are calculated from both physical and experimental data.

The state of theortical knowledge is not yet adequate to calculate accurate adsorption

isotherms from equations derived from first principles. It is adequate, however, for such

problems as selecting promising gas/zeolite' combinations for specific applications.

9. Performance of Experimental Compressor

Experimental adsorption and desorption data for pressures above 1 Atm are taken with an experimental compressor, and shown in Figure 5. An adsorption compressor unit consists of

two or more pressure vessels containing zeolite, plus means to selectively admit return gas

from the expansion and to discharge gas under pressure. To achieve this, means must exist

to lower the temperature, or extract the heat of adsorption, and also to supply the heat

of adsorption for raising the pressure. This is done by a finned helicoidal tube inside the

143
compressor body which contains an electric heating element and also provision for circulation of a cooling fluid. The apparatus is used to study the adsorption and desorption pro- cesses separately. The heater is also used to activate the zeolite. This is the initial

process of driving off adsorbed water. The compressor is held under a vacuum for several

hours while the heater maintains a zeolite temperature of 350°C or greater. Valves are the

only moving parts, and are located to open and close the low pressure intake line, the high

pressure discharge line, and the vacuum line. The mass of any refrigerant gas that can be

put in circulation is limited by the adsorption of that gas in the particular zeolite under

ambient temperature and pressure. Figure 6 is the x/m vs. T isobars for three gases of

interest - N2O, CO2 and N2.

The desired shape and location of an isobar is that it drop steeply but be at a high

value at ambient temperature. In this way, a large fraction of the adsorbed gas will be

desorbed as the temperature increases without excessive addition of heat. At 300°K adsorbed NoO adds 21% to the mass of the zeolite 13X, while No adds only 2%. This parameters sets

one limit on the size of the compressor since it is a multiplier, along with mass desorption

rate, on the capacity of a refrigerator operating at a given high side pressure, and reTo Vacuunn

Pump

3 Thernnocouples

Pressure

Transducer

High

Pressure Outlet

Gasl^et

Zeolite

Heating

and

Cooling

Coil

Low Pressure

Inlet

Compressor

Shell

Thermo I Insulation

Electric

Heating

Element

Circulation of

Cooling Fluid

Fig. 5 Schematic diagram of experimental zeolite adsorption conpressor.

1^4
TEMPERATURE °K

Fig. 6 Adsorption isobars for No, CO^, and N^O for one atmosphere pressure.

Pellets contain about 801 zeolite crystals by weight.

adsorbing at 1 Atm low side pressure.

Figure 7 shows a refrigeration cycle in terms of the mass of adsorbed gas remaining in

the zeolite as a function of pressure. The particular set of data is for in 13X with a delivery pressure of 21 Atm. T2 is the highest temperature reached by the zeolite during

the desorption phase. Point a^ is the starting point for the pressurization phase which ends

at point b^. Between a^ and b x/m drops from 0.150 to 0.133 grams N20/gram of zeolite, and

represents the gas in the free volume of the compressor outside of the zeolite voids. From

b^ to c^ gas is discharged under 21 Atm pressure, with a total transfer of gas measured by the

corresponding change (x/m)b - (x/m)^. From £ to d^ the discharge and inlet valves are both

145
closed and the zeolite is cooled. This causes the pressure to drop rapidly and the zeolite

re-adsorbs gas from the free volume, (x/m)ci - (x/m)c. When pressure reaches 1 Atm the inlet

valve is open and gas is adsorbed to complete the cycle.

10. Molecular Adsorption Refrigeration System

The complete single stage MARS is shown schematically in Figure 8. With the exception

of the compressors and their associated heating, cooling and solenoid valve control subsystems, the system uses existing heat exchange and Joule-Thomson expansion technology. An

experimental system now in operation delivers 3 watts at 185oK using N^O with about 3 KW

input. The limiting factor in the coefficient ofperformance is heat exchange within the

zeolite bed, since this sets the rate of change of pressure with heating. The present

cycle time is about 30 minutes, with each of three compressors desorbing at 21 Atm for 10

minutes, circulating about 0.20 gm/sec through the expansion valve.

Amt Ads

160

120

.080

040

0.0

T—I—

r

I I I

I

J I I 1 \ I I I L J l_J I I 1__L

T—I—I—I—I—I—

r

-I—I—

r

ADSORPTION CYCLE

Delivery Pressure -21 Atm

+ T2 = 567°K

o T2 = 600°K

X T2 = 63I°K

J L J I I I I I L J I I L

0 10 20

PRESSURE (Atm)

30

Fig. 7 Adsorption cycle of in 13X with delivery pressure of 21 Atm.

Tenperatures are peak value for zeolite at the end of the desorption

phase, point "c". Adsorption is at 1 Atm. pressure.

146
JOULE

EAT

DESORPTION COMPRESSOR

\C

EXCHANGE

HEAT

^

TO

AMBIENT -1

ADSORBER

SOLENOID

VALVES

A.

GAS AT HIGH

PRESSURE

JOULETHOMPSON

VALVE

LOW PRESSURE

RETURN GAS

HEAT

EXCHANGER

VACUUM

INSULATION

HEAT LOAD

Fig. 8 Schematic of a single-stage refrigerator utilizing adsorption pumping.

A third conpressor, not shown, is in pressurizing or cool-down.

n. Coefficient of Performance

The refrigeration cycle is divided into four distinct time periods, adsorption, (tg),

pressurization, (tp), desorption (t^), and cool-down, (tp). Each compressor can be in only

one of the four states, so there exists a set of time relations between the four periods.

Flow continuity requires the adsorption time be equal to the desorption time for two com- pressors working together. With three compressors in a set, the sum of cooling and pressurizing times must also equal the other two, and this yields an expression in terms of cycle

time, to;

= ^d

- (10)

147
During the adsorption period a compressor must take in a mass of gas equal to A- times the

zeolite mass. In terms of the refrigeration load,

W = AH m- = AH M (A^)/t = ^ (4

g z' m ' a ; (11)

where; AH = enthalpy change by expanding gas, m = mass flow rate of gas, and = mass of

zeolite. ^

The Coefficient of Performance is the ratio of Wt to the total energy added in the cycle,

or

°

CO. P.

M (a-) ah

z m

C M ATz + C MHAAT + CL Mn AT ++ (If. /X\.u ./X^.j^

px X X ps s s ) H (-) M (-) dt

(12)

where the C MaT terms refer to sensible heat in the zeolite, heat exchanger and compressor

shell. P

Over the range A^ the value of H, is nearly constant, so we can write

m a

C.O.P = ^

"a

(4) AH m

(a-) + sC . M. aT./M H

^ ^ m' pi 1 r z a

(13)

For N^O at 21 Atm pressure expanding to 1 Atm and 185oK, aH = 10 Btu/lb and H = 200 Btu/lb,

so the maximum value of COP is approximately 0.05 neglecting the specific heat terms. For

CO2 the value is potentially much greater as desorbed gas pressure is about 750 psi for con- densation at ambient temperature prior to expansion. At present the COP's are much lower

than theoretical maxima due to large heat storage in the zeolite, heat exchanger, and com- pressor shell

.

12. Advanced MARS Concepts

I

Figure 6 illustrates a fundamental aspect of adsorption pumping, namely the temperature

dependence of the adsorption isobar. To extend the MARS concept to lower temperatures,

means must exist to pressurize such gases as nitrogen, hydrogen and helium, and other cryogenic gases. Work has continued along three lines, each analogous to mechanical gas com- pressors: multiple stage - single gas systems, single stage - multiple gas systems, and

multiple stage - multiple gas systems. Significantly enhanced adsorption x/m is observed

as pressure is increased, with respect to the perfect gas density change. While it is

inevitable this approach will penalize the performance, as it does in two-state mechanical

compressors, the sensible heat from the first stage desorption would be available to desorb

gas from the pressure-sorbed second stage.

Multiple stage - multiple gas systems could utilize the first stage for two purposes;

precooling the second stage adsorber to enhance the x/m of the second stage gas, and precooling the gas in the high pressure leg of the second stage. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of such a system.

13. Conclusions

It has been established that zeolites can be used for adsorption pumping with the

distinct advantages of light weight, low cost, very large compression ratios per stage,

and absence of noise, vibration, lubrication and wear. In addition, the danger of high

pressure gases, such as NgO, in the presence of lubricating oils and greases Is eliminated.

148

I
1

CO2 DESORBER

HIGH PRESSURE

CO2 GAS

CO2 ADSORBER

LOW PRESSURE

CO2 GAS

CO2

CONDENSER

( Circ water,

and/or thermo

electric ) CO2 J-T

VALVES

CO2 COOLING COILS

ENHANCE Ng ADSORPTION

^I95K N2

>Precool

HIGH

PRESSURE

GAS

N2O : Ng DESORBER

3 watt

LOAD

77 K 3wQtt

EXPANSION

Fig. 9 Schematic diagram of a Two-Fluid, Two-Stage cryogenic refrigerator using

stage to cool zeolite in N2 adsorber and to precool high-pressure

149
Danger of explosion or rupture of hiqh pressure vessels is greatly reduced because adsorbed

gases cannot escape at excessive rates. The way appears to be open for a complete range

of temperatures down to 20 K utilizing various cryogenic gases in different compressor con- figurations. Preliminary computations suagest ultimate overall performance may approach

mechanically pumped cryogenic refrigerators using Joule-Thomson expansion, when all factors

are weighed.

14. Acknowledgements

The author is grateful for the expert consultation of the late Walter H. Hogan on various technical aspects of this project, to Richard R. Richard of the Johnson Space Center,

NASA, for technical monitoring and confidence in the concepts, to H. Steinfink for his deep

knowledge of the structure and properties of ze91ites, and to J. P. Masson and A. W. Woltman

for their steady production of solutions and ideas in the course of the work.

15. References

[I] C. R. Haden, W. H. Hartwig, and J. M. Victor, "Magnetic Losses in Superconductors at

High Frequencies ," IEEE Trans. Magnetics, Vol. May-2, September, 1966, p. 331-333.

[2] J. M, Victor and W. H. hartwig, "Radio-Frequency Losses in the Superconducting Penetration Depth," J. Appl. Phys., Vol. 39, May, 1968, p. 2539-2546.

[3] A. F. Hildebrandt, Private Communication.

[4] J. P. Turneasure and Ira Weissman, "Microwave Surface Resistance of Superconducting

Niobium," J. Appl. Phys., Vol. 39, August, 1969, p. 4417-4427.

[5] J. L. Stone and W. H. hartwig, "Performance of Superconducting Oscillators and Filters,"

J. Appl. Phys., Vol. 39, May, 1968, p. 2665-2671.

[6] D. Shoenberg, Superconductivity (Cambridge University Press, New York, 1965).

[7] B. L. Rhodes, C. E. Moeller, V. Hopkins, and T. I. Marx, "Thermal Expansion of Several

Technical Metals from -255° to 300°C," Advances in Cryogenic Engineering , Vol. 8,

p. 278-286, (Plenum Press, New York, 1963]"^

[8] C. G. Montogomery, Technique of Microwave Measurements, Radiation Laboratory Series,

Vol. 11, (McGraw Hill Book Co. , New York, 1948).

[9] Chang, S. S. L., Energy Conversion, (1963).

[10] Lee and Sears, Thermodynamics, Addison-Wesley, Reading, Mass. (1955).

[II] H. H. van Mai and A. Mijnheer, Fourth Cryog. Eng. Conf., Eindhoven, (1972).

[12] J. J. Reilly, and R. H. Wiswall, Jr., Inorg, Chem. 13: (1974).

[13] W. H. Hartwig, H. Steinfink, J. P. Masson and A. W. Woltman, Proc. 1976 Region V IEEE

Conf.

,

IEEE Cat. 76Ch1068-6 Reg 5, (1976).

[14] W. H. Hartwig, paper presented at 1977 Cryogenic Engineering Conf., to be published in

Adv. in Cryogenic Engineering, K. D. Timmerhaus, ed., Plenum Press, New York.

[15] D. W. Breck, Zeolite Molecular Sieves, John Wiley, New York, (1974).

[16] Harper, et al . , Canadian Journal of Chemistry, £7: 4661 (.969).

[17] Lee, A. K., and Basmadjian, D., Canadian Journal of Chem. Eng., 48: 682 (1970).

[18] Riekert, L., Advan. Catal . , 21: 281 (1970).

[19] Dubinin, M. M., J. Colloid Interface Sci., 23: 487 (1967).

150
[20] Ruthven, D. M., Nature, Phys, Sci., 232: 29, 70 (1971).

[21] Lippens, B. C, and DeBoer, J. H., J. Catal . 4: 319 (1965).

[22] See Reference 15, p. 628.

[23] See Reference 15, p. 629.

[24] Prigogine, I., Molecular Theory of Solutions, Amsterdam: North Holland, (1957).

[25] Hill, T. L., Intro, to Statistical Thermodynamics, Addison-Wesley, (1960).

[26] Guggenheim, E.A. , Mixtures, Oxford. (1952).

151

Cryogenic Cooling Requirements of Photoconducti ve Infrared Detectors

for Orbiting Astronomical Telescopes

John W. Vorreiter and Craig R. McCreight

NASA-Ames Research Center

Moffett Field, California 94035

Abstract

Astronomical telescopes designed for high sensi ti vi ty require cryogenic

cooling for the photon detectors. Recently developed photoconducting detectors

show high sensitivity to infrared radiation but, unfortunately, this sensitivity

also depends upon the detector temperature. This sensitivity to temperature is

discussed for several common infrared photoconducting materials, and temperature

levels and temperature stability requirements are suggested. The power dissipated in typical detector circuits is also discussed to define the heat loads

that the cryogenic cooling systems must absorb.

Key words: Cryogenic cooling, IR detectors, orbiting telescopes.

Introduction

The sensitivity of photoconductors used as infrared detectors is a function of many

variables. These variables include: the wavelength of radiation, detector field of view,

temperature of the radiation background, temperature of the detector, charged particle environment, electrical contact type, bias voltage, and others. The basic measure of detector

sensitivity is the radiant power on the detector which produces a signal to noise ratio of

one. This quantity, called the Noise Equivalent Power (NEP) is defined by Equation 1.

NEP = (W/Hzi/2) (1)

where:

H = Irradiance (W/cm^)

Aj = Detector Area (cm^)

= Noise Voltage normalized to unit bandwidth (V/Hz^/^)

V3 = Signal Voltage (V) .

A more common parameter is D* (pronounced dee-star), which is related to NEP by

Equation (2).

(A.)i/2

D* = to (cm Hzi/2/W) (2)

More precise definitions of these and other detector parameters were developed by R. C.

Jones [1].

Temperature Requirements

The detector sensitivity data reported below include substantial uncertainties, typically in the amount of 30% or more. These uncertainties arise, for example, through the difficulty in accurately determining the signal and background fluxes falling on the detector,

electronic measurement errors, and geometrical effects within the test chamber influencing

detector illumination angles. Despite those shortcomings, the best available D* vs

153
temperature data are presented and approximate best-fit curves through the data are included.

The authors recognize that the temperatures and temperature ranges here derived from uncertain data necessarily contain a significant inherent uncertainty. Nevertheless, they present

them to define preliminary cryogenic cooling requirements.

When deducing the intensity of an observed astronomical object, any change in detector

calibration caused by temperature effects must be considered. Knowing the D* (and noise

voltage) vs temperature characteristics allows one to quantify the calibration change, which

is referred to here as a source intensity error, and which is directly proportional to the

relative D* decrease. Source intensity errors of 10 and 50% are used to determine suitable

temperature control ranges for the various detectors.

Three photoconductor materials were selected for discussion from the literally dozens of

combinations of host and dopant materials developed. Gallium-doped germanium (Ge:Ga),

bismuth-doped silicon (Si:Bi), and beryl 1 i um- doped germanium (Ge:Be) will be discussed, in

that order, due to their peculiar cooling requirements.

10Hz Germanium doped with about 2.4 x ^0^^

AT FOR Ga atoms/cm^ is a useful detector material

for wavelengths from about 30 ym to 120 ym

[2]. The sensitivity of several detectors

made from a common crystal have been meaopTiMUM sured by P. R. Bratt [3]. The normalized

. TEMPERATURE D* VS temperature curve for this material

50% UNCERTAINTY—*A ^ shown in Figure 1. These data can be

translated into requirements for optimum

temperature and temperature control ranges

A \ for various values of source intensity uncertainty. Within the accuracy of the experimental data. Figure 1 shows the optimum temperature for Ge:Ga to be 3.0 K. Also, if a source intensity uncertainty of 10% was allowable, the corresponding allowable temperature range would be approximately

2.8-3.18 K. For 50% source intensity uncer- tainty the control range would be broadened.

E

*Q

Q

10% UNCERTAINTY

SBRC BACKGROUND, ^ max' DETECTOR NO. photons/cm^ -sec o 4-1b1-1 7 X 10^ 1.2 X 10^5

4-3b1-1 1 X 10^ 1.0 X 10^5 A 4-5b1-1

1

3 X 10^

1 1

1.4 X 10^5

1 2 2.5 3 3.5 TEMPERATURE. K

1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 and the minimum and maximum temperatures

would extend from 2.1-3.5 K.

Figure 1. Relative response vs temperature Bismuth-doped silicon (Si:Bi) [4] is a for gallium-doped germanium detectors. useful photon detector between the wavelengths of 4-20 ym. Its relative sensitivity

is shown in Figure 2, which indicates the optimum operating temperature to be 31 K and the

required control range to be 25-32 K for 10% source uncertainty. For 50% allowable uncer- tainty the minimum temperature in the control range is below 5 K and the maximum temperature

is 33.5 K. If necessary, silicon-based detectors can be operated significantly below their

optimum temperatures with some loss of performance. However, in this situation, a phenomenon

called spiking becomes much more frequent. This spiking has been measured by the Infrared

Devices Group at the Naval Ocean Systems Center [5,6] and it is not clearly understood at

this time. All other conditions being equal, the spiking frequency for arsenic-doped silicon

(Si:As) reaches a minimum at about 10 K and increases at lower temperatures [6]. Spiking is

typically filtered out of the signal stream by pulse circumvention circuitry with some loss

in signal/noise ratio. The discrimination of spikes vs real signals is based on the much

faster rise time for spikes.

The third detector material, beryl 1 i um- doped germanium (Ge:Be), has a sensitivity curve which is different in shape from those mentioned above. Its useful wavelength range is

approximately 30-50 ym [7]. Germanium doped with approximately 1 x 10^^ Be atoms/cm^ has

been evaluated [2], and the normalized D* vs temperature curve for these detectors is

shown in Figure 3. For the temperature range shown, and within the experimental error,

these detectors appear to have a higher D* for successively lower temperatures. This

atypical behavior may be due to several factors. The reported photon background under which

the tests were conducted may have been incorrectly high, so that the detectors may not have

154
10 Hz

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 TEMPERATURE, K TEMPERATURE, K

Figure 2. Relative response vs temperature Figure 3. Relative response vs temperature

for bismuth-doped silicon detectors. for beryllium-doped germanium detectors.

been background-limited, a condition for which astronomical detector systems are normally

designed. Also, impurities other than beryllium, which remain photon-active at these temperatures, may have been present in the germanium crystal structure. After additional detector

development, one could expect these impurities to be eliminated, and a response similar to

Ge:Ga to apply to Ge:Be.

In circumstances like this, detector operating temperature can be chosen for factors

other than just ultimate detector performance. Two of these factors could be the minimum

temperature capability of the cooling system or optimum operating temperature of some adjacent detector. For example, the Ge:Be detector may be operated with a Ge:Ga detector which

is optimized for 3.0 K. In the case where the Ge:Be is operated at 3.0 K the temperature

control range for 10% source intensity uncertainty is 2.7 and 3.2 K. For the 50% relative

uncertainty, the range would be between approximately zero and 4.05 K.

Heat Dissipation

Heat dissipation for all the previously

mentioned detectors is determined by the

associated preamplifier electronics that is

typically located within 1 or 2 mm of the

detectors. The circuitry commonly employed

is shown in Figure 4. Virtually all of the

heat dissipation for this circuitry takes

place in the MOSFET preamplifier, and the

amount depends strongly upon MOSFET design.

Specifically designed MOSFETs have been

developed and tested at power dissipations as low as 25 yW per detector [8]. Other MOSFETs

dissipate as much as 1 mW apiece. With

arrays of several hundred detectors which are being contemplated, this power dissipation

can approach substantial heat loads of almost

1 W. These power levels then, in conjunction

with the chosen detector temperatures, define

the requirements which the cryogenic system

must satisfy.

DETECTOR

Figure 4. Photoconducti ve detector

ci rcuitry.

155
Cooling Methods

Table 1 summarizes the operating temperature requirements for the Ge:Ga, Si:Bi, and

Ge:Be detectors considered. Si:Bi detectors should be cooled to about 31 K, and they can tolerate temperature excursions on the order of 7 K within the 10% effective source uncer- tainty limits. The doped-germani um detectors, however, require cooling to below the '*He normal boiling point and very good temperature stability.

Table i . Operating temperatures and temperature stability

requirements for Ge:Ga, Si:Bi, and Ge:Be detector materials.

Detector

Material

Optimum

Temperature

,

K

10%

Source Intensity

Uncertainty

50%

Source Intensity

Uncertainty

''^mi n

K

^max'

K

T . , mm

K

"^max' K

Ge:Ga 3.0 2.8 3.18 2.1 3.5

Si :Bi 31 25 32 =0 33.5

Ge:Be 3.0* 2.7 3.2 -0 4.05

*Arbitrary temperature chosen for compatibility with Ge:Ga.

An important factor in choice of the detector cooling system is mission lifetime.

Planned infrared astronomical experiments aboard non-refurbishable freeflying spacecraft

require one year or more of cooling, which is provided by maximized-li fetime open-cycle, or

by high- reliability closed-cycle systems. Shuttle sortie missions, on the other hand, can include non-optimized open-cycle cooling systems because of their short durations.

It appears that the ability to cool the doped-germani um detectors to 3 K with a fraction

of a kelvin tolerance for periods of up to a year with closed-cycle machines is many years

away, since minimum temperatures of about 10 K and unattended lifetimes of just a few thousand hours are the current performance capabilities of the best closed-cycle systems. This

will either limit exploration of the infrared sky to wavelengths below 30 ym where dopedsilicon detectors can be used, or spur technology development in superfluid helium opencycle cooling systems and supercritical helium Joule-Thomson systems of the open or closed

type. At least one major program, the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS), a joint

U.S .-Dutch-Bri tish venture which includes Ge:Be and Ge:Ga detectors, has chosen to proceed

with an open-cycle superfluid helium cooling system.

Extended lifetime or increased reliability of the cryogenic cooling system is quite

important, for many missions. Extreme efforts must be made to extend cooling system lifetimes to a minimum of several years if the cost per useful orbital observation is to remain

realistic.

Summary

The change in relative detector sensitivity (D*/D*gj^) vs temperature was presented for

Ge:Ga, Si:Bi, and Ge:Be photoconductors . Although the data were somewhat scattered, preliminary conclusions as to optimum detector temperature and temperature control ranges for

10 and 50% source intensity uncertainties were drawn. The doped-germani um detectors require

cooling to the 3 K region, with small allowable temperature excursions. The doped-si 1 icon

detector discussed, Si:Bi, has a much less severe cooling requirement in terms of both absolute temperature and temperature range. Dissipation levels can range from 25-1000 or more

pW per channel, and total power levels vary directly with the number of channels in the

detector array. In the near- term, the temperatures for the doped-germani um detectors can be

provided only by open-cycle helium cooling systems. Closed-cycle machines can satisfy

156
doped-si 1 icon cooling requirements for limited periods, and decreased temperatures and

extended lifetimes for both cooling approaches appear to be highly desirable.

Acknowledgment

The authors wish to express their sincere appreciation to Dr. W. L. Eisenman of the

Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego, California for his assistance in locating suitable

detector performance references.

References

[1] Jones, R. C, Phenomenological description of the response and detecting ability of

radiation detectors, Proc. Institute of Radio Engineers 47, 1495 (1959).

[2] Moore, W. J., and Shenker, H., A high-detectivity gallium-doped germanium detector for

the 40-120 \i region. Infrared Physics 5^, 99 (1965).

[3] Bratt, P. R., Development of doped germanium photoconductors for astronomical observations at wavelengths from 30 to 120 micrometers, Santa Barbara Research Center

(Oct. 1977). Final Report for Contract NAS2-9385, NASA CR-1 52,046.

[4] Sclar, N., Extrinsic silicon detectors for 3-5 and 8-14 pm. Infrared Physics J6^,

435 (1976).

[5] Anon, Characterization of IRAS doped silicon detectors. Naval Ocean Systems Center,

NASA CR-151-941, (Dec. 1976).

[6] Anon, Further characterization of IRAS doped silicon detectors. Naval Ocean Systems

Center, NASA CR-152,014 (June 1977).

[7] Shenker, H., Swiggard, E. M., and Moore, W. J., Photoconducti ve and electrical properties of uncompensated beryllium-doped germanium. Trans. Metallurgical Society of

AIME 239, 347 (1967).

[8] Nielsen, R. L., Private communication, Santa Barbara Research Center, Goleta, Calif.,

(Sept. 1977).

157

Cooling of Josephson MM-And SubMM-Wave Systems:

Requirements, Results And Applications

J. Edrich

Denver Research Institute

University of Denver

Denver, Colorado 80208

Performance and potentials of Josephson receivers for mm and submm wavelengths are discussed. It is shown that these systems can achieve up to ten

times lower noise and several times wider bandwidths than other known systems

and will most likely dominate the submm wave range because of low noise and

local oscillator power, wide bandwidth and tuning range. In order to find more field applications in certain broadband communications, radiometry and

medical thermography small and simple closed cycle refrigerators for Ts9K

with more than 100 mW cooling capacity, small vibration and plastic displacers

are needed; they could possibly be scaled-up versions of a recently reported

miniature Stirling refrigerator for 8K. The influence of High-Tc superconductors and hybrid cooling systems using 20K refrigerators for reduction of liquid

helium boiloff rates are discussed. As a practical example, the development

and preliminary results on the first closed cycle cooled mm/submm wave system

are given which uses permanent point contacts for a mixer in the 220 to 325 GHz

range.

Key words: Amplifiers; closed cycle refrigerators; detectors; Josephson effect;

low-noise and broadband communications; millimeter and submil 1 imeter receivers;

mixers; radiometry; thermography.

1 . Introduction

Josephson devices utilizing superconducting junctions [1,2] are highly nonlinear and

exhibit relatively small parasitic reactances. Laboratory results and one field test have

shown very promising performance of these devices as detectors [3], mixers [4,5,6] and

parametric amplifiers [7] for applications in low-noise receivers for millimeter and submillimeter waves.

However, before these devices can be moved from the laboratory into the field several

obstacles have to be removed which presently prevent long term and reliable field operation. One major problem is presented by the cooling mode of present day systems using

liquid helium. Closed cycle refrigerators are needed for most practical field uses of such

systems. However, existing refrigerators for temperatures below 9K are not suitable for

most applications because of their large weight and size, their complexity and high cost.

Recent results achieved with relatively small cryocoolers for SQUID systems [8] indicate

that small cryocoolers could also be developed for the somewhat larger mm wave systems.

This report will therefore start out by discussing potentials and applications of such

systems. Secondly, an attempt is made to outline the cooling requirements based on our re- cent successful cooling tests of Josephson junctions using a closed cycle refrigerator,

2. Potentials of Josephson Receivers

Figure 1 illustrates in solid curves the noise of existing receivers as a function of

frequency between 1 and 1000 GHz. There are only a few short, solid-line sections and

measurement points shown for Josephson mixers and paramps representing early laboratory results. Only one system, a 1 mm Josephson video detector, has so far been used in the field

(on a telescope) and shown a r.m.s. noise temperature fluctuation

159
where A, T, B and t are the detection constant, equivalent noise temperature, bandwidth and

time constant, respectively. This ATr.m.s. value was significantly lower than previously

achieved with helium cooled germanium bolometers. However, the Josephson detector used in

this system was not too well matched, filtered and shielded, and substantial improvements

can be expected in future systems. The same statement can be made for the first laboratory

results on Josephson paramps and mixers for 30 GHz [5,7] and 320 GHz [6]; these systems,

nevertheless, exhibited a fairly attractive noise performance as compared to other known

receivers. The dashed curves in Figure 1 indicate the projected performance for superconducting receivers expected within the next 5 to 10 years; these curves, and even the ones

of the already existing systems indicate the rather large noise improvements that can be

expected from these relatively new devices.

Figure 1. Comparison of receiver noise temperatures for the 1 to 1000 GHz

frequency range. Projected performance for superconducting re- ceivers is indicated by dashed curves.

Equation (1) for the broadband receiver noise fluctuation shows that the noise temperature T is not the only determining factor; another important parameter in reducing the

noise fluctuation ATr.m.s. is the bandwidth B. Values for bandwidth, noise, operational

temperature, cost and upper frequency limit of Josephson systems and other types of re- ceivers are summarized in Table 1. Line 2 of this Table shows that all of the Josephson

devices exhibit a relatively wide bandwidth which makes them particularly useful for certain broadband communications and radiometry systems. Another attractive feature of Josephson systems for high mm and low submm frequencies is their low local oscillator power re- quirement of typically less than 10 yW [5,6]. Most other devices require two to three orders of magnitude more power in the frequency range above 100 GHz. Unfortunately, power

available in this range is up to now extremely scarce and ocstly, and requires inefficient

and short-lived tubes with high voltages (reflex klystrons or carcinotrons) . It is there160
Table 1

COMPARISON OF IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OF LOW NOIST RECEIVERS FOR THE 1 TO lOOCGHz FREQUENCY RANGE

P/iRA- FET MASKR

CR^'O- PARAMF

CRYO- SB r.lXR

HOT

LLECTROIJ BOLOM,

CRYOVAkA- CTOR

CONV.

JOS. MIXERJOS. PA.'?AMP

BA\D- WIDTH f«

WIDE

10-200 NARROW

.1 - 3 MEDIUM

5-14 MEDIUM.5-3 VAKY

H.5RR0VV <.002

narrow"

< 1 MEDIUM

.1-4

wipe'''

i

NOISE

(K) MEDIUM

70-600 LOW

5-80 LOW

lO-IGO MEDIUM

ZOO- 500 MEDIUM

200-300 LOW

120- 200 LOW

10-150 LOW

20-100

OS TEMP.

(K)

77- 300 4 20 20 4 4 4-9 4-9

COST LOW HIGH KicDIUU (.-.EDiilM LOW MED -HIGH MLDIUM WEOIUI.i

FREO,

LIMIT (GHz) 35 100 :oo 300 7230 200 300 >»00

« CIRC. LIMIT

i,sMA3l;R IF LIMIT LO POV.'ER LIMIT

fore likely that Josephson systems will dominate the upper mm and the submm frequency

range in applications requiring low noise and wide bandwidth.

A major disadvantage of superconducting devices is their need for a relatively low

operating temperature of less than 9K and their cumbersome cooling with liquid helium.

3. Existing Cooling Techniques and Requirements

for Future Small Closed-Cycle Cryocoolers

Josephson junctions can take four basic forms: a) Sandwich-type superconducting thin

films b) proximity bridges c) microbridges d) point contacts. Up to now only microbridge

arrays and point contacts have successfully been used in the mm and submm wavelength range

[4-7] because of their small geometry and low parasitic capacitance. Microbridges with

good performance characteristics for frequencies above 20 GHz, like the Sn junction arrays

used in a 33 GHz SUPARAMP [7], have to be cooled below their relatively low transition

temperature (Tc - 3.7K for Sn). Most point contact junctions successfully used in the frequency range above 20 GHz were of niobium material which exhibits a more attractive, higher

transition temperature of 9.4K [3-7]. Alloys with even higher transition temperatures, Tc,

such as NbN and Nb3 Sn or others, would be very desirable for high frequency applications;

however, successful tests have not been reported yet. Use of high Jq materials would not

only ease the requirements on cryocooler temperature, power, size and cost, but it would

also significantly improve the performance of mm and submm devices. The reason for this

lies in the fact that the large energy gap A of these high-Tc materials gives rise to an increase of the product of the supercurrent Ic and the normal state resistance R^s- [10]

Ic RnS = f (2)

where e is the electron charge. For good high frequency performance the largest possible

product of Ic and R^^ is desired. High Tc materials may, however, not be suitable for sufficiently narrow microbridges or sharp point contacts with good stability and temperature

cyclability as required for practical applications in cryocoolers. In this case, microbridge arrays or permanent point contact junctions look most promising for near term appli161
cations in closed cycle systems. Microbridges would offer the advantage of a higher resistance [11], permanent point contacts, on the other hand, would most likely allow higher

operating temperatures and not suffer from the problem of low saturation power [12].

Besides the conventional cooling technique of using liquid helium "hybrid systems"

have been reported for low frequencies [13] and are under development for the mm wavelength range [14]. These systems reduce the boiloff rates of helium by a factor 3 to 5 by

using small, conventional 20K closed cycle refrigerators.

Up to now only two experiments have been reported where the Josephson devices were successfully conduction cooled by closed cycle refrigerators. One experiment involved

cooling a small niobium SQUID using a miniaturized, all -plastic, Stirling cryocooler with a cooling capacity of a few milliwatt below 9K [8]. The other experiment involved permanent

niobium point contact junctions for a 300 GHz mixer receiver using a 4K helium refrigerator* [15] .

The mm/submm system, which will be described below in more detail, utilizes a fairly

large compressor and a refrigerator with a Gifford-McMahon cycle and a Joule Thomson circuit. Its cooling capacity is in excess of 2 Watt at 4.3K. Such relatively large machines with low operating temperatures were required for cooling of masers, but are not

needed and desirable for future Josephson receivers.

Table 2

DESIRABLE CRYOCOOLER CHARAOTERISTICS

l-OR JOSEPHSON MM AND SUB f.'M SYSTEMS

REFRIGERATOR

VIBRATION

DISPLACERS S CYLINDERS

COMPRESSOR

MAINTENANCE FREE FOR

^Trefr

REFR. POWER FOR <9K

3 STAGES,'

<0.0I rr>rn PLASTIC PREFERRED

<50kg.<200W

3000 h

ink ±0.5K, longferm,

100- 300 mW

*N0 JOULE THOMSON, IFPOSSIBLE.

**PERMANENT POINT CONTACT

Table 2 outlines some of the important "desired" characteristics of small cryocoolers

for future Josephson systems. Since permanent niobium point contacts appear to be most

promising for near term applications at high mm and low submm frequencies this kind of device is used as basis for the Table. In the mixing mode it is followed by a Josephson or varactor paramp (Top = 9 or 15 K!). As listed in this table a 3-stage refrigerator without

a Joule Thomson circuit would be very attractive for most of these high frequency applications. Other desired characteristics include small vibration, i.e. low displacer speed,

plastic displacers and cylinders, a small and efficient compressor, and 3000 hours of uninterrupted operation. Temperature stability is not very critical, at least for point con- tacts and the cooling capacity could be in the 100 to 300 mW range for T^9K depending on the frequency, application etc. A system using microbridge junctions would require significantly better temperature stability, lower operating temperature and increased cooling

capacity approaching that of presently existing, relatively large, 4K closed cycle refrigerators.

*Cryodyne Mod. 400B of CTI, Inc.

162
4. A Josephson Millimeter/Submil limeter Wave

System With Cryocooler Under Development

The first mm/submm wave Josephson system using a closed cycle refrigerator is presently under development *[15]; it incorporates permanent niobium point contacts which

were successfully rf -tested at lower frequencies [12]. Recently, they have undergone a series of cooling tests attached to the fourth stage of the above mentioned 4K helium

refrigerator. These experiments showed good mechanical stability, temperature cycling and

dc characteristics [15]. The block diagram in Figure 2 presents more system details: The

rf signal in the 220 to 325 GHz frequency range is first focussed via a lens into a scalar

horn; subsequently, the local oscillator signal is added in a crosscoupler, and mixing down

to an intermediate frequency (IF) of 4 GHz takes place in the Josephson mixer. A 4 GHz maser with a noise temperature T^a = 3K and a bandwidth of 140 MHz amplifies the IF by 30

db. Further amplifications are provided by an uncooled paramp and a transistor amplifier.

SCALAR SERVO rONTROLLfD

PARAMP TRANS.

OUT ^ INPUT MONITOR

FOR MASER

LO

Figure 2. Permanent Josephson mixer receiver, tunable from 225 to 325 GHz and

using the NRAO 4 GHz maser with closed cycle refrigerator

Both the maser and the Josephson mixer are conduction-cooled to 4.2K by the fourth stage

(Joule-Thomson circuit) by the refrigerator. Separate rf and magnetic shielding and thermal radiation shielding are provided for the mixer. Based on laboratory results with a similar 300 GHz system, which, however, used an adjustable Josephson point contacts, a narrow-band X-band maser and liquid helium cooling, double- and single-sideband noise temperatures T[)SB = 510K and TsSB = 1320K are expected for this system [6,15]. It should be

noted that this figure is very conservative because no future improvement of essential

system components (Josephson mixer, IF match etc.) as compared to the earlier laboratory

system [6] was assumed.

5. Outlook

Low-noise and wideband receivers are needed for a variety of applications in the frequency range encompassing millimeter and submil 1 imeter wavelengths. Table 3 lists a number

of these areas and specific system tasks. Josephson devices are particularly attractive

for applications requiring wide bandwidths and low noise temperatures like radiometry,

continuum and spectral line measurements in radio astronomy [3,6,7,11,12], and millimeter

wave thermography [16] where these devices could improve sensitivity and scanning speed by

*This system is planned to be used on the NRAO 36 ft. telescope for spectral line observation tunable over the entire 220 to 325 GHz range.

163
Table 3

JOSEPHSON r^lLLIMETER AND SUBMILLIMHTER

VMVE SYST5IMS REQUIRiNG CRYOCOOLERS

BROADBAND

COMMUNICATIONS

RADIOWIETRY

RADIOASTROWO^^Y

THERMOGRAPHY

SAT - SAT.

SECURE COMM.

EARTl^ RESOURCES

RECONNAISSANCE,

TRACKING

SPECTRAL LINES

CONTINUUM

CANCER

ARTHRITIS

BRAI?v TUMOR

more than order of magnitude. Josephson receivers also represent up to now the only approach to low-noise reception for frequencies above about 300 GHz because of their low in

trinsic noise and local oscillator power requirements.

6. References

[1] Josephson, B.D., Possible new effects in superconductive tunneling, Phys. Letters 1_, 251-253 (July 1952).

[2] Solymar, L., Superconductivity Tunneling and Applications, Wiley, New York (1972).

[3] Ulrich, B.T., Josephson junction detector for astronomical applications. Rev. de

Phys. Appl. 9, 111-118 (Jan. 1974).

[4] Kanter, H., Josephson junction mixer using an external local oscillator. Rev. de

Phys. Appl. 9, 255-262 (Jan. 1974).

[5] Taur, Y., Claassen, J.H. and Richards, P.L., Josephson junctions as heterodyne detec

tors, IEEE Trans. MTT 22_, No. 12, 1005-1008 (Dec. 1974).

[6] Edrich, J., Sullivan, D.B., and McDonald, D.G., Results, potentials, and limitations

of Josephson-mixer receivers at millimeter and long submil 1 imeter wavelengths, IEEE

Trans. MTT 25, No. 6, 476-479 (June 1977).

[7] Chiao, R.Y., and Parrish, P.T., Operation of the SUPARAMP at 33 GHz, J. Appl. Phys.

47, No. 6, 2639-2644 (June 1976).

[8] Zimmerman, J.E., Operation of a SQUID in a low-power cryocooler, Proc. Conf. on Appl

of Closed Cycle Cryocoolers to Small Supercond. Dev., Boulder, in this report (Oct.

1977).

[9] Beasley, M., Progress report on high-Tc Superconducting, Proc. Conf. on Appl. of

Closed Cycle Cryocoolers to Small Supercond. Dev., Boulder, in this report, (Oct.

1977).

164
I

[10] Zimmerman, J.E., Proc. of 1972 Appl . Supercond. Conf., Boulder, IEEE Conf. Rec. 72 CHO

682-5-TABSC, p. 544.

[11] Feldman, M.J., The thermally saturated SUPARAMP, J. Appl. Phys. 48, No. 3, pp. 1301-

1310, March 1977.

[12] Edrich, J., A low-noise 47 GHz mixer using a permanent Josephson junction, IEEE Trans.

MTT-24, No. 11, pp. 706-709, Nov. 1976.

[13] Goree, W. , Use of cryocoolers to reduce liquid helium boiloff rates, Proc. Conf. on Appl. of Closed Cycle Cryocoolers to Small Supercond. Dev., Boulder, in this report,

(Oct. 1977).

[14] Edrich, J., Shuter, W.L., McCutcheon, W.H., and Gregory, P.C. , Spectral line search

and observation around 110 GHz using a compact cryogenic mixer receiver without LO

filter. Dig. URSI Meeting, Boulder, Pap. J-3b, Jan. 1978.

[15] Edrich, J., Development of a field-usable 300 GHz Josephson mixer system. Dig. URSI

Meet., Boulder, Pap. J-3c, Jan. 1978.

[16] Edrich, J. and Smyth, C.J., Arthritis inflammation monitored by subcutaneous millimeter wave thermography, J. of Rheumatology, in press (Febr. 1978).

This work was supported by NSF Grants 76-23094 and 76-24241 with instrumentation

support from the National Bureau of Standards and Associated Universities, Inc.

(National Radio Astronomy Observatory).

165

Progress Report on High-T^ Superconducting Devices*

M. R. Beasley

Departments of Applied Physics and Electrical Engineering

Stanford University

Stanford, California 94305

Recent progress in the utilization of high transition temperature superconductors

in superconducting electronic devices is reviewed.

Key words: Superconducting devices, high transition temperature superconductors.

Introduction

Throughout the recent history of superconductivity we have been told by a variety of

proselytizers that, if we only had higher temperature superconductors, all our problems in

the application of superconductivity would go away. Little [1], who has been known to

proselytize a bit himself, has suggested at this conference that, even with today's high-T

(i.e. high transition temperature) superconductors, if we only had integrated-circuit- ^ technology-fabricated micro-refrigerators we might have SQUID's on refrigerated silicon

chips contained inside an old-fashioned vacuum tube - a fascinating proposition, even if it

is a bit of a mixed metaphor. In this paper I would like to review what the actual facts are about the use of high-T materials in superconducting electronic devices. Specifically:

what the problems are, what has been accomplished, what seems likely, and what it may be

good for. The present status is not all we might like, but some progress has been achieved

recently. This is particularly significant considering that only three years ago there had

been essentially no successful use of high-T materials in superconducting electronic

devices. Happily this has now changed and there is a beginning.

1. WHY HIGH-T SUPERCONDUCTORS?

c

Let us begin by noting the potential advantages one might expect to gain from the use

of high-T^ superconducting materials in superconducting devices. There are three basic

advantages: (1) Successful use of high-T(~ materials would greatly simplify the use of

small, closed-cycle cryogenic refrigerators in cooling superconducting devices and circuits.

(2) Even if operated at low temperatures, devices fabricated from high-T^- materials should

in principle have better device characteristics because of the inherently superior superconducting properties of these materials. (3) Circuits fabricated from the presently

known high-T(- materials would be chemically and physically robust, and therefore presumably

more immune to damage, particularly due to thermal cycling.

The first advantage is probably the most obvious and exciting, but it must be borne

in mind that high operating temperatures will bring some disadvantages as well, for

example increased thermal noise. To illustrate the second advantage we recall that the

superconducting energy gap A increases as T^ goes up [a(T = 0) = 1.76 kgT according

to the BCS theory] and that the energy gap determines many of the superconducting

properties and figures of merit important in real devices. For example, Josephson junctions

and SQUID'S fabricated from high-T(- materials should in principle have higher I^-R-products

(in ideal Josephson junctions I R ^

a) which are important in high-frequency applications

of Josephson junctions and in SQDIDS's. Here I^. is the critical current of the junction

and R the junction resistance. They also will have higher gap frequencies w = 2A/ft

and therefore maintain their superconducting properties to higher frequencies. ^Finally

the ideal RF surface resistance of a superconductor also depends on its energy gap,

Rs °=U2/T)exp(-A/kT) , and at a given temperature, decreases exponentially as the gap

Increases. The third advantage is not unique to high-T superconductors, as several of the

low-Tj. superconductors are physically and chemically hard, but is a desirable characteristic nonetheless.

1G7
2. AVAILABLE HIGH-T^ MATERIALS AND SOME OF THEIR PROPERTIES

Ultimately of course the properties of any high-T^- superconducting devices or circuit:

win be limited by the available materials and the ease with which they can be successfully

fabricated into useful forms. In Table 1 we give a representative list of the superconducting materials generally considered of device interest. We arbitrarily place the

dividing line between low and high T at lOK.

Table 1

Potential Materials for Superconducting Devices

Material \

A(0)* C(0) Mechanical Thin Film Deposition

(K) (meV) (8) Properties Technique

In 3.4 0.51 < 3600 -Soft Therm. Evap.

Sn 3.7 0.56 < 2300 Soft Therm. Evap.

4.5 U . DO 4bU Hard e-beam

Pb/Pb alloys 7.2 1.35 < 800 Soft Therm. Evap. ° Nb 9.3 1.5 < 400 Hard sput; e-beam

Nb-Ti 7-10 (1.5) 30-50 Hard e-beam

Mo-Re 15 (2.3) 50 Hard +-> sput. o NbN

1 §> V,Si

16

16.9

(2.4)

2.5

40

^ 30

Hard

Hard

Substrc

)0

C

reactive sput.

reactive e-beam

e-beam ^ Nb.Sn 18.3 3.3 30 Hard

^ f o Ln

0)

.1 ) A e-beam; sput.

Nb^Ge 23.3

*Values given in

3.9

parentheses

30

are calculated

Hard S </, n: 1—

from BCS theory.

sput; e-beam

Other values have

been experimentally measured.

There are several very important facts that are immediately apparent from this table.

First, the high-T materials have larger energy gaps as expected. Second, in contrast to

the low-T materials, the high-T materials are chemically and metallurgically more

complicated, typically being intSrstial or intermetallic compounds as opposed to simple

elements or alloys. As a result they are more difficult to fabricate, particularly in a useful form such as a thin film, requiring not only some sort of precise composition

control but also a heated substrate. Fortunately, high quality films of these materials

have recently become available thanks to efforts on the part of the superconducting

materials community. Indeed, the recent successes in high-T devices probably would not

have been possible without these improved materials. It is Evident that continuing progres

will require considerable attention to materials problems. Finally, also listed in Table 1 is the so-called Ginzburg-Landau (GL) zero-temperature coherence length c(0) which is

related to the temperature-dependent GL coherence length c(T) by 5(T) = 5(0) (T /(T^-T) )V2.

As we shall see below 5(T) is an important characteristic length in the operation of

weak-link-type Josephson junctions.

3. WHAT KINDS OF DEVICES DO WE WANT?

Given high-T materials what do we want in the way of devices made from them?

Obviously we want Josephson junctions, SQUID'S, and high-Q RF cavities and resonators.

These devices provide the unique properties that make superconducting electronics

interesting and useful. They are not sufficient for a practical superconducting electronic

technology, however. In complete superconducting electronic systems we need many other

superconducting components such as transmission lines, impedance matching circuits.

168
magnetic and electric ground planes, dc flux transformers, magnetic shields, gradiometer

balancing elements, connectors, etc. We are still a long way from such a complete

complement of components, but there has been progress recently in the primary components - Josephson junctions, SQUIDS 's and RF cavities - and it is these results that we shall

focus on in the remainder of this paper.

Josephson Junctions and SQUID's : There are several types of superconducting structures

which yield Josephson junction behavior, but not all of them are equally well suited for

high-T materials. The three principal types of junctions which are of practical interest

are shown schematically in Fig. 1. Tunneling Josephson junctions (Fig. la) are probably

the most familiar. They require two superconducting layers separated by a thin (t = 10 A)

oxide barrier though which the superconducting electrons tunnel to give the Josephson

effect. In some cases artificial tunneling barriers (e.g. a semiconductor with

t ^ 50 - 100 a) can be used. Tunnel junctions incorporating the high-T^. A-15 compounds

(i.e. the A3B-type compounds in Table 1) and exhibiting the Josephson effect have been

successfully produced recently by Moore, Rowell and Beasley [2] and Moore, Zubeck, and

Beasley. [3] A crucial factor in the success of these authors has been the excellent

thin films of these materials produced using the dual electron beam codeposition method

developed by Hammond. [4] Two examples of these junctions are shown in Fig. 2. The

I-V characteristics are nearly ideal. While not high-T^ junctions because of the

Pb(T(, = 7.2K) counter electrodes, these junctions are still of potential practical

interest because of the large energy gaps of the materials. They appear suitable and

probably superior in applications where Pb/Nb tunnel junctions are used or may be

desirable. A firm conclusion in this regard must await thorough exploration of their

Josephson properties, however.

One intriguing aspect of these A-15 tunnel junctions is that artifical Si barriers

appear to work quite well. In fact, in the case of V2Si good tunneling was obtained

only when a Si barrier was used, the natural oxide yielding rather poor junctions. [3]

This is illustrated in Fig. 3. Because comparatively thick barriers of Si can be used,

the possibility exists that A-15 tunnel junctions with hard superconducting counter

electrodes (e.g. Nb or NbTi alloys) or even another high-T^, superconductor can be made.

Josephson behavior in devices operating at temperatures above lOK has apparently been

obtained by several groups using proximity effect (Fig. Ic) weak-link-type Josephson

junctions. High-T^ microbridge Josephson junctions (Fig. lb) are probably impossible to

construct because of the very small bridge dimensions required. In this type of junction

ideal Josephson behavior (i.e. a sinusoidal current phase relation) is obtained only for

bridge lengths I < e, (T). [5] Such short lengths are impossible to obtain with presently

available thin film lithography. Bridges with lengths as small as 0.2 to 0.5 ym can be

made, but even with such short lengths, microbridge Josephson junctions of the high-T

materials would have to be operated within a few mK of T . This is clearly impractical.

Microbridge Josephson junctions can be successfully made using the low-T superconductors

(e.g. In , Sn and even Pb), however, because of their relatively large coherence

lengths.

In proximity effect bridges [6] this size requirement can be circumvented by making

the bridge itself out of a nonsuperconducting material, for example another superconductor

with a lower transition temperature T' < T (SS'S bridge), or a normal metal (SNS bridge),

or a degenerate semiconductor (SSemiS Bridge). According to the available theory [7]

Josephson behavior exists for < T < T in the SS'S case and for 0 < T < T in the

SNS and SSemiS cases. However, even in these proximity bridges, in order to oDtain good

device characteristics it is desirable to make the devices small as well. Current

thinking suggests that SNS bridges with L £ 0.5 pm and SSemiS bridges with

L ±0.2 ym should have good device characteristics, the actual lengths being determined

in each case by the proximity decay length of the actual bridge material. These

dimensions are small but not prohibitively so as in the high-T microbridge case. In practice proximity bridges of the SS'S type must be operated at temperatures just

above T' . Note also that in these proximity-type weak links a short GL coherence in the

banks (i.e. the S-regions) may be an advantage since it helps localize the weakened region

totally within the bridge.

169
Wy///////////////. TUNNELING

BARRIER

(a) TUNNEL JUNCTION

(b) MICROBRIDGE

(c) PROXIMITY BRIDGE

FIG. l--Various types of Josephson junctions of potential

practical device interest.

170
JOSEPHSON JUNCTIONS

VOLTAGE (mV)

FIG. 2--Josephson tunnel junctions on Nb^Sn and V-Si . The

counter-electrode for these junctions is Pb .

171
Pb /

OXIDE

Si

NATURAL OXIDE

4 A Si AT 300 °C

10 -100 A sr

3 4

VOLTAGE (mV)

FIG. 3--A series of V^Si tunnel junctions showing the effectiveness of

the artificial Si barrier. Good tunneling is only obtained

with the Si barrier.

172
The first reported case of anything like Josephson behavior in a high T- superconducting bridge structure was the work of Janocko et al. [8] who observed weak ac Josephson steps in 3 ym Mo-Re microbridges at 12 K. However, it appears that these

steps reflect synchronized flux flow and not classical Josephson behavior. Fujita, Kosaka,

Ohtsuka and Onodera [9] have made weak link Josephson junctions in NbN films expitaxially

grown on MgO substrates by reactive sputtering. While it is not entirely clear, these

bridges appear to be of the SS'S proximity type where the Tc of the bridge region was lowered (due to thinning or radiation damage) during the sputter-etching process used to

form the bridge. These bridges have been successfully used in RF SQUIDS's operating up to

15 K and with a field sensitivity of 7 x 10"9 G. Palmer, Notarys and Mercereau [10]

have made SS'S proximity bridges out of polycrystal 1 ine NbN and dual electron beam

codeposited Nb^Sn in which the T^- of the bridge region was lowered by reducing its

thickness. (Although, because sputter-etching was used, radiation damage may also have

been involved.) Using these Nb3Sn bridges Palmer, et al., also fabricated dc SQUID's

that operated at 17 K. Their SQUID's had very small sensing areas, however, (typically

20 ym X 50 ym,) and the field periodicities were only 20 mOe. Falco [11] has also

successfully fabricated a Nb;jSn SQUID. He used sputtered Hh^Sn and reduced the T

of the bridge by means of radiation damage. He reports RF SQUID operation at T = 14.5 K. His device has a field periodicity of 5 x 10-6 Oe, but no noise performance figures have

been given. Finally we note that weak RF induced Josephson steps have been observed in

NbsGe bridges [12,13]. However, these bridges are as yet poorly characterized and the

observed steps are most likely due to synchronized vortex flow.

From the above it is clear that both high-T^ weak link Josephson junctions and SQUID's

capable of operating up to 15-17 K can be made. The quality of these devices is unclear,

however, as no careful investigation of device performance or physics has been reported.

In short, the empirical evidence is encouraging but it is still premature to conclude

that high-T^ superconducting devices with good operating characteristics are now a reality.

RF Cavities : As with the Josephson junction devices, progress has been made recently

in fabricating high-T^- RF cavities. In particular the Siemans group in Germany has

successfully made Nb^Sn cavities by first forming a Nb cavity and then reacting it in a saturated Sn vapor at 1000 C. This procedure results in a Nb^Sn coating on an otherwise Nb cavity. These workers have reviewed their results recently [14] and we summarize

their main conclusions here. These are given in Table II where we compare the calculated

and experimentally measured behavior. The calculated behavior is that expected from the

BCS theory and is obtained by fitting the measured data to a surface resistance of the

form Rs = Rbqc + Rres' where Rrqs is the BCS surface resistance and R^gs ""s a non- intrinsic residual resistance. The data are for X-band cavities and at the temperatures

indicated. Also, to put these results in physical perspective we show in parentheses the

actually measured Q's of the cavities. The critical fields shown will be discussed

below.

Table 2 Properties of High-T^ Nb^Sn RF Cavities

Calculated

RJ1.5K) R (4.2K) H,(0) H (0)

^(n) H^) (mT) ^(mT)

Nb 2.5 X 10"^ 2.0 X 10"^ 170 190

NboSn 1.5 X 10"^^ 2.5 x 10"^

'3^ 50 540

Experiment

(RF) (RF)

RJ1.5K) R.(4.2K) H^r(1.5K) H p(4.2K)

^(n) ^(n) ^'^(mT) '^'^(mT)

Nb 2.6 X 10"^ 2.1 X 10"^ 159

(Q = 3 X lo'O) (Q=3.9 X lo')

NboSn 3.5 x lo"^ 5.6 x 10"^ 100 > 84

^ (Q = 2!2 X 109 ) (Q=l!4 X 109)

173
The figures quoted in Table 2 have a number of interesting features. First of all,

as expected, at a given temperature the calculated R is much lower for Nb^Sn than Nb,

reflecting the larger energy gap in Nb^Sn . Note, however, that the R (1.5 K) actually

acheived in Nb^Sn is far higher than the intrinsic calculated value, inaicating that

residual losses dominate at this temperature. Because of this residual loss the ultimate

Q's of the Nb^Sn cavities do not yet exceed those of Nb . However, at 4.2K Nb3Sn

is only a factor of 20 poorer than Nb at 1.5K and nearly two orders of magnitude better

than Nb at 4.2K. This advantage increases as the temperature increases. Thus, already

with these very early cavities we see that unless the ultimate Q's are required there is

advantage in using Nb^Sn since higher temperature operation is possible.

In the case of high-power cavities an additional superconducting property is of

interest, namely the maximum surface RF field the cavity can successfully sustain. For

type-II superconducting materials such as Nb and NboSn it was generally believed that

this RF critical field ^i^^' would be , the field at which in equilibrium vortices

enter the superconductor and produce loss. Indeed this was an important factor in the

choice of Nb for the early high-power cavity work since Nb has the largest H -, of

any known superconductor. As seen in the table it is at least a factor of three Better

than NboSn. However, as also seen in the table, for Nb^Sn the observed

HlS"^) - 100 mT > H 1 . A similar delay in the flux entry into Nb^Sn to applied fields

in excess of H -, evident in recent experiments on superconducting power transmission

lines. [15] It \s now believed that a surface barrier to flux entry (i.e. a kind of

magnetic superheating) is operative in these materials which makes them practical in both

high-power cavities and AC power lines. In theory this surface barrier can be on the order

of H , the bulk thermodynamic critical field of the superconductor. [16] As seen in

the tSble H % 540 mT for Nb^Sn . Using the same Nb^Sn tunnel junctions described

above, Moore and Beasley [17] have found that experimentally flux entry into Nb^Sn can

be delayed to fields at least as high as 170 mT. Superheating effects have also been

observed in low-T superconductors. [18] The practical implications of these results

could be dramatic in the ultimate performance possible in high-power superconducting RF

cavities

.

In summary, the last few years have seen a spurt of success in the application of the

high-T superconductors in superconducting devices. While the full implications are not yet

clear, the results are certainly encouraging. Since the results are so new, we expect

further rapid progress. Indeed we are even optomistic that these early results will

ultimately lead to high-quality, practical superconducting systems with superior

performance and/or capable of high temperature operation.

*Work supported by the Joint Services Electronics Program at Stanford University and by the

Office of Naval Research.

REFERENCES

1. W. A. Little, Cryocooler Conference, Boulder, Colorado, (1977).

2. D. F. Moore, J. M. Rowell , and M. R. Beasley, Solid State Commun. 20, 305 (1976).

3. D. F. Moore, R. B. Zubeck, and M. R. Beasley, Bull. Am. Phys. Soc. 22, 289 (1977).

4. R. H. Hammond, IEEE Trans. Mag-Jl, 201 (1975).

5. See for example, K. K. Likharev and L, A. Yakobson, Sov. Phys. -Tech. Phys. 20_, 950

(1976) and references therein.

6. H. A. Notarys and J. E. Mercereau, J. Appl . Phys. 44, 1821 (1973).

7. See for example K. K. Lakharev, Sov. Tech. Phys. Letters 2^, 12 (1976).

174
8. M. A. Janocko, J. R. Gavaler, and C. K. Jones, Proceedings of the 1972 Applied

Superconductivity Conference, Annapolis, Maryland, IEEE Pub. No. 72CM0682-5-TABSC.

9. T. Fujita, S. Kosaka, T. Ohtsuka, and V. Onodera, IEEE Trans. Mag-lJ_, 739 (1975).

10. D. W. Palmer, H. A. Notarys, and J. E, Mercereau, Appl . Phys. Letters 25, 527 (1974).

11. C. T. Wu and C. M. Falco, Appl. Phys. Letters 30, 609 (1977).

12. M. A. Janocko, J. R. Gavaler, and C. K. Jones, IEEE Trans. Mag-lJ_, 880 (1975).

13. R. B. Laibowitz, C. C. Tsuei , J. C. Cuomo, J. F. Ziegler, and M. Hatzakis, IEEE Trans.

Mag-11, 883 (1975).

14. B. Hillenbrand, H. Martens, H. Pfister, K. Schnitzke, and Y. Uzel , IEEE Trans. Mag-lS^,

491 (1977).

15. J. F. Bussiere, IEEE Trans. Mag-Jl, 131 (1977).

16. L. Kramer, Z Phys. 259, 333 (1973).

17. D. F. Moore and M. R. Beasley, Appl. Phys. Letters 30, 494 (1977).

18. T. Yogi, G. J. Dick, and J. E. Mercereau, Phys. Rev. Letters 39^, 826 (1977).

175

Application of SQUID Detectors in Biomagnetism

Samuel J. Williamson and Lloyd Kaufman

Departments of Physics and Psychology

New York University, New York, New Yprk 10003

Magnetic fields produced by biological activity in the human body have been

studied in a number of laboratories during the past decade using both conventional and superconducting detectors. This paper summarizes the essential features

of the techniques and some of the more important results. Sufficient detail is

included so that the advantages of refrigerating superconducting detectors by

cryocoolers instead of a liquid helium bath can be assessed.

Key Words: biomagnetism; cardiomagnetism; evoked fields; flux transporter;

gradiometer; magnetocardiogram; magnetoencephalogram; magnetomyogram ; magnetooculogram; medical applications; neuromagnetism; pneumomagnetism; studies in

perceptual psychology, superconducting quantum interference device.

1. Introduction

The past seven years have brought a steady growth of interest in the application of

sensitive magnetic field detectors (called superconducting quantum interference devices

or squid's) to an area of research known as "biomagnetism." This is the study of magnetic

fields which are associated with biological activity. More than half a dozen organs in the

human body are now known to produce magnetic fields, and the list continues to grow. One

impediment to the widespread use of SQUID' s is the need to deal with liquid helium which at

present is used to cool them to a sufficiently low temperature that they become superconducting. Once the system is cooled by immersion in a bath of liquid helium the experimenter

need have no cryogenic experience in order to carry out most of the experiments in biomagnetism now being conducted. An occasional improvement in the vacuum of the dewar containing the bath through use of a pumping station may be all that is required. But cryogenic

experience is essential for safe and economical operation in the initial cooling of the

dewar, transfer of liquid helium and response to any subsequent malfunction. And this

demands the presence of either a low temperature physicist or technician trained in a cryogenics laboratory.

There is every indication that self-contained mechanical or circulating fluid cryogenic cooling devices would stimulate further interest in biomagnetic research. The reasons for this and the advantages of such cryocoolers will become apparent in ftiis brief

review. Our purpose is to summarize the techniques involved in biomagnetic research to

make apparent the special problems for cryocooler applications. In addition we shall

describe a few of the more significant areas of study to show how they are developing, with

a view toward revealing future lines of growth. More complete discussions of the various

areas of biomagnetism can be found in the review article by Williamson, Kaufman and

Brenner [l].

2. Noise Considerations

The phenomena of biomagnetism derive from the movement of electrical charge which

accompanies activity in muscle, nerve or other tissue. A magnetic field in the surrounding

region is established by this electrical current, as follows from the law 'of Biot and

Savart. Biomagnetic fields produced by the various organs of the body range in strength

over four orders of magnitude, with 10 picotesla representing the approximate midpoint on

a logarithmic scale, as depicted in Figure 1.

The principal difficulty in obtaining clean biomagnetic records is the extreme weakness of these fields in comparison with the fluctuations of background magnetic fields in

the experimental area. The earth's steady field of about 50 liT is generally not a problem,

because only time-dependent effects are often sought. Rather, concern centers on the ac fields from local sources in a laboratory such as elevators, ventilation fans and mechanical pumps which contribute background fluctuations of 0.1-1 |iT. The geomagnetic fluctuations of the earth's field may also be a problem, because they amount to about 1 pT Hz *

at 10 Hz and have a frequency dependence which is approximately f in the domain of

177
CO

LiJ

o

QZ

o

IUJ

10

-4

10

ifiT) \6

-5

-7

10

10

8

(nT) 10

-9

10

-10

10

-I I

^ (pT) id'^

10

-13

10

(fT) 10

-14

15

EARTH (STEADY)

}

RBAN NOISE

LUNG PARTICLES

HUMAN HEART (QRS)

HUMAN SKELETAL MUSCLE

FETAL HEART (QRS)

HUMAN EYE (STEADY)

HUMAN BRAIN (ALPHA)

HUMAN BRAIN (RESPONSE)

SQUID NOISE

Figure 1. Typical biomagnetic field strengths compared with background (urban) noise and

the intrinsic noise level within a 1 Hz bandwidth for present SQUID magnetic

field detectors.

178
interest [2], The steel structure of a building distorts the pattern of fields from laboratory and geomagnetic sources, so that it is not uncommon to find low frequency variations

in field having an amplitude at 1 Hz as large as ~ 1 viT and variations in field gradient of ~ 10 (iT/m. In practice the greatest problem with background fields is found at low frequencies, say below 10 Hz, as the spectrum of this unwanted activity displays an amplitude that

increases rapidly with decreasing frequency. Power lines also contribute to the background

noise, but this can usually be eliminated by standard cancellation or filtering techniques.

The intrinsic noise level of the SQUID sensor is negligible except in the most demanding

applications

.

2,1. Shielded Enclosures

The traditional method for reducing dc and ac background fields is to enclose the

SQUID and subject in a chamber of high permeability material. Considerable care must be

devoted to minimize mechanical vibrations in the shielding, or the moving walls will introduce unwanted field variations. The best performance to date has been achieved by D. Cohen

at the Francis Bitter National Magnet Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology [3]. When supplemented with ambient field-sensing magnetometers and feedback circuits which set up fields to oppose those of the earth, the dc field in the interior can be

made as low as 5 ^T, with typical gradients of 1 nT/m. The ac variations inside are less

than the 8 fT Hz"2 noise of the SQUID field sensor in the bandwidth 1 Hz - 5 kHz,

A simpler yet effective ac shield has been built by J.E. Zimmerman at the National

Bureau of Standards in Boulder, Colorado [4], His is an electrically conducting enclosure

built from ~ 4 cm thick aluminum plate. The interior is shielded by eddy currents induced

in the walls by changing e:^ternal fields. The noise level for frequencies as low as 0.5 Hz

is less than the 30 fT Hz 2 limit set by the noise of the SQUID system used in the measure- ments .

2.2. Spatial Discrimination

Shielded rooms provide an important advantage when dealing with we'ak, low-frequency

effects where background fields in a laboratory also tend to fluctuate strongly. However

the relatively small space provided inside may be too confining for many types of experiments, and the cost of an elaborately shielded enclosure is high. One technique which is

gaining in popularity eliminates the need for magnetic shielding for studies of a broad

class of biomagnetic phenomena. This is called "spatial discrimination", whereby the

detection system is designed to be insensitive to uniform fields and perhaps field gradients but retains sensitivity to higher spatial derivatives of the field. This proves

•advantageous, because background fields are produced by sources that are relatively distant from the detector and therefore are more uniform in space than the biomagnetic field

produced by a source close by. Spatial discrimination favors the biomagnetic signal over

the unwanted background. This advantage has been appreciated for more than a decade and

was exploited when copper induction coils were first used in measurements of the heart's

magnetic field [5].

The SQUID itself can be designed with appropriate geometry to provide discrimination

[6]o But greater versatility is available if instead a superconducting flux transporter is

chosen to couple the magnetic signal into a SQUID, Then the flux transporter can be designed with the appropriate geometrical configuration [7]. The flux transporter is a closed loop of superconducting wire with a primary coil (or "detection coil") connected in

series with a secondary coil (or "input coil") which is inductively coupled to the SQUID as illustrated in Figure 2. Owing to magnetic flux conservation in the loop, when a field is

applied in the region of the detection coil a current I(- flows around the transporter with

appropriate direction and magnitude so as to counter this change and maintain the total

magnetic flux within the loop invarient. As Ij. flows through the input coil it imposes a magnetic field on the SQUID as a result of the mutual inductance M^; and the response of

the SQUID is sensed by the electronic systems which monitor its state. Thus the electronic

output signal is proportional to the input coil current I^, which in turn is proportional

to the original net flux applied to the detection coil.

Figure 3 shows several possible configurations for the detection coil. They include

the magnetometer (A) which provides no spatial discrimination, the gradiometers (B and C)

179
FLUX TRANSPORTER FLUX- LOCKED SQUID

'1 V ''V

M.

detection coil input coil SQUID rf electronics

Figure 2. Elements of a flux transporter which couples field energy from a detection

coil to a SQUID.

B

Z

A

a3

Figure 3. Possible configurations for a detection coil include: (A) magnetometer; (B) gradiometer; (C) off-diagonal gradiometer ; (D) second derivative gradiometer. The plane

of each loop is perpendicular to the Z-axis.

180
which are insensitive to uniform field, and the second derivative gradiometer (D) which is

insensitive to uniform field and uniform field gradient [8], The names of these derive

from the lowest order spatial variation in field that produces a non-zero net flux. Their

sensitivity to a biomagnetic field is not reduced if the baseline, or distance between

coils, is sufficiently long that the field is appreciable only in the region of the lowest

coil, called the "pickup coil". In this case the detection coil functions as a differential

magnetometer for the biomagnetic field, with the signal from the pickup coil reduced only by

the amount of flux coupled to the other coils wound in opposition.

An example of an early gradiometer arrangement is shown in Figure 4. Here the SQUID

is mounted for convenience in the center of the detection coil. Now more commonly the SQUID

will be mounted some distance above the gradiometer so that the perturbations of its shield

have negligible effect on the gradiometer balance. An alternative approach is to fabricate

both SQUID and flux transporter using thin film technology [9].

a. Sensitivity

Although a gradiometer or second derivative gradiometer provides a major advantage in

reducing background noise, it also exacts a penalty in overall reduced sensitivity if the

intrinsic noise of the SQUID detector remains the dominant noise source. The reason is

that the magnetic field energy coupled into the pickup coil is shared by all of the other

coils in the flux transporter; and the more compensating coils that are included, the less

energy is available for the input coil and SQUID. This can be seen by considering the

response of the flux transporter when an externally applied field couples a flux 0p into

the pickup coil. Flux quantization requires that 1^ (L^j+Li) = 0p, where the^j^symbols are de1 fined in Figure 2. The flux coupled into the SQUID is 0sq = Mj^I^ = k(LgQLi) sij-, where k is

1 the mutual inductance coupling constant between input coil and SQUID. From these we can express what fraction of the pickup coil flux is transferred to the SQUID:

^^^SQ^i^'

^SQ = %

•

To assess how the transfer is affected by the geometry of the detection coil, we introduce a parameter i'^ that indicates the factor by which the coil's inductance exceeds

that of the pickup coil: L^=t\L . For a gradiometer l\=2, and for a second derivative

gradiometer *\=6, neglecting thi mutual inductance between different sets of turns. Also

in this assessment we are primarily interested in the system's sensitivity to fi|ld B (not flux) averaged over the area A of the pickup coil, and so we write: 0 =KL sA SB,

where ^

is^a constant relating the Rumber of turns of wire N of a coil to Sts ?ndBctance:

N =KL aA ~4. As logarithmic terms have been neglected in thSs expression, it is accurate

tB on?y ^10-207o, but this is adequate for practical purposes. Then eq. 1 can be re- written as:

kK(L L L )% 4 B 0„. = '^^.^ P

. (2) SQ r\L +L.

V p L

For a given value of L., this expression indicates that 0g will be maximum if the gradiometer is designed with i^Lp=L^. With this condition satisfied we have:

1 Therefore the flux coupled into the SQUID is proportional to r\ ^, which in this sense can

be viewed as a figure of merit for the detection coil. A gradiometer as depicted in

Figure 2B therefore has only 0.7 of the sensitivity of the magnetometer of equal pickup

181
HELIUM FILLING PORT

BLACK RUBBER SEAL

BALANCE ADJUSTMENT

VACUUM SEAL

THERMAL ANCHORING

RADIATION BAFFLE

GRADIOMETER SUPPORT

COAXIAL RF-LINE

RADIATION SHIELDS

GLASS WALLS

SUPERINSULATION

SQUID SUPPORT

SQUID

GRADIOMETER COILS

5 cm

Figure 4. SQUID with a gradiometer detection coil mounted in a dewar containing liquid helium

The balance adjustment rod is used to position a superconducting object at the precise distance from one coil to render the gradiometer insensitive to uniform field.

From Reference 28.

|

182
coil area; and a second derivative gradiometer, only 0.4. Eq. 3 shows that if spatial reso- lution is not an important consideration, greater sensitivity is always achieved by increasing the coil area Ap, provided of course that can also be correspondingly increased to maintain optimization condition L^=l^Lp. The ultimate sensitivity of a flux transporter is

modified somewhat by its slight loading of the SQUID [lO],

At one "time it was believed that a gradiometer type detection coil would always suffer

from reduced sensitivity compared with a magnetometer having identical area for the pickup

coil, when intrinsic SQUID noise is the limiting factor. This belief is no longer warranted.

One technique that virtually eliminates this loss of sensitivity from flux division was suggested by J.E. Zimmerman [4]. The idea is to place the SQUID so that it directly senses

the field of interest, and obtain the advantage of spatial discrimination of a second derivative gradiometer with two coils of low inductance mounted some distance above it and

coupled to the SQUID as part of a flux transporter. The two coils and SQUID are designed

to be balanced so that the combination is insensitive to uniform field and uniform field

gradient

,

A variation of this technique for minimizing loss in sensitivity is to arrange the detection coil of a conventional flux transporter so that it has an asymmetrical shape [4].

One possibility illustrated in Figure 5 has compensating coils which are larger than the

pickup coil but with fewer turns of wire in order to maintain balance. Because the inductance of a closely wound coil is proportional to the square of the number of turns of wire,

the pickup coil then comprises a much larger proportion of the total inductance L(j, and

consequently ^ appearing in eq. 3 is made closer to unity. For example if a second derivative gradiomeiier has a 1 cm diameter pickup coil and 2.5 cm compensating coi].s, the pickup

coil has n=6 times more turns than the coil at the other end, and we find l^"2=0.86. This

represents a factor of 2 improvement over the symmetrical configuration in Figure 2D having

the same pickup coil area and is only 14% lower than the figure of merit for a magnetometer.

Numerical calculations have been carried out by J. P. Wikswo, Jr., at Stanford, for the

special case of ellipsoidal coils which are tilted with respect to the detection coil axis.

Unshielded second derivative gradiometers have succeeded in detecting the weakest of

all biomagnetic fields--that produced by evoked neural activity in the brain [ll]. Figure

6 shows such a system in operation at New York University. In this case the pickup coil is

positioned in the bottom of the tail section of the dewar, placed immediately over the back

of the subject's head to minotor the magnetic field produced by the visual cortex as it

responds to a visual stimulus provided on an oscilloscope screen.

b. Noise Spectrum

Figure 7 illustrates the noise spectrum which can be obtained with an unshielded

SQUID system in an urban environment. The upper spectrum represents a previous system

operating at N.Y.U. [12] which exhibited a pronounced increase in background noise below

10 Hz. An improved SQUID with lower intrinsic noise is characterized by the lower curve.

Both systems have about the same balance with respect to field (about 2 ppm), but the new

system has an order of magnitude improvement in gradient balance, amounting to a few parts

in a thousand. The rise in low frequency noise now appears below 6 Hz and increases less

steeply with decrease in frequency. When operated outdoors away from buildings the noise

does not appear until below 1 Hz. The structure at high frequencies comes from fields

fluctuating at odd harmonics of the power line frequency. Buckout techniques could easily

eliminate this, as has been done for 60 Hz and 180 Hz components. For many types of biomagnetic investigations listed in Figure 1 the noise level displayed in Figure 7 is more

than sufficient.

A cryocooler used in place of the liquid helium bath may very well elevate the noise

level. If the noise is periodic, this may not prove disadvantageous if a small computer is

available to carry out adaptive filtering [13].

3. Cryogenic Aspects

When using a type of gradiometer detection coil, electrically conducting materials

should be kept away to minimize perturbations from eddy currents caused by variations in

background field. This also will minimize field fluctuations produced by Johnson noise

183
I

184
185
FREQUENCY (Hz)

Figure 7. Noise spectra of two SQUID systems with second derivative gradiometers . The rms noise is expressed as the equivalent field noise at the pick-up coil. Below 6 Hz

the noise may be a factor of 2 lower at night than the values shown.

186
currents which flow in all conductors. For this reason, dewars for cooling the SQUID and

flux transporter are conventionally fabricated from glass, fiberglass or plastic. The SQUID

is therefore exposed to the deleterious effects of rf pickup fed to it by the flux transporter, unless the dewar is protected by an rf shielded room. Alternatively, rf shielding

may be introduced between the input coil and SQUID, but this tends to contribute Johnson

noise and reduce the mutual inductance M^. A simpler solution is to place a shield around

the dewar itself, with a minimal amount of conducting material to avoid eddy currents being

set up by fluctuations at low frequency.

As the system is usually kept cold for long periods it is economical to use a helium

vapor cooled dewar and avoid the complications associated with a liquid nitrogen outer

chamber. Especially with unshielded systems, where fine-balancing of the gradiometer involves several hours for adjusting the position of superconducting tabs near the coils, the

desired mode of operation is to keep the system immersed in helium for several weeks or months at a time. Another peculiar cryogenic feature in studies of the weakest biomagnetic

fields is the need to place the pickup coil as close as possible to the subject for maximum

sensitivity. The insulating vacuum space between the helium container and outer shell of

the dewar must be kept as thin as possible. Here is where the compromise between operational performance and heat input is most keenly felt.

Our experience at N.Y.U. has been with glass and fiberglass dewars having a narrow vacuum space at the bottom of the 2 cm ID tail section, so the pickup coil is placed only

7 mm from the outside. Liquid helium boils off at a rate which indicates a heat input of ~ 0.1 W. This increases by — 3070 when the dewar is moved frequently during experiments.

The cooling requirements in the low temperature region are therefore not severe. The

boiloff rate could provide about 8 W of refrigeration from the cool vapor at higher temperature as it rises, assuming perfect heat exchange with the support structure, radiation

shields and the neck of the dewar. This reasonably efficient system requires about 25

liters of liquid helium a week for continuous operation. The annual cost of helium would

be approximately $4,000 at this rate.

The helium cost is sufficiently high in comparison with other expendables in research

budgets that it is a consideration when planning a schedule of experiments. Nevertheless, more important factors encourage a search for an alternative refrigeration method. They

include the nuisance of handling the delivery and transfer of helium, with attendant need

for trained personnel; the desire to maintain a closed system that should exclude the

accumulation of paramagnetic oxygen which could increase background magnetic noise; the

possible advantage of more convenient operation "in the field" away from the laboratory;

and--not the least in importance--the ability to orient the detection coil in any desired

direction for scans around the human body. The present need to maintain the dewar axis

within approximately 45° of the vertical is a significant restriction when carrying out

studies of the brain and certain other organs.

With a view toward cryocooler schemes, there is a peculiar aspect of the conventional

design for SQUID detectors that should be borne in mind. This is the fact that the SQUID

and detection coils are separated by a distance that may amount to 20 cm or so. Thus a relatively extensive supporting structure and surrounding wall must be maintained at low

temperature to keep both SQUID and flux transporter superconducting. The problem is

solvable in principle if a material such as crystalline germanium or quartz serves as support for the detection coil and heat conduit to the SQUID, ^here the cryocooler may

provide direct refrigeration. For example a 20 cm rod of 1 cm cross sectional area with

its upper end maintained at 10 K when receiving 0.1 W at its lower end would find that

rise in temperature by only~l K. The surrounding walls could be allowed to remain at a somewhat higher temperature, so long as thermal radiation is not excessive.

4. Cardiomagnetism

The earliest efforts to detect biomagnetic fields were directed to studies of the

heart. Since the electrocardiogram (ECG) was known as one of the strongest bioelectric

signals, by analogy the corresponding magnetocardiogram (MCG) measured near the chest was expected to be comparatively strong. The first observation of the magnetocardiogram was reported by G. Baule and R. McFee in 1963, and it was achieved with a pair of induction

coils arranged in gradiometer configuration placed over the chest [5]. Each coil was

187
wound with 2x10 turns of wire which were wrapped around a ferrite core for enhancement.

Signal averaging was used to improve the signal compared with the noise, using the ECG as a reference. The introduction of magnetic shielding and a SQUID magnetometer by D. Cohen,

E.A. Edelsack and J.E. Zimmerman in 1970 made possible the MCG without signal averaging and

with a quality which was comparable to that of the ECG [l4]. Since then aspects of cardiomagnetism have been studied in a number of laboratories, including M.I.T. [l5,16];

Helsinki University of Technology [17]; Stanford University [l8]; TRW Systems at Redondo

Beach, California [19]; and the Universite' Scientifique et M^dicale at Grenoble, France.

The last-mentioned group employs an induction coil gradiometer in a hospital setting without shielding the patient [20]. Signal-to-noise ratios of 10-30 are achieved by averaging

100 beats [21,22]. The other groups all utilize SQUID systems.

4.1. AC Magnetocardiogram

The minimal bandwidth normally employed for a MCG is 0.2 - 50 Hz, and signal amplitudes

lie in the range 20 - 300 pT. Low frequency background noise poses a problem in an unshielded situation, but acceptable records can be obtained by systems employing spatial discrimination, perhaps supplemented by signal averaging.

Interest in cardioraagnetism centers on the possible application of the MCG as a diagnostic tool. Several formats have been devised to present data, including individual

traces of the cardiac cycle for a particular component of the field measured at various

locations over the chest [23] and indications of the direction and strength of the local

field gradient at a particular time in the cycle, as measured at various locations [24],

One economical way of summarizing data is by determining the variation in the magnetic

heart vector (MHV) throughout the cycle [25, 26], The MHV is the magnetic dipole which

positioned at the center of the heart would give rise to the observed field. Measurements

show that the field distribution around the chest is not dipolar [25], partially owing to

the extended geometry of the heart and to currents which flow in the surrounding conducting

medium. The effect of the latter can be minimized by choosing an appropriate detection

coil geometry and position [27], A system devised at Stanford and designated the "unipositional" lead system employs a SQUID gradiometer which is positioned above a supine

patient with the axis normal to the chest wall and directly over the heart. Both pickup

coils are oriented at 54°44' to the instrument axis so that three components of the magnetic field can be recorded with successive 120° rotations of the magnetometer. From these

the variations through the cardiac cycle of the three components of the MHV can be deduced.

Figure 8 displays an example of the components (Mj^, My, M2) of a normal subject. For com- parison the analogous electric heart vector (EHV) with components (Pxj Py^ Pz) obtained

from the Frank ECG electrode arrangement is also shown.

Published results show a close similarity in MCG and ECG records for normal subjects,

although the relative angles of the MHV and EHV vary throughout the cycle [26]. Abnormalities have been studied by several groups [16,17,26,28,29] and there is some evidence that

the preferential sensitivity of the MCG to near-lying sources plays an important role in

emphasizing certain abnormal features [17 ]• In addition the MCG compared with the ECG is more sensitive to tangential current components than ones that are directed radially from

the heart [18,30-33], As yet no remarkable abnormalities have been revealed by the MCG

that are not at least suggested by the ECG. The relative advantages of the two records

have not yet been firmly established, and we should not expect a definitive assessment of

the MCG's clinical usefulness for several years. On the other hand, one advantage of the

MCG is clear: this contactless technique is considerably more convenient for mass screening

of a large population. During measurements, the background dc magnetic field should be

reduced to avoid complications from changes in the diamagnetic moment of the volume of

blood within the heart [25,34],

4.2. DC Magnetocardiogram

One very interesting application of the advantage afforded by SQUID systems for dc

measurements has been reported by D. Cohen and L.A. Kaufman [35], They sought to establish

whether a dc current may be produced by the heart when it suffers injuiry. For example a shift of the ST segment of the ECG toward the R peak of the QRS complex is a clinical indication of an abnormality such as infarction or ischemia. The nomenclature for a normal ECG

is given at the top of Figure 9. The ST shift illustrated in the center trace was commonly

188
MAGNETIC HEART VECTOR ELECTRIC HEART VECTOR

Figure 8. Variation in the components of the magnetic and electric heart vectors throughout a

cardiac cycle. The X-axis is directed straight outward from the patient's chest,

Y is toward his left and Z is toward the head. Adopted from Reference 25.

189
R

Q S Q S

L-—

L

0

J L J I 200 400 600

TIME (msec)

800 1000

ST- SHIFT

DC EFFECT

move close move away

Figure 9, (a) Normal ECG waveform and notation; (b) upward shift of the ST segment; (c) observed MCG from a dog with constricted coronary artery being wheeled toward and

away from the SQUID detector. Adopted from illustrations in Reference 35.

190
attributed to a current of injury that appears only during the ST portion of the cardiac

cycle. Cohen and Kaufman' s experiments on dogs indicated that quite the opposite is true

during an occlusion of the coronary artery and that in fact a dc current of injury is set

up which is

•

arrested during the ST portion of the cycle. The occlusion was produced by

inflating a tube that had been installed previously around the artery. The MCG results

illustrated at the bottom of Figure 9 show the SQUID magnetometer output as a sedated dog

is wheeled up to the detection coil, held in place for several cardiac cycles, and wheeled

away. During conditions of occlusion the MCG reference line shifts downwards, indicating

the presence of a dc current of injury. There is also an upward shift of the ST segment

which nearly exactly compensates for the dc effect and thus indicates an interruption of

the dc injury current. The ST shift is thus a secondary effect, and the primary effect is

actually the dc current of injury, which is not detectable by conventional ECG measurements.

For measurements of the DC magnetocardiogram a bandwidth of 0.1-50 Hz may be sufficient. The patient is moved close to the detector, then away. The technique has not yet

been applied clinically, partly because magnetic particles contaminating the body may

provide a remanent signal which is sufficient to obscure the effect. To avoid an additional

artifact, the 'patient as he is brought to the detector should be in a low field region to

avoid the effect of diamagnetic moment of the human body when in the earth's field.

5. Pneumomagnetism

During Cohen's pioneering experiments on animals when looking for dc currents of

injury to the heart, he observed a dc field from the stomach and tracked its origin to magnetic contaminants ingested with food. He subsequently found that humans exhibit similar

remanent fields from contaminants which are either ingested or respired [36]. Considerable

interest has arisen recently in applying magnetic monitoring techniques to lung investigations. The study of these fields whether produced by contaminants or by the lung itself is an area that we call "pneumomagnetism". Presently several groups are engaged in this type

of research: at M.I.T,, Helsinki University of Technology, Hannemann Medical College in

Philadelphia, and the Institute for Environmental Medicine of New York University. Interest

centers on two principal aspects; clinical applications and research.

5.1. Clinical Applications

Use of magnetic tracers has a potential application in epidemiological and clinical

studies aimed at correlating magnetic dust retention with exposure, pathological condition

and disfunction. This is possible because magnetic contaminants may be found in association

with injurious particles, even though the magnetic component itself is harmless. For

example, particles of f errimagnetic magnetite (Fe304) are found attached to chrysotile

asbestos fibers when mined, and therefore if the relative proportions at the source are established, a magnetic scan across the lung may reveal the amount and disposition of

asbestos at low levels which X-ray techniques miss. In practice, a dc magnetic field

(-"^ 50 mT) is first applied to the region of the chest to magnetize the contaminants and

then is removed. The component of the remanent field which is normal to the chest in the case of asbestos miners and arc welders may be as strong as 1 nT and is easily measured with

conventional fluxgate magnetometers. The sensors should be arranged in a gradiometer con- figuration to discriminate against background fields [36,37]. The rms instrument noise

level in a 1 Hz bandwidth is ~ 30 pT. Mapping across the chest is conventionally performed

by momentarily moving the subject near the sensor, then away to check for background drift.

Strong remanent fields may arise from other magnetic objects, such as belt buckles, steel

bone pins, prosthetic devices, tooth fillings and bridgework. Where these cannot be re- moved and are not near the lung, the remanent artifact may be eliminated by a degaussing

procedure. A hand-held magnetic recording tape eraser is passed slowly over the region and

then is withdrawn slowly.

An example of the type of results obtained with a SQUID system is shown in Figure 10.

Studies in Helsinki of arc welders of iron and steel display a strong correlation between

the average field strength across the chest and the results of radiograms which reveal

pathological conditions, despite the fact that measurements of respiratory function appear

to be nearly normal [37].

191
0 T

• SIO-'T

# 10° T

• 510''T

• • •

I

WELOER I

10-«T

510'T

^ 10-*T

• 5 10-»T

WELDER H • 10-«T

• sior'T

••••• •

WELDER m

• • • • •

• • • • •

WELDER EZ WELDER I

Figure 10. Remanent field from ferromagnetic contaminants at various locations over the chest

for five arc welders. The area of each dot is proportional to the measured field at

at that location. By comparison, the average signal measured over the pulmonary

area of a non-exposed control group was 5 pT. All measurements shown here were carried out with a SQUID system. From Reference 37.

192
Work at M.I.T. is underway to solve what is called the "inverse problem". This is the

challenge of deducing the distribution of magnetic dust within the lung, given measurements

of the field components at various positions outside the chest. One of the important questions to be answered is how many measurements are needed for a given resolution of the source distribution, taking into account existing noise levels.

5.2. Lung Research

Pure magnetite is a benign dust, and milligram amounts are believed harmless when

inhaled. A fluxgate gradiometer is adequate for detecting the subsequent remanent field

(~ 0.5 nT) after the particles in the lung have been magnetized [36]. Therefore magnetic

tracers can be used in experiments on humans and animals, where the more conventional radioactive tracers necessarily have more limited application [38].

D. Cohen has found a remarkable "relaxation" of the remanent field during the few hours

after magnetization [39]. This appears to be caused by the randomizing of particle orientations induced by the motion of the alveolar walls in the lung. Although much remains to be

learned, this promises to be an exciting area for study of alveolar activity and the nature

of the fluid lining. In addition Cohen has found that the maximum remanent field decreases

monotonically during the succeeding months following exposure. This may prove to be a measure of either the rate of lung clearance or the rate at which phagocytes immobilize particles in the lung. Relaxation and remanent moment studies may well provide direct information about pathological condition of the lung.

5,3. SQUID Applications

The future of pneumomagnetism has abundant possibilities, but one certainly is the

extension of studies to other dusts such as coal, of prime interest in occupational medicine. Here SQUID systems may prove essential, because the percentage of magnetic contaminant is much lower than for asbestos and may turn out to be comparable to that for the

unexposed population. Measurements should be conducted in a region of low field to eliminate the diamagnetic contribution of body tissue; or the diamagnetic effect can be estimated by taking the difference between the measured remanent fields when the lung is

magnetized with the field applied first in one direction and then in the opposite.

The major problem is the need to establish reliable data for the remanent fields ex- pected for members of the unexposed population. Even brief exposure to a foundry or welding shop can provide such heavy magnetic loading that it would mask the more subtle

buildup from chronic exposure elsewhere. Extended research or epidemiological studies in

the field are difficult to perform with the present requirement for liquid helium. Here

the cryocooler may play a pivotal role.

6. Neuromagneti sm

The weakest of all biomagnetic fields detected so far are those due to electrical

currents associated with neural activity. The magnetic field generated by spontaneous

activity of the brain was discovered in 1968 by D. Cohen using an induction coil in a shielded room together with signal averaging techniques [40]. He was able to detect variations in the magnetic field near the scalp that oscillated with a frequency in the range

10-12 Hz (the alpha rhythm). The strongest signals are typically ~ 2 pT in amplitude.

With modern SQUID detectors this "magnetoencephalogram" (MEG) can be obtained with a quality

that is comparable with that of the standard electroencephalogram (EEC) [41]. Studies of

neuromagnetic activity have subsequently been pursued at M.I.T., Helsinki University of

Technology [42], National Bureau of Standards at Boulder [43] and New York University, Both

spontaneous activity and that evoked by sensory stimuli have been investigated,

6.1. Magnetoencephalogram

Electrical measurements of variations in skin potential show widespread activity over

the scalp. In correspondence, when the alpha rhythm is well developed the field pattern is

found to embrace the head as illustrated in Figure 11. The amplitude is suppressed when

the subject has his eyes open, as shown in Figure 12. From a series of measurements in the

N.B.S. shielded room M. Reite, J.E. Zimmerman, J. Edrich and J. Zimmerman report a strong

193
B

Figure 11. General features of the magnetic field patterns at the alpha frequency as reported

in Reference 40.

P3 MEG Vvf^A'\J^V\/\/''\j\^/\/^^'V^'^'^'

P3 EEC VW\aVW'iA/\AA/^'^^--'^'\M^^''*^

^4fl!mMW^'^%^] 1.8x10

^Vw^^^'A^/VW\AA/'>M^v^A^] 100 JIV

-12„

C3 EEG -^jVWAA/V^i'MMvV/v-'V..,,,, .^v~--aA--w^*-- ^~^y'''•'•'''^f\^^|^^

C4 EEG w^"WVm/V-'''A'W\A/^,'^

E.Q

'"W^J^A/VV'VWv^V^^Vv^^AAM-]lOOuv

\

._L2SC . EC.

I 10 nG HEC

EVES OPEN EVES Closed

i '0 uV 1 s EEG

Figure 12. Simultaneous magnetoencephalogram (MEG) and electroencephalogram (EEG) recorded

near the back of the head, with a bandwidth of 5-30 Hz. From Reference 43.

194
positive correlation between the amplitudes of the MEG and EEG from one subject to another

[43], Extensive comparisons between the MEG and EEG from seven normal subjects have been

reported on the basis of measurements with a bandwidth of 2-45 Hz in the M.I.T. room by

J.R. Hughes, D.E. Hendrix, J. Cohen, F,H. Duffy, C.I. Mayman, M.L. Scholl and B.N. Cuffin

[44], Numerous features of the magnetic and electrical records have been compared. There

is some correlation in the alpha rhythms when the subject is awake, but this correlation is

lost during sleep. But no correlation was ever observed for some components (below 5 Hz).

It is clear from these important results that a close, but not complete association

exists between the generating sources for the alpha rhythm observed in the EEG and MEG. The sources for signals at other frequencies appear either to be disassociated, or the currents

are preferentially oriented so that their magnetic fields are largely parallel to the scalp

and hence remain undetected in these experiments. So little information is available about

magnetic field patterns that it is premature to speculate about the nature of the sources. These spontaneous signals from the brain remain intriguing and unexplained. Even the

physiological source and function--if any--of alpha rhythm activity has not been firmly

established.

6.2. Evoked Fields

Enlightening studies of brain function have been carried out by evoking a response

through application of a sensory stimulus such as a visual or tactual stimulus, a technique

that is well-known in experimental psychology. One then knows where the initial brain

activity takes place, i.e., the primary projection area of the cortex. In such studies,

signal averaging techniques must be used for both potential and field measurements to bring

the relatively weak evoked response (~ 0.1 pT) above the level of the spontaneous activity

and background noise. Either transient or steady state responses can be measured. The

former is the response to an isolated stimulus, separated in time from other stimuli so that

the response to one ends before the next stimulus is presented. The steady state response

is obtained when stimuli are presented in rapid succession at a constant rate.

a. Visually Evoked Field

Groups at M.I.T. [39,45] and the National Bureau of Standards [43] have reported observations of the transient neuromagnetic field which is evoked by a brief light flash. An

example of the visually evoked field (VEF) is shown in Figure 13. The pattern is qualitatively similar to that of the visually evoked potential (VEP) . As the flash is made brighter the response amplitude of the VEF continues to increase, but the amplitude of the VEP

tends to level off [45]. The reason for this difference is not understood.

The work at N.Y.U. has dealt exclusively with the steady state response and has revealed new features of the nature of brain function. One stimulus consists of an array of

vertical parallel bars on a dark field provided on an oscilloscope screen. When this so- called "grating" is appropriately shifted back and forth horizontally, synchronous variations in the neuromagnetic field near the scalp can be detected. With narrow band detection

and a one-minute duration for signal averaging, responses as weak as 40 fT with a signal

to noise ratio of 2 can be recorded without use of magnetic shielding. The grating

pattern is inspired by the contemporary notion in psychology that at least for simple

patterns the visual system responds to the pattern's spatial frequency content (in this

sense, the visual system takes the Fourier transform of the scene)

.

D. Brenner, S.J. Williamson and L. Kaufman found that the VEF is sharply localized

near the back of the head over the visual cortex--the vision center of the brain [11]. The

VEP by comparison is considerably more widespread, being strong even at the vertex at the

top of the head. The second remarkable finding is that the peak magnetic field is observed

at a fixed time after the stimulus grating is shifted, regardless of the temporal frequency

at which it is shifted [46]. This time delay is called the "latency" of the response, and

it appears to be a characteristic feature of the human visual system.

A particularly interesting finding from the VEF studies was that the latency of the

subject's response increases with the spatial frequency of the grating, i.e., with the

number of bars that are included in 1 degree of visual angle. The effect illustrated in

Figure 14 is quite dramatic. The relative insensitivity of latency to spatial frequency at

195
n

Figure 13 „ Visually evoked responses for a brief flash produced by a strobe lamp.

The signals were averaged for 100 flashes. A: Magnetic response with upward

deflection indicating a field directed into the scalp. B; Voltage response with

upward deflection indicating positive potential at the field locationo C: Magnetic

noise level with the subject absent. The time calibration at the lower left is

50 mseco From reference 43.

196
275

250

225

200-

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150

125

100

75

"I 1 1

LATENCY at Zt

A 8Hz

+ lOHz

X 13 Hz

• l6Hz

f 20Hz

Breitmeyer's

RT data

375

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300

275

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250 <

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200

175

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0.1

1 1 1 1 1 1

02 0.5 I 2 5 10

SPATIAL FREQUENCY (c/deg)

Figure 14. Latency of the magnetic response at the second harmonic of the frequency

at which a grating is shifted a full cycle back and forth. Data for a number of

different frequencies are included. The lines join points which indicate measured

reaction times reported by B. Breitmeyer. From reference 46.

197
the low end of the curve and sharp rise at the high end correlate with characteristics of

hypothesized specialized channels in the visual system, but it would not be appropriate to

go into these details here. Of more relevance is the fact that there is a direct correlation between latency (a measure of neural activity) and a subject's reaction time (a measure

of human performance). Also shown in Figure 14 are reaction times reported by B, Breitmeyer

for two observers who were instructed to respond as quickly as possible to a briefly presented grating having various spatial frequencies [47]. The constant difference of approximately 115 ms between reaction time and latency is interpreted as the motor response time.

Thus the neuromagnetic studies suggest that there is a serial arrangement of visual and

motor responses. This result had not previously been obtained from conventional studies of

the VEP.

b. Somatically Evoked Field

Electrical stimulation of various areas of the body provides a good test of the accu- racy with which neuromagnetic techniques can locate active sets of neurons within the

somatic cortex. Direct stimulation of the cortex during brain surgery, with portions of the

skull removed, has previously revealed the locations of primary activity related to somatic

sensation [48]. Areas of the body map onto corresponding regions of the cortex on the

contralateral yide of the head just behind a nearly vertical indentation of the cortex known

as the Rolandic fissure. This ordering of projection areas is called the "sensory homunculus". D. Brenner, J. Lipton, L. Kaufman and S.J. Williamson have observed a somatically

evoked field by applying a mild, repetitive, electrical stimulus to the little finger of the

right hand and monitoring changes in the emerging magnetic field of positions over the left

hemisphere [49]. Figure 15 illustrates the pattern of evoked field at an instant when the

field has its maximum strength. One half cycle later the field pattern has reversed

direction.

The center of the pattern can be located with an accuracy of about 1 cm and lies close

to the appropriate position on the homunculus. When the thumb is stimulated instead, the

pattern shifts downward along the Rolandic fissure by about 2 cm, again as expected from the

homunculus. Such localization has not heretofore been achieved by conventional measurements

of the VEP. Neuromagnetic responses with stimulus repetition rates ranging from 0.8 Hz to more than 30 Hz have been studied. For intermediate frequencies a latency of 70 ms has also

been obtained for the neuromagnetic response. When compared with reaction times measured in

separate experiments a motor response time of 102 ms is obtained, in good agreement with the

value obtained from the visually evoked response. These results indicate that the VEF is

caused by electrical currents flowing within the primary projection area of the cortex, not

the skin where the VEP is measured. Neuromagnetic measurements hold out the promise of a method for revealing the functioning of the brain at a level that is intermediate between

recordings from gross scalp electrodes and microelectrode studies of individual neurons.

7. Other Applications

Several other biomagnetic fields have been discovered which we shall not describe in

detail but will just mention the more salient features.

7.1. Fetal Magnetocardiogram

The fetal magnetocardiogram (FMCG) was first observed by V. Kariniemi, J. Ahopelto,

P.J. Karp and T.E. Katila [50] of the Helsinki group. It is of interest because the electrical analog (the FECG) often cannot be observed because it is masked by the much larger

signal from the mother. By contrast the FMCG shows little effect from the mother's heart

and can be observed after about the 20th week of gestation. This again illustrates the

greater localization exhibited by biomagnetic fields near the strongest electrical currents

when compared with the more diffuse variations of voltage on the skin. The amplitude of the

FMCG of ~ 5 pT measured over the abdomen is about one-tenth of the mother's MCG measured

over the chest. It was studied by the group at the Helsinki University of Technology with

a gradiometer detection coil and SQUID, operating in a wooden cabin some distance from the

nearest steel structure [51,52].

198
Figure 15. Pattern of the somatically evoked field when a mild electrical stimulus

is applied to the little finger of the right hand. The stimulus consists of 1 ms dc

pulses of voltage producing approximately 1 mA pulses of current transcutaneously,

at a rate of 13 pulses/second. Contours of equal magnetic flux in the figure indicate

the relative amplitude of response £or 0.9, 0.7 and 0.5 of the maximum response at

the stimulus frequency. The lower figure shows the same pattern drawn on the conventional 10-20 electrode map. From reference 49.

199
7.2. Magneto-oculogram

The normal human eyeball maintains a relatively high voltage of ~ 100 mV between the

retina and cornea. Electric dipole models have been proposed to describe the current distribution in the surrounding medium in order to explain the changes in skin potential when

the eyeball (with dipole) is moved. The observed effect is called the ele ctro-oculogram

(EGG). The change in dc field associated with the change in current distribution or magneto-oculogram (MOG) has been detected by P.J. Karp, T.E. Katila, P. Makipaa, and P. Saar

of the Helsinki group [53]. When the subject deflects his eye by about 75°, a shift in the

field near the eye amounting to ~ 10 pT can be observed. The magnitude of this shift

varies in much the same way as changes in skin potential when a decrease in illumination

causes the eye to go from the light adapted to dark adapted state. It is not clear whether

this technique offers an advantage over the EGG, which is commonly used in clinical diagnosis of retinal diseases, because as yet no new feature has been found in the MGG that is

not known in the EGG.

7.3. Magnetomyogram

A particularly interesting area for future research is in measuring' the magnetic field

which results when skeletal muscle is flexed. This was first observed by D. Cohen and E. Givler using a SQUID magnetometer in the M.I.T. shielded room [54] and an example is shown

in Figure 16. Wideband recording (up to ~ 2 kHz) is essential to recover the high frequency

activity associated with asynchronous twitches from various motor units, though the signal

amplitudes can be moderately strong (~ 10 pT) . The electrical counterpart known as the

electromyogram (EMG) is well known and has been used for a variety of applications, including the study of muscle movement, tension, and human relaxation. High frequency activity,

is found to exhibit a maximum amplitude at about 40 Hz in the case of muscle just above

the elbow and at 80 Hz for the palm.

A feature worthy of special note is a dc component which also appears when a muscle is

flexed. The field slowly diminishes during a period of several seconds once the muscle is

relaxed. It may be difficult to monotor this effect reliably with skin electrodes owing to

the variation in contact potentials, so magnetic techniques offer a real advantage. There

is considerable interest in the relaxation mechanisms in muscle, some of which are known to occur over a period of several seconds.

8. Summary

We have touched on a number of applications of superconducting magnetic field detectors

in areas of interest to clinical medicine, epidemiology and psychology. Biomagnetic studies

offer unique advantages in some cases over conventional bioelectric investigations: These

include dc through high frequency sensitivity, the localization of magnetic fields near

their generating currents, insensitivity to fields from relatively weak currents flowing in

the dermis, and the contactless nature of the measurement. Fundamental questions of-interest in biomedical research are being addressed now in several areas, and there is every

evidence to indicate that biomagnetism will enjoy sustained growth during the next few years.

Present liquid helium cooled SQUID systems are adequate for most ongoing studies.

Motivation for the introduction of cryocoolers will not be economic, at the present cost for

liquid helium., Rather it would be greater convenience, simplification of carrying out

studies in the field, the ability to orient detectors in .any direction, and avoidance of the

need for personnel highly trained in cryogenic techniques.

We express our appreciation to D. Brenner and J. P. Wikswo, Jr., for stimulating and

informative discussions. The preparation of this manuscript was supported by the Office

of Naval Research (00014-76 -C -0568) and the New York State Health Research Council

(C106219)

.

200
Figure 16. A: Magnetomyogram measured in the M.I.T. shielded room with the

detection coil positioned near the elbow and palm. The bandwidth is 0-150 Hz.

From reference 54. B: A.C. Magnetomyogram from the forearm with muscle tensed

(T) and relaxed (R) as measured in the N.B.S. shielded room. From reference 43.

201
9. References

[I] Williamson, S.J., Kaufman, L., and Brenner, D., "Biomagnetism" in Superconductor

Applications : SQUIDS and Machines, Schwartz, B.B., and Foner, S., Eds. (Plenum

Publishing Corporation, New York, 1977), pp. 355-402.

[2] Fraser-Smith, A.C., and Buxton, J.L., J. Geophys. Res. 80, 3141 (1975).

[3] Cohen, D., Rev. de Phys. Appliquee 5, 53 (1970).

[4] Zimmerman, J.E., J. Appl. Phys. 48, 702 (1977).

[5] Baule, G.M., and McFee, R., Am. Heart J. 66_, 95 (1963).

[6] Zimmerman, J.E., J. Appl. Phys. 42, 4483 (1971).

[71 Zimmerman, J.E., and Frederick, N.V., Appl. Phys. Letters 19_, 16 (1971).

[8] Opfer, J.E., Yeo, Y.K., Pierce, J.M., and Rorden, L.H., IEEE Trans. Magn. 9, 536

(1974).

[9] Ketchen, M.B., Goubau, W.M., Clarke, J., and Donaldson, G.B., IEEE Trans. Magn.

MAG- 13, 372 (1977).

[10] Claassen, J.H., J. Appl. Phys. 46, 2268 (1975).

[II] Brenner, D., Williamson, S.J., and Kaufman, L., Science 190, 480 (1^75).

[12] Brenner, D., Kaufman, L., and Williamson, S.J., IEEE Trans. Magn. MAG- 13 , 365 (1977).

[13] Widrow, B., Glover, J.R. Jr., McCool, J.M., Kaunitz, J., Williams, C.S., Hearn, R.H.,

Zeidler, J.R., Dong, E. Jr., and Goodlin, R.C., Proc. IEEE 63, 1692 (1975).

[14] Cohen, D., Edelsack, E.A., and Zimmerman, J.E., Appl. Phys. Letters 16, 278 (1970).

[15] Cohen, D., and Lepeschkin, E., "Review of Magnetocardiology" in The Electrical Field

of the Heart . Rijlant, P., et.al., Eds. (Presses Academiques Europ^ennes, Brussels,

1972), p.

91'.

[16] Cohen, D., Lepeschkin, E., Hosaka, H., Massell, B.F., and Myers, G., J. of

Electrocardiology 9, 398 (1976).

[17] Saarinen, M., Karp, P. J., Katila, T.E., and Siltanen, P., Cardiovascular Research 8,

820 (1974).

[18] Wikswo, J. P. Jr., Malmivuo, J.A.V., Barry, W.H., Leifer, M.C., and Fairbank, W.M.,

"The Theory and Application of Magnetocardiography", in Cardiovascular Physics , Ghista, D.N., van Vollenhoven, E., and Yang, W., Eds. (S. Karger, Basil, 1977).

[19] Rosen, A., and Inouye, G.T., IEEE Trans. Bio. Med. Eng. 22, I67 (1975).

[20] Matelin, D., Thesis, University Scientifique et Medicale de Grenoble, Grenoble, 1974,

unpublished.

[21] Denis, B., Matelin, C, Favier, C, and Martin-Noel, P., J. Physiol. (Paris) 69, 179

(1974).

[22] Denis, B., Matelin, D., Favier, C, Tanche, M., and Martin-Noel, P., Arch. Mai. Coeur

69j 299 (I976).

[23] Cohen, D., and McCaughan, D., Am. J. Cardiol. 29, 678 (1972).

202
[24] Hosaka, H., and Cohen, D., J. of Electrocardiology 9, 426 (1976).

[25] Wikswo, J. P. Jr., Ph.D. Thesis, Department of Physics, Stanford University, 1975,

unpublished.

[26] Barry, W.H., Fairbank, W.M., Harrison, D.C,, Lehrman, K.L., Malmivuo, J.A.V., and

Wikswo, J. P. Jr., Science, in press.

[27] Malmivuo, J., Acta Polytechnica Scandinavica, Electrical Engineering Series No. 39,

Helsinki, The Finnish Academy of Technical Sciences (1976).

[28] Saarinen, M., Karp, P.J., Katila, T.E,, and Siltanen, P., Cardiovasc. Res. 8, 820

(1974).

[29] Karp, P,J,, Katila, T.E., S'aarinen, M., Siltanen, P. and Varpula, T.T., Ann. de

Cardiologie et d'Angiologie, in press.

[301 McFee, R., and Baule, G., Proc. IEEE 60, 290 (1972).

[31] Geselowitz, D., J. Franklin Inst. 296 , 379 (1973).

[32] Brody, D.A., Circ. Res. 4, 731 (1956).

[33] Malmivuo, J.A.V., and Wikswo, J. P. Jr., Proc. IEEE, in press.

[34] Wikswo, J, P. Jr., Opfer, J.E., and Fairbank, W.M., AIP Conference Proc. 18^ 1335 (1974).

[35] Cohen, D., and Kaufman, L.A., Circulation Res. 36, 4 1 4 (197 5).

[36] Cohen, D., Science 180 , 745 (1973).

[37] Kalliomaki, P.-L., Karp, P. J., Katila, T., MSTkipaa, P., Saar, P., and Tossavainen, A.,

Scand. J. Work Environ, and Health 4, 232-239 (1976).

[38] Albert, R.E., Lippmann, M., Spiegelman, J., Strehlow, C, Briscol, W., Wolfson, P.,

and Nelson, N., "Tj;ie clearance of radioactive particles from the human lung", in

Inhaled Particles and Vapors II , Davies, C.N., Ed. (Pergamon Press, London, 1966)

pp. 361-378.

[39] Cohen, D., IEEE Trans. Magn. MAG-11, 694 (1975).

[40] Cohen, D., Science 161, 784 (1968).

[41] Cohen, D., Science 175, 664 (1972).

[42] Ahopelto, J., Karp, P.J., Katila, T.E,, Lukander, R., and Makipaa, P., International

Conference on Biomedical Transducers (Biocapt. 75, Paris, 1975), Vol. 1, p. 347.

[43] Reite, M., Zimmerman, J.E., Edrich, J., and Zimmerman, J., Electroenceph . Clin.

Neurophysiol. 40, 59 (1976).

[44] Hughes, J.R., Hendrix, D.E., Cohen, J., Duffy, F.H., Mayman, C.I., Scholl, M.L,, and

Cuffin, B.N., Electroenceph. Clin. Neurophysiol. 40, 261 (1976).

[45] Teyler, T.J., Cuffin, B.N., and Cohen, D., Life Sci. 15_, 683 (1975).

[46] Williamson, S.J., Kaufman, L., and Brenner, D., Vision Research, in press.

[47] Breitmeyer, B.C., Vision Res. 15, 1411 (1975).

[48] Penfield, W,, and Rasmussen, T., The Cerebral Cortex in Man (Macmillan, New York,

1950), p. 21.

203
[49] Brenner, D., Lipton, J., Kaufman, L., and Willianson, S.J., Science, in press.

[50] Kariniemi, V., Ahopelto, J., Karp, P. J., and Katila, I.E., J. Perinat. Med. 2, 214

(1974).

[51] Ahopelto, J., Hukkinen, K., Katila, T.E., Laine, H., and Kariniemi, V., Ann. Chir. Gyn.

Fenn. 64, 152 (1975).

[52] Hukkinen, K., Katila, T.E., Laine, H., Lukander, R., Makipaa, P., and Kariniemi, V.,

Am. J. Obstetrics and Gynecology, in press, 1976.

[53] Karp, P. J., Katila, T.E., Makipaa, P., and Saar, P., Proc. Second International Conference on Medical and Biological Engr., Ottawa, Canada, Aug. 1976.

[54] Cohen, D., and Givler, E., Appl. Phys. Lett. 21, 114 (1972).

204
Cryogenic Techniques and

Geophysical Measurements

U.S

W. D. Stanley

Geological Survey

can provide quantitative determination of

the anistropy of thick layers. The field

data are ususally presented in terms of

principal resistivity and phase values,

where the resistivities are:

Cryogenic techniques have begun to play a large role in geophysical measurements, particularly in measurement of the

earth's magnetic field and remnant magnetization of rock samples. Superconducting

quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) are now being used in the application of a technique known as magnetot elluric

sounding [1] In this method three cartesian

components of the earth's magnetic micropulsation field are measured in conjunction

with the corresponding horizontal electric

fields. The measured fields are H^, H^, H^,

and the electric fields are and where

X and y are in the horizontal plane and z is

vertical. An assumption is generally made

that the transfer function relating the E's

and H's at the . surface of the earth is a rank two tensor [3]

Z Z XX xy

Z Z yx yy

Z,jH. = E,

Where the H's and E's now represent frequency domain variable and Z^ . is the impedance

tensor. For a simple horizontally layered

earth the coupling between E^ and and

between E and H is non-existent for the

assumed planar incident fields and the

tensor elements Z^^^ and Z^^ are zero; in

addition, Z = -Z . For an earth conducxy y tivity distribution that varies according to

a function which can be defined by a function in a vertical plane (two-dimensional) or which consists of anisotropic horizontal layers (with anisotropy in x and y direction only)•' Z „ and Z „ will not be

' xy vx

equal; in addition, for all measuring azimuths except one Z^„ and Z„„ are not zero. XX J y However, the impedance tensor can be mathematically rotated so that Z^^^ and Z^^ vanish

and either Z^^ or Z^^ becomes a maximum and

the other a minimum. These are the

principal directions for the tensor and are

related directly to the direction of con- stant conductivity distribution for a structural geometry, or what is termed the

"strike" direction in geology. This would

be the trend direction for a lineated geologic feature such as a fault, for instance.

For a layered anisotropic earth such an easy

interpretation is not available, but asymptotic behavior at certain frequency ranges

P. . = (0.2/f ) |Z. . ij ' '

' ij

and the phases are:

f = frequency

V. . -1 real(Z..)

tan ij

imag (2^j)

The impedance tensor is derived from

the 4 horizontal -field time-series using

standard multiple input-multiple output

transfer function analysis. The vertical

magnetic field information is used to

determine the proper quadrant for the tensor

rotation. Interpretation of the derived re- sistivity-phase data is done either by a generalized least-squares inversion of the

data (restricted to the layered earth approximation) or by trial and error fitting

to finite difference models of a more com- plex conductivity distribution.

Conductivities in the earth at depths

of 0-20 km are influenced by several conduction components including semiconduction,

ionic conduction through pore fluids and in

molten rock, and ordinary ohmic conduction

through rock fabric. Temperature is either

directly or indirectly a major factor in

determining the magnitude of rock conductivity, particularly at depths exceeding 5 km.

It is for this reason that a study of the

earth's conductivity structure has been

important in the exploration for geothermal

resources in the last few years. Because

the earth's micropulsation field has abundant energy over wide frequency bands, with

typically a reciprocal frequency power spectrum from 10"^ Hz to 1 Hz, it is a suitable source of excitation with plane waves for

determining the conductivity structure of

the earth from depths of several to several

tens of kilometers.

Measurements of the earth's field for

magnetotelluric sounding have been most

commonly made using large induction coils

cored with ferrite or mu-metal. Typical

sensitivities of coils in useage are 150

uv/nT \/ Hz and noise voltages are about 1-3

uv/ V Hz when coupled with suitable amplifiers. Typical SQUID magnetometers suitable

for field recording of micropulsation ac205
tivity have a noise figure of around .5 x 10~^nT. Taking into consideration the 1/f

characteristics of SQUID noise, the latter

offer 10 to 100 times better noise figure

than the induction coils. This can be even larger if other noise problems in the coils are not treated properly. For instance,

magnetic domain noise in the coil cores and

thermal effects require that the coils be

allowed to stabilize for several hours after

being buried in the earth to provide thermal

and vibrational stability. A typical set of

induction coils is made up of three separate

sensors consisting of 30-100,000 turns of

wire surrounding a multi-rod flux concentrating core, usually made of mu-metal, with

each coil weighing about 40 kg and being

about 2 m in length and 10 cm in diameter.

A SQUID magnetometer in a 5 liter fiberglass

DeWar set up for measuring three components

weighs around 10 kg and can be ready for

field measurements within a few minutes

after installation. In addition, the

multipole transfer function of the induction

coils with their limited frequency response

means that often two separate sets of coils

may be required for wide bandwidth measurements; this is not a problem with SQUIDs.

Subsequent to early application of

SQUIDs for magnetotelluric sounding, many

investigators are now using SQUIDs for magnetotelluric measurements instead of induction coils. Handling of liquid helium

under field conditions has proved to not be an obstacle; however, a SQUID magnetometer

operating with a compact, low power refrigeration unit would guarantee that SQUIDs

would be used almost exclusively for this

application and other wideband geophysical

magnetic measurements. The magnetotelluric

method has been used most often during the

last 5 years for geothermal exploration, but

is also applied in petroleum and mineral

exploration as well as in academic studies

of the earth's crust and upper mantle.

Other geophysical studies utilizing measurements of the earth's magnetic fields could

benefit from the advantages offered by

SQUIDs, particularly combined with a magnetically quiet, low power refrigeration

scheme. For instance, measurement of small

peizomagnetic field changes or secondary

fields due to conductivity changes in the

vicinity of active stress regions may offer

a tool for earthquake prediction. Such

measurements require an ultrasensitive array

of long baseline horizontal gradiometers

.

Since stress fields around earthquake zones

have time constants of interest in the

several month range, it would be desirable

to gain freedom from periodic filling with

liquid helium. The same can be said of deployment of cryogenic gravity meters which

are also needed in research and which use SQUIDs in a levitated-mass servo arrangement.

References

[1] Frederick N. V., W. D. Stanley, J. E. Zimmerman, and R. J. Dinger, An

application of superconducting quantum interference magnetometers to geophysical prospecting, IEEE Trans.

Geoscience Electronics, GE-12 , no. 3,

p. 103 (1974).

[2] Jacobs, J. A., Geomagnetic micropulsations (Springer-Verlag, New York,

1970).

[3] Sims, W. E., and F. X. Bos tick, Jr.,

Methods of magnetotelluric analysis.

Tech. Rep. 58, Elec. Eng. Res. Lab.,

Univ. of Texas, Austin (1969).

[4] Stanley, W. D., J. E. Boehl, F. X. Bos tick, and H. W. Smith, Geothermal

significance of magnetotelluric

sounding in the eastern Snake River

Plain- Yellows tone region. Jour. of

Geophys. Res., 82_, no. 17, pp. 2501-

2514 (1977).

[5] The number of commercial contractors

and universities using SQUIDs for

magnetotelluric measurements is

growing. A relatively current list of

groups using SQUIDs in this

application is:

Colo. School of Mines, Golden, CO.

Group Seven, Inc., Golden, CO.

Argonaut Enterprises, Golden, CO.

Geonomics , Inc. , San Francisco, CA.

Terraphysics Co., Oakland, CA.

Senturion Sciences, Tulsa, OK.

Mobil Research Labs, Dallas, TX.

Univ. of Calif., Berkeley, CA.

U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, CO.

Univ. of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI.

[6] Rikitake, T., Earthquake Prediction

(Chapter 10, Geomagnetic and Geoelectric effects), 357 p. (Elsevier Publishing Co., New York, 1976).

[7] Warburton, R. J., Beaumont, C, and

Goodkind, J. M. , The effect of ocean

tide loading on tides of the solid

earth observed with the superconducting gravimeter, Geophys. Jour. Royal

Astr. Soc, 43, p. 707-720 (1975).

206
Cryocoolers for Use with Superconducting

Instruments: Some Estimates of Requirements

Michael B. Simmonds

S.H.E. Corporation, San Diego, California 92121

The cooling requirements for several types of commercial superconducting instruments are analyzed. The purpose is to obtain operational specifications for

cryocoolers for use with these instruments. The specifications which have been

considered include cooling time, cooling power, operating temperature, vibration,

magnetic noise, and operating time between service.

Key words: Cryocooler; mechanical refrigeration; superconducting instrument.

1. Introduction

There has been a recent awakening of interest in the possibilities of cooling superconducting instruments by means of small mechanical refrigerators. The possibilities of doing this

have not been opened up by any major technological advance in either the field of superconductivity or refrigeration, but rather because of a better awareness within each field of

the capabilities and requirements of the other. To further this exchange, we would like to

examine the special cooling requirements of various superconducting instruments which have

commercial or military importance.

As we looked at the possibilities for mating our own instruments to some type of cryocooler,

we realized that this is much more complex than simply cooling a piece of Nb-Sn below its

transition temperature. Each type of instrument seems to impose one or more challenging

requirements on any proposed cooling system. Moreover, to be of commercial or military

interest, these instruments must have high enough performance (compared to their conven- tionally cooled counterparts) that they are not disqualified in spite of their added con- venience.

In this paper we will consider the cooling requirements for ELF/VLF antennas, geophysical

magnetometers, biomedical gradiometers, rock magnetometers, susceptometers, and Josephson

voltage standards. For these instruments, the specifications which will involve the cryocooler are: cooldown time, operating temperature, steady state heat load, vibration in the

bandwidth of interest, magnetic noise level in the bandwidth of interest, and operating

time between service. We will make estimates of performance requirements for the various

types of instruments, then see how these requirements translate into specifications for the

cryocooler itself. These requirements and specifications will be summarized in Table I.

Mechanically cooled thermal shields have proven very useful for reducing the liquid helium

evaporation rate in conventional versions of some of the above instruments. However, in

the following discussion we will only consider designs in which the cryocooler is the sole

means of refrigeration.

2. Cooldown Time

The mass which must be cooled in these instruments can range from about 0.5 Kg for a typical

geophysical magnetometer to 15 Kg or more for a high field susceptometer. Although this mass would be mostly dielectric support structure in the case of the magnetometer and mostly superconducting magnet wire in the case of the susceptometer, we can use a typical value

of 100 J/g as the heat content at room temperature. The fact that more of this heat content is distributed at low temperature in metallic components makes it more difficult to remove the same quantity of heat. The magnitude of this bias will depend on the cooling

power vs. temperature characteristics of the refrigerator's last stage, but this is not

expected to be a large effect since the cryocooler can maintain its cooling power down to

within a few degrees of its operating temperature. Our estimates of total mass to be

cooled, and heat to be removed for the various instruments are given in the Table.

207
It is difficult to predict how long a user could be expected to wait for an instrument to

cool down. If the refrigerator is reliable and permits long term continuous operation, then

a one day delay should be acceptable. Some instruments, however, would only be used for a few days at a time. Under these conditions, half a workday would seem to be a reasonable

maximum. Where the instrument is needed only for a short set of measurements or calibrations, it would be desirable to reach operating temperature in about one hour to remain

competitive with the speed of using liquid helium. The Josephson voltage standard and the

biomedical gradiometer in clinical use would fall into this last category.

3. Operating Temperature

Although standard superconductors are available with critical temperatures up to about 17 K,

any instrument which requires close to ultimate performance from a Josephson junction or SQUID would need to be cooled well below this temperature. The use of Nb^Sn or NbN SQUIDs

appears, at first glance, to be a perfect way to relax the operating temperature specification for an instrument. However, with these devices it may not be possible to obtain even close to the energy sensitivity, bandwidth and dynamic range that is commercially available

from "4 K" SQUIDs. There is a vast difference between making a SQUID which will show quantum interference behavior and building a complete SQUID-based instrument. There are problems such as fabricating highly accurate pickup loops, making shields for leads and sensors,

building coupling transformers, and providing superconducting terminal boards. At above 9 K, these problems must be solved using exotic and extremely brittle materials. These difficult

design problems can be vastly simplified if Nb or NbTi can be used for any superconducting

parts. This requires that the cryocooler must be capable of reaching about 8K.

One of the instruments under consideration has an even more stringent temperature requirement. The Josephson voltage standards used by the National Bureau of Standards are normally

operated in .a pumped bath at 2 K to improve the voltage step characteristics. With the lead

junctions presently in use, performance is marginal at 4 K.

The susceptometer is another instrument which derives some special benefit from a lower operating temperature. For samples in which the low temperature Curie Law behavior is of interest, one obtains an extra factor of two in temperature range by being able to reach 4 K instead of 8 K.

4. Steady State Heat Load

We can separate the cryocooler's last stage heat load into three categories. First is

thermal radiation coming from the thermal shield connected to the previous stage. If superinsulation is used, part of this "radiation" load may technically be conduction, but functionally it will still depend on the total surface area of the low temperature assembly.

If we assume that the second stage reaches, 70 K and the separation distance is 2 cm, then we

can expect a heat load of about 2. 5/t w/cm"^^ . This value could be obtained by using either

moderately shiny surfaces or a few layers of superinsulation. Estimated sizes and surface

areas for the instruments are given in the Table.

The second contribution to the heat load is. conduction through support rods, electrical

leads, and any other tubes or cables which run to the last stage. Generally these items can

be thermally lagged to the previous stage, so we are only concerned with their conductivity

between 70 K (to follow our example) and about 8K. If the vibration and motion of the

cryocooler's last stage can be tolerated, the superconducting elements could be mounted

directly to this stage and no additional support rods would be necessary. This is not the case for the ELF antenna and the geophysical magnetometer. The ELF^antenna, in particular,

would have a rather large superconducting pickup coil structure (10 cm'^) requiring extremely rigid support. Our estimated contributions from these supports are based on a thermal

path length of 20 cm between the 70 K and the 8 K stages, and the use of a material such as fiberglass/epoxy (G-10). The other instruments are somewhat desensitized to motion in the

earth's field either by magnetic shielding or by internal balancing against uniform fields.

208
Signal and heater leads can generally be designed to cause a negligible heat leak, but this

is not the case for the current leads to a high field superconducting magnet. The requirement here is that the sum of direct conduction and Joule heat reaching the magnet while it

is being energized must not raise any part of the magnet above its maximum operating temperature. We can gain a significant advantage by thermally lagging these leads to our canonical 70 K stage, and with the optimum choice of lead diameter, one gets a heat load of 8 mW/A.

Charging a 5 Tesla susceptometer magnet would typically require 50 A and thus generate an additional 400 mW of heat. The use of a Nb^Sn magnet would be almost inescapable in this

situation, since the termperature could be allowed to rise to about 14 K. This is to be

compared with a 5 K limit for a NbTi magnet.

The third category of heat load covers energy which is injected directly into the low temperature region from an external source. It is unaffected by shielding or lagging at any

intermediate temperatures. The primary example in our present list of instruments is the

10 mW of microwave power which must be shined onto the junctions in the Josephson voltage

standard. Another example is the power which must be used to heat superconducting shields

or switches above their transition temperature, as in the susceptometer.

5. Vibration

The severity of this problem is critically dependent on the way the instrument is engineered

and interfaced to the cryocooler. For this reason, it will not be possible to quantify any

requirements on the cryocooler itself.

The angular motion of superconducting pickup coils is the crux of this problem. When the

support structure is flexed so that a magnetometer pickup loop rotates slightly in the

earth's field, then a spurious signal as large as 10"^ Gauss/degree can be generated. If

the frequency of this flexing is within the bandwidth of the desired signals, then simple

filtering will not be useful. However, we know that the vast majority of the mechanical

disturbance from the cryocooler is perfectly periodic and predictable. That allows us, in

principle, to determine and subtract this periodic signal from the instrument's output. As

long as these synchronous disturbances are not so large as to cause non-linearities or overloads in the SQUID system, then this technique should be capable of giving at least a 40 dB

improvement in noise. From the instrument designer's standpoint, it is therefore more

important to have tight specifications on the non-reproducible component of the cryocooler 's motion. The only defense against this random motion is to design sufficient mechanical

isolation into the instrument. In Table 1 we have made estimates of how much non-synchronous motion could be tolerated in the pickup coil regions of the various instruments. Typical signal bandwidths are also given. For instruments which have inherent shielding or balancing against motion in the earth's field, these motion limitations are more dependent

on internal flexing between the coils and shields. Our estimates in these cases are based

on the degree of rigidity which we have observed in conventionally cooled versions of the

same instruments.

6. Magnetic Noise

Except in the fully shielded instruments such as the susceptometer or rock magnetometer , the

magnetic disturbance caused by the cryocooler is likely to be an extremely severe problem.

These magnetic fields are locally generated and will be very non-uniform in the region of

the pickup coils. Therefore the balancing scheme used in instruments such as the biomedical

gradiometer will not be effective in rejecting them.

This is an area where some initial care on the part of the cryocooler manufacturer could

save the instrument designer a tremendous amount of effort later. Nominally non-magnetic

materials such as stainless steel should be used for any moving parts within several meters

of an unshielded SQUID pickup loop. Parts such as the displacer and its supporting structure which are both cold and close to the pickup coils must be scrupulously non-magnetic.

It would be even better if they were also non-metallic and had low paramagnetic susceptibility.

209
The effectiveness of ferromagnetic or superconducting shields for reducing the cryocooler's

magnetic noise is limited. This is because such shields also distort and shield the fields

which the geophysicist or medical researcher is trying to measure. We can, however, use the same technique of synchronous noise rejection which was proposed for vibration rejection.

In practice one might not even distinguish between noise from motion and noise from direct

magnetic pickup. Our estimates of maximum permissible magnetic noise refer to non-synchronous fields which are in the instrument's signal bandwidth.

7. Operating Time Between Service

This is probably the most subjective of our proposed requirements. Let us consider the

instruments one at a time to see how we arrived at the times listed in Table 1.

The ELF/VLF antenna would presumably be towed behind a submarine. If any dismantling or repairing of the cryocooler was required during a routine cruise, this could well make the

instrument design unacceptable to the military. A very large fraction of the instrument's

cost should be devoted to obtaining an extremely reliable and long lived cryocooler, because

unexpected mechanical failures could cause serious communication problems. Since a cruise

would typically last 6 months, this period of continuous maintenance free operation should

be the minimum specification.

The Josephson voltage standard would probably be used for a few hours at a time to do periodic calibration of secondary standards. We feel that a six month interval between factory

servicing would be about the minimum acceptable. Based on one working day a week of use this would imply 200 operating hours. The convenience of not having to maintain a liquid

helium supply would certainly outweigh the inconvenience and cost of the twice yearly

service.

The rock magnetometer might be used for several days at a time, then be idle for several

days. At a 50% duty cycle we would have to require about 2000 hours of unmaintained operation to obtain a twice yearly service schedule.

We expect the use pattern of the susceptometer to be similar to that of the rock magnetometer. However, the susceptometer is a larger, more complex instrument which would certainly have to be serviced in the field. It would therefore be desirable if scheduled maintenance of a major nature did not have to be done more often than once a year.

Geophysical magnetometers are usually taken into the field for surveys lasting only one or

two months, and the use of cryocooled instruments could be more than a matter of convenience

if the survey were being done in a remote area where liquid helium is not available. On the

other hand, continuous and maintenance free operation would be absolutely necessary for the

duration of the expedition. Between each survey we expect that complete maintenance would

be performed.

The biomedical gradiometer, as used in a clinical environment, would probably be cooled only

when required: it might be operated for one or two days each week. Under these conditions,

and with an assumed service period of six months, we would require about 1000 hours of

operation, on an intermittent basis.

Concl usion

Some of the demands which we have made on cryocooler performance in this paper are certainly

beyond what is available in commercial or even in experimental machines. This is not meant

to discourage development work on cryocooled superconducting instruments.

We do want to emphasize, however, that at this time, the task of designing a commercially

viable system would be extremely difficult. A liquid helium bath is mechanically and

magnetically quiet, thermally stable in the face of large heat loads, and not prone to

mechanical breakdown. It will not be easy to make it obsolete, although we would certainly

like to do so.

210
Table 1 Operating Specifications for Cryocooled Instruments

VLF/ELF Antenna

Josephson

Voltage

Standard

Rock

Magnetometer

Susceptometer

Geophysical

Magnetometer

Biomedical

Gradiometer

Cooled Mass (Kg) 2 0.5 2 15 0.5 1

Total Heat Content (Joules) 2X10^

4

5X10 2X10^ 1.5X10^

4

5X10^ 10^

Required Cool Down Time (Hrs.) 24 1 4 24 24 1

Operating Temperature (K) \o r>

L. 4

Expected Heat Load

1) Radiation (mw^ 5 1 5 10 1 20

2) Supports and Leads (mw"* 7 0 0 400 2 0

3) Direct Heating (mw] 0 10 0 5 0 0

4) Total (mw^ 12 11 5 415 3 20

Bandwidth of Interest (Hz)

2 3 lO^-lO'' <1 <io <io

-4 2 10 ^-10'^ -1 2 10 -10

Maximum in Band Motion

of Superconducting Parts

(Non-Synchronous) (degrees) 10-9 10-^ 10-1 10-3 10-^ 10-2

Maximum In Band Magnetic

Field at Superconducting

Loops (Non-Synchronous) (Gauss) 10-^1 10-1 10-1 10-1 10-9 10-10

Required Operating Time

Between Service (Hours) 5X10^ 2X10^ 2X10^ 4X10^ 2X10^ 10^

211
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Refrigerator Requirements for Potential

Josephson Data Processing Systems

B. J. C. van der Hoeven , Jr. and W. Anacker

IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center

Yorktown Heights, N. Y.

Josephson Technology offers the potential for data processing systems with ultrahigh performance. Such a system would operate in a cyrogenic environment at liquid helium

temperature. The basic operation of Josephson computer circuits and refrigerator

requirements for such a processor are described, with emphasis on cost, size, reliability

and power.

Key words: Josephson, Data Processing, Cryogenics, Refrigerators, I.O.

I. Introduction

Logic and memory circuits employing Josephson junctions operating at

4.2°K are promising candidates for data processing systems with ultrahigh performance. [1, 2] They offer the potential of ultimate system performance

significantly faster than that presently achieved with Si technology due to

the fact that they combine very fast switching times (tens of picoseconds)

,

short staged logic delays ('\'100 picoseconds) , and extremely low

power dissipation Onicrowatts/circuit) for circuits with dimensions

comparable to todays Si technology. Typically delays for Josephson circuits

are approximately one order of magnitude less than Si circuit delays and

power dissipation per circuit about three to four orders of magnitude less

than Si.

A limiting factor in the performance of processors using Si technology is

their physical size. Despite the miniaturization of devices on a chip, and

thus the power dissipation per circuit, power density on a chip tends to

remain constant or even go up. In order to extract this dissipated power,

extensive structural hardware is necessary to diffuse and extract the heat.

The space necessary for the heat removal hardware tends to keep the

volumetric packaging density and thus physical size constant at the system

level. As circuit speed increases, the propagation delay between circuits

then becomes the limiting factor in overall system performance. Thus

the combination of fast circuits and low power dissipation of Josephson

Technology permits the design of high performance systems in a very dense,

volumetric package, reducing the intercircuit distances and delays and

permitting full utilization of the fast switching of the devices.

Figure 1 illustrates this comparison of circuit density at the system level

for Josephson and Si, and also indicates the major contributors to the cycle

time of a processor which ultimately determines the number of programming

instructions a machine can process per unit time. For example, the IBM

37Q/168 can process about 3.5 million instructions £^er sec (3.5 MIPS) and

' has a cycle time of '^70 nsec. ('^ 4 cycles/instruction). The central

processing unit (CPU) of a large processing system such as the 370/168

contains typically about 2Q0K logic circuits and several megabytes

(1 byte = 8 data + 1 error detection bits) of memory. Systems of this size

in Josephson Technology might occupy a volume equivalent to a cube on the

order of 5-10 cm on a side and dissipate 1-5 watts, including dissipation

due to heat leaks thru input/output cables. Such a processor would be

immersed in liquid He, the power density on the chip being a few percent

of the nucleate boiling limit for liquid He. Thus cooling is accomplished

213
214
by convection of liquid He over the chips.

This paper will describe basic operation of Josephson computer circuits and

refrigerator requirements for such a processor, taking into consideration

cost, size, reliability and power.

II . Josephson Tunneling Devices & Circuits

The operation of switching devices used in Josephson Technology depends on two quantum-mechanical phenomena: superconductivity and electron tunneling.

A Josephson tunnel junction consists of two films of superconducting metal

separated by a layer of Insulating oxide that is thin enough ('\'50A) to

permit electron tunneling [3]. The tunneling occurs in two quite different

ways.

The BCS [4] theory of superconductivity postulates that superconducting

electrons are associated in pairs since the energy of pairs is lower than the

energies of the individual electrons, and that the waves associated with

the pairs are all in step, or in phase, throughout the superconductor. The

single electrons condensing into pairs leave behind a "forbidden energy gap"

in the density of states vs. energy diagram. As a consequence, single

electrons can not readily tunnel through an insulator as long as they are facing forbidden energy states In the metal electrodes. Only if they are given sufficient energy to tunnel into energy states above the energy gap

does tunneling actually take place. This energy is supplied simply by

establishing a voltage, typically of a few millivolts, across the Insulator.

This prediction of the BCS theory was verified by I. Glaever [5] of General

Electric in the early 1960's. Shortly thereafter, B. Josephson [6] of

Cambridge University pointed out that if the insulating layer were thin

enough, say about ten atom layers, the phase coherence of electron pairs

could also extend through it. In this case, electron pairs can tunnel through

the barrier, which behaves like a weak superconductor Itself, and there

is no voltage drop across it.

Thus we have two possible forms of tunneling. In one, single-electron

tunneling, there is a voltage drop across the Insulator typically of a few

millivolts, and in paired tunneling there is no voltage drop at all.

Josephson further showed that the pair tunneling could be Influenced by

a small magnetic field. The two types of tunneling, and the ability to

switch from one to the other by applying a small magnetic field, provides

the basis for the computer switching element

.

In 1965, J. Matisoo [7] of the IBM Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights,

New York, built the first Josephson junction switching device for digital

computer circuits. The basic switching device consists of a Josephson tunnel

junction with an insulated control line above it. A small current in the

control line generates a field which can switch the junction from the

"no-voltage" state into the "voltage" state.

As soon as a voltage appears across the junction, the current through it will

switch into another superconducting path if one is available. Current in

the new path can then be used as control current for subsequent junctions.

An array of such circuits thus can perform computer logic and arithmetic.

For memory, the devices are placed in a superconducting loop in such a way

that a persistent current can be established in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise sense. The direction of the current then represents

215
binary information, a "1" or an "0". As long as the loop remains

superconducting the currents persist essentially forever. Theory

predicted that Josephson junctions should show extremely fast switching

action. Switching times of about 35 picoseconds have been measured at the

IBM Zurich Laboratory, the measurement being limited by the slow response

of the equipment. [8] Theoretical computations, supported by other measurements,

indicate that the switching is expected to have taken place in only about

10 picoseconds.

More recent work at the IBM Research Center in Yorktown Heights, N. Y.

has led to the successful fabrication and evaluation of logic and

memory circuits with minimum fabrication line widths of 25 ym. A 4 bit

multiplier [9] utilizing 50 devices on a 6.35mm X 6.35ram chip was successfully operated with a cycle time of 6.7 nsec and a full 4 bit

by 4 bit multiplication time of 27 nsec, again limited by experimental

measurement. Simulations indicated successful operation at a a 3 nsec cycle

and 12 nsec multiplication. A 64 bit {8 X 8) fully decoded array [10] was successfully operated with a cycle time of 5 nsec.

III. Refrigerator Requirements

For a variety of machine sizes, the estimated power dissipation and thus

refrigerator cooling requirements for Josephson processors operating in

the temperature range from 4.2 to 3.6°K can vary between 100 milliwatts

and 10 watts, with typical requirements of 1 watt. This includes the

power dissipation due to the processor itself, including logic, memory and

power supply as well as the heat leak due to input/output (I/O) lines and

through the cryostat walls into the liquid He. Such a system may require

several hundred I/O lines between room temperature and 4.2°K in order to

carry data to and from I/O devices (e.g. magnetic disc storage, terminals,

etc.) and power lines to supply the appropriate current levels for the

Josephson devices. Voltage levels on the power supply lines would range

from a. few hundred millivolts to a few volts with current levels ranging

from milliamperes to several hundred milliamperes . Signal levels on

I/O lines are foreseen to be on the order of 10 millivolts and fractions of a milliampere. It is also important to arrive at a judicious choice between

signal attenuation and distortion on one hand and minimum heat leak on the

other with respect to thermal and electrical resistance. Short, well

thermally engineered lines, with heat sinking to take maximum advantage

of helium vapor cooling as well as refrigerator cold stages appear capable

of reducing heat leak to several tenths of a milliwatt/line . As pointed

out above, immersing of circuit chips in liquid He is the preferred mode of

providing the appropriate thermal environment and of extracting the heat.

An additional important consideration is the environment for such systems.

They will typically be placed in an office or computer center location,

and should be small, quiet, easily serviceable and reliable. It is

envisaged that for a small processor with power dissipation less than

100 milliwatts, an open cycle refrigeration system could be used. This

216
would include a low cost helium reservoir/dewar with gas recovery system

capable of compressing the helium gas to storage cylinder pressure as it

is expelled from the dewar at a very low boil-off rate. Helium could be

returned to and liquified at a central distribution location, servicing many

such processors.

Larger systems would include processor, closed cycle refrigerator (excluding

compressor) and liquid helium reserve. One envisions a system incorporating

a three stage expansion engine, Joule-Thompson valve and liquid helium

reservoir existing concentrically around a removable center column containing

the processor itself and associated I/O interface unit, such that either can

be removed for field servicing and maintenance. Compressor and helium gas

storage would be remotely located. The liquid helium reserve should be

capable of maintaining the system at 4.2°K during refrigerator maintenance

periods and break down. Finally the refrigerator MTBF must be sufficiently

high.

It has already been mentioned that the internal regulated power requirements

for a Josephson processor are small, on the order of a few watts corresponding

to an unregulated power requirement for external power supplied (utility

power) of the order of 100 watts. To this must be added the unregulated

power requirement for the refrigerator which lies in the range of 1.5

to 2.5 Kwatts per watt refrigeration capacity at 4.2°K. In contrast, todays

large processing systems (e.g. 370/168) require nearly 70 Kwatts unregulated

power for. the CPU, including cooling requirements. A significant consideration

in the total cost of a processing system is the overhead capital cost associated

with cooling and power supplies for the system. Josephson processors offer

a significant advantage over semiconductor systems in terms of capital

investment for power supplies (greater than a factor of 10) . However

capital investment for refrigerators for Josephson systems is proportionally

high, in contrast to semiconductor systems for which capital cost for

cooling is relatively low. It is therefore extremely desirable that

refrigerator cost be reduced.

IV Commercially Available Refrigerators

A survey [11] has been made of the commercially available refrigerators which would

initially meet some of the requirements above. T3rpical systems make use of

a three stage Gif f ord-McMahan cycle plus a Joule-Thompson expansion valve.

Typical characteristics are:

2 watts cooling at A.Z^K

5 Kwatts unregulated power_^

Total system MTBF = 20,000 hours (with annual maintenance)

covering refrigerator, compressors, dewar, etc.

30" diameter X 4' height

8' X 8' compressor and helium gas storage area

1 year operation without helium gas (5 cylinders) replacement

Cost $60K single units

Cost for multiple xinits should be significantly lower. It is hoped that

optimization of small closed cycle refrigeration systems (including compressor,

expansion engine, J-T valve, etc.) for use in applications such as with

Josephson processors will further reduce this cost and increase reliability.

217
V Conclusion

Future data processing systems utilizing Josephson Tunneling Technology

have the potential of overcoming the fundamental limits of Si technology

for use in ultra-high performance machines. Essential for their use in

the commercial environment are the availability of extremely reliable,

small, well thermally engineered, easily serviced, low power consumption,

low cost, closed cycle refrigerators or open cycle systems with refrigeration

capacity of 100 milliwatts to 10 watts in the temperature range from 4.2

to 3.6°K. Some of these characteristics are available today, some are not.

It is hoped that further work especially in the areas of compressor/

refrigerator design, efficiency, reliability and cost reduction will be

encouraged

.

218
REFERENCES

1. Anacker, W. , Proc. of European Solid State Devices Research Conference,

Munich, Germany (Sept. 1976)

2. Zappe, H. H. , Proc. of 1976 International Conference on Solid State

Devices, Tokyo, Japan (Sept. 1976)

3. Greiner, J. H. , Journal of Applied Physics 4^, 32 (Jan. 1974)

4. Bardeen, J., Cooper, L. N., and Schrieffer, J. R. , Phys. Rev. 108

(^)ec. 1957)

5. Giaever, I., Phys. Rev. Lett. _5» 1^7 (1960)

6. Josephson, B. D., Phys. Lett. 1, 251 (1962)

7. Matisoo, J., Proc. IEEE 55 , 172 (1967)

8. Jutzi, W. , Mohr, T., Gasser M. , & Gschwind, M. , Electronics Lett. 8^, 589

C1972)

9. Herrell, D. J., IEEE J. of Solid State Circuits, SC-10, 360 (1975)

10. Henkels, W. , and Zappe, H. H. , IEEE J. of Solid State Circuits, to be submitted.

11. Harvell, J., CTI Cryogenics, and Rerig, R. , Air Products, Personal Communication

219

LITERS, KILOGRAMS, WATTS AND SECONDS:

Design Goals for a Refrigerator for Use with Superconductive Systems

M. Nisenoff

Naval Research Laboratory

Washington, D. C. 20375

ABSTRACT

A set of design goal values for certain non-thermal characteristics of a closed cycle refrigerator for use with

superconductive electronic systems is proposed. These

parameters include weight, volume, electrical input power

requirements and turn-on time. Other parameters, such as mechanical vibrations, electromagnetic and radio-frequency

inteference, which are also crucial to the utility of cryocoolers are not considered here.

Key Words: cryogenics, superconductivity, superconductive

devices, Super-Schottky devices, closed cycle

refrigeration systems.

1. Introduction

A common feature of most detectors of electromagnetic radiation whose

operation is based on the Superconductive Josephson Effect is the inherent

low noise characteristic of these devices. In the past, many of the

proponents of these devices have stressed this particular feature, sometimes

at the expense of other equally critical electrical and mechanical parameters. In this communication a summary of selected characteristics of

systems employing both Josephson and conventional sensors will be presented

with particular attention directed toward certain parameters, such as

volume, weight, turn-on time, and input electrical power requirements.

Typical values for these parameters will be used to propose a set of design

goals for certain characteristics -- other than the obvious thermal ones —

for a closed cycle refrigeration system to be used with superconductive

electronic (SCE) circuit elements.

2. Low Frequency Magnetic Field Sensors

One (or more) Josephson Effect devices inserted into an otherwise

totally superconducting loop will form a class of devices known as SQUIDs

(Superconducting Quantum Interference Device) which can detect extremely

small magnetic field changes in the frequency range from DC to several

megahertz. A comparison of several operating parameters of SQUID systems

and conventional systems is shown in Table I. The performance of the conventional systems is probably quite close to optimum while the SQUID performance in terms of instrument noise and signal bandwidth can probably be

improved by several orders of magnitude.

If SQUIDs are to be operated with closed cycle refrigeration systems,

design goals for such parameters of the cryrocooler as volume, weight, input

power requirements, turn-on time, etc. probably should be comparable to

those of the optically pumped helium vapor magnetometer, the AN/ASQ-81.

Such constraints would be essential for airborne and mobile land-based

operations, while they probably could be relaxed for shipboard and stationary land-based situations.

221
3. Microwave and Millimeter Wave Radiation Detectors

The low noise characteristics of Josephson devices and Super-Schottky

diodes as detectors of microwave and millimeter wave radiation are achematically shown in Figure 1 along with the performance of several conventional

detection systems. At frequencies below about 20 GHz, conventional technologies are very good and improving. Thus the use of superconducting detection

systems would appear to have potential only for frequencies above 30 GHz,

where conventional technologies will probably remain inferior to superconducting ones.

In certain operational situations,, the improvement in noise performance offered by the superconductive devices may be offset by other system

constraints and requirements. For example, in some military applications,

the very limited dynamic range and low saturation power levels of the

superconductive devices may preclude their use. In other situations,

such as airborne applications, where the device may possess all the required

electrical parameters, the volume and weight associated with the required

cryocooler may make the use of a superconductive unit less desirable. Thus

the entire set of electrical and mechanical parameters of the combined

superconductive device and cryocooler must be considered when the replacement of a conventional system by a superconductive one is being proposed.

4. Design Goals for a SCE Cryocooler

Without specifying a specific application, it is rather difficult to

propose a set of design goals for the parameters of a SCE cryocooler.

However, for a "typical" application, a set of values can be proposed for

certain non-thermal characteristics of the cryocooler for use with the

superconductive systems, viz,

2 3 Volume - several liters (10 inch )

Weight - several kilograms (pounds)

Electrical Input

Power requirements - tens of watts

Turn On Time - seconds (at most minutes)

Mean Time Between

Failures - 1000 hours minimum

(For a specific application, reference should be made to the operating

manuals of the conventional system that is to be replaced.) Other nonthermal parameters, such as mechanical vibrations, electromagnetic and

radio-frequency interference, which must be kept sufficiently low so as

not to degrade overall system performance, have not been considered in this

communication but will probably be treated elsewhere in these proceedings.

If closed cycle refrigeration systems can be built which satisfy

the obvious thermal requirements and are compatble with the non-thermal

parameters described here, it is highly probable that superconductive

electronic systems could become acceptable for widespread use in the field

and in military applications.

This work is partially funded by Naval Electronics Systems Command.

222
TABLE I

LOW FREQUENCY MAGNETIC SENSING SYSTEMS

Frequency Range (Hz)

Operation Bandwidth

(Hz)

Minimum Detectable

Magnetic Field, Change

(Gamma rms Hz ' )

Volume of Sensor

Assembly (liters)*

Weight of Sensor

Assembly (kg)

Weight of Total

System (kg)

Total Input Power

(W)

Turn-On Time (sec)

Optically

Pumped Vapor

Magnetometer

DC to 10^

0.01 - 2

Air-Core Saturable

Induction Reactor

Loop "Fluxgate'

0.02

23

(15 cm 00 X

130 cm long)

8

25

150

90 (typ.)

300 (max.)

Note 1

30-130

1

0.1 to 5x10

Variable

Single Axis

SQUID

Magnetometer

DC to 5x10^

Variable

10

-4

10

-2

10

-5

0.2 0.01

600 turns ( 3 cm diam. (1.2 cm diam.

2 m. dia. 20 cm. long 7 cm. long)

70

90

10

0.2

12

Note 2 Note 3

0.1

5 ( exclusive of

cryocooler

)

#

10 ( exclusive of

cryocooler

)

#

Note 4

Comments:

* Sensor assembly alone not including remotely located electronics and

power supplies.

# Seven day hold-time vertical dewar for SQUID systems has volume of 90

liters (30 cm OD by 130 cm long) and weighs about 25 kilograms)

Note 1 - Airframe mounted AN/ASQ-81; (AN/ASQ-81, Magnetic Detection Set,

Texas Instruments, Inc., Dallas, TX 78767; June 1973 brochure).

Note 2 - ELF Air-core Induction Loop, (R. J. Dinger and J. A. Goldstein,

Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C., private communication.)

Note 3 - Model 6640 Magnetic Field Intensity Meter; (Electro-Mechanics,

Inc. Austin, TX, brochure).

Note 4 - Single Axis SQUID magnetometer system with 3 inch diam. field

coil; (Superconducting Technology, Inc. Mountain View CA; SHE

Corporation, San Diego, CA; unpublished brochures)

.

223
FREQUENCY (GHz)

Figure 1. Comparison of the input noise characteristics of conventional

and superconductive detection systems operating at microwave

and milimeter wave frequencies.

22h
TABLE II

MICROWAVE AND MILLIMETER WAVE DETECTION SYSTEMS

GaAs FET

Amplifier

Paramp Paramp Josephson

Junction

Amplif ier

Frequency Range (GHz) 12-18 36 55-65 90-100

Bandwidth (GHz) 6 0.1 0.7 1.0

Noise Figure (dB) 8 3.8 5.8 0.5

Noise Temperature (K) 10-^ 400 840 50

Small Signal Gain (dB) 30 18 14 1

. for 1 dB

Compression (dBm)

+ 7 - 20 - 20 - 70

Dynamic Range (dB) 78 73 61 21

Volume (liters) 0.2 2.0 1.1

Weight (kilograms) 0.2 2.3 1.8 ?

IrLX lllc Xil^UU JrUWtrL V"/

3J 1 0 •J 10-3

Heater Power (W) 0 40 10 ?

Total Input Power (W) 3 50 15

Comments: Note 1 Note 2 Note 3 Note 4

Note 1-12 VDC power supply not included (Model AMT 1800 series

GaAs FET amplifiers built by Avantek, Inc. Santa Clara,

CA, unpublished brochures)

.

Note 2 - Experimental model built by AIL, Inc. includes paraamp,

downconverter , IF amplifier and DC power supply. (Microwave Journal, Feb. 1975, p 24).

Note 3 - Does not include 6 VDC power supply; (J. Wheleham, E.

Kraemer and H. Paczkowski, Microwave Journal, Nov. 1973,

p. 35) . Note 4 - Weight, volume and power requirements will be set by dewar

or cryocooler to be used.

225
in

crj

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rei

Till

on

re

to

tlP

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6)
Potential Scientific Uses of Cryogenics in Space

in the Temperature Range From 1 mK to lOK

E. Tward

Department of Physics and Astronomy

University of Regina

Regina, Saskatchewan

S4S 0A2 Canada

and

P. V. Mason

Space Science Division

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California

In this paper we report the results of a survey of potential users of cryogenics

in space. The survey was conducted informally in July, 1976, in order to determine the

cryogenic needs of the scientific community for space experiments. The experiments

which are described below are restricted to a temperature range extending from the mK

region to liquid helium temperatures. Experimental areas identified are experimental

relativity, He-^ and He^ experiments, IR astronomy, microwave astronomy and cosmic ray

detection.

3 4

Key words: Cryogenics for space; relativity in space; He and He in space; astronomical

research in space.

I . INTRODUCTION

This paper reports the results of a survey of potential users of cryogens in space.

The survey, conducted in July 1976, is intended for the determination of requirements

on cryogenic systems in the foreseeable future with the intention of formulating a research plan to ensure that systems can be developed for space use in sufficient time

to be available to users when required. This will allow their routine use on the wide

classes of experiments which could benefit from low temperature techniques. For the

purposes of the study the temperature range considered is 1 mK to lOK. The 1 mK lower

limit is established by the temperatures which can be routinely reached in earth-based

experiments

.

Cryogenic devices have found wide use in earth-based research chiefly due to improve

ments attainable through reduction of thermal fluctuations in these devices. This result

in the production of amplifiers and detectors of unprecedented sensitivity and low noise

powers. Examples of ^his are the SQUID amplifier with an equivalent noise temperature

at the input of ~ 10- K and superconducting IR detectors with a figure of merit an order

of magnitude better than those currently in use. In addition, there exist a number

of devices which make use of superconductivity (e.g., superconducting digital circuits,

magnets, e-m shields, magnetic bearings) which can only be constructed at cryogenic

temperatures.

The major experimental areas identified in this study are experimental relativity,

experiments in He-^ and He^, IR, microwave and gravitational astronomy, and cosmic ray

detection.

227
Development of cryogenic techniques for space could in addition provide the opportunity to use devices of general utility in space. These include gryoscopes for guidance,

superconducting bearings, low noise microwave receivers for communications and superconducting motors.

2. RELATIVITY EXPERIMENTS

Experimental relativity benefits greatly by the use of cryogenic temperatures. [1 , 2]

Many experiments can only be performed at these temperatures, due to the weakness of

gravitational forces. For example, the ratio of gravitational to electric forces between

a proton and an electron is:

_ Gm m . , -40

Fg = p e = 4.4 X 10

Fe e^

Since the motion of the objects responding to these forces is so small, it is often

imperative that the background thermal vibration against which these motions are measured

be reduced to a minimum. This can only be achieved by the reduction in thermal energy.

Because the effects to be measured are so small, experiments in this field are extremely

carefully thought out before they are attempted. In particular, disturbing extraneous

forces must be carefully considered and eliminated by very careful experimental design

and, if required, in reduction of the data. An example of this is the Stanford gyro

experiment which has been 15 years in design and construction. The subtlety of the

experiments and their implications for cosmology and the study of evolution of our universe

and astronomical sources makes research in this field challenging and rewarding.

Three experiments are being actively developed at present (gravitational radiation

detection, Stanford gyro, and equivalence). In addition a number of experiments which

require cryogenics to reduce dissipation and a space location to produce a quiet environment have been proposed [3].

2.1 Gravitational Radiation Detection

These experiments have great implications for general relativity, cosmology and

astronomy. If successful, they will confirm that gravitational radiation exists, as predicted by all gravitational theories except the Newtonian one. Detection of the

radiation will shed some light on the validity of competing gravitational theories.

Most important, perhaps, is that discovery of gravitational radiation will open a new

window on the universe, mitigating the limits to our knowledge imposed by our previous

restriction to the e-m spectrum and particle detection. Sensitive enough antennae

could detect gravitational radiation emitted by a large variety of proposed sources,

including quasars, stellar collapse into a black hole, supernova explosions, binary star

systems, dying binary systems, pulsars and birth of new pulsars. Antennae now being

constructed are reaching the sensitivities which theoreticians suggest are required

to detect expected radiation fluxes [4].

The Weber detector will certainly require cooling [5] This detector consists of

an antenna in the form of a cylinder. Under the action of gravitational radiation the

antenna would be set into the vibration. With a transducer sensitive to vibrations at

a normal mode of the bar (usually the first longitudinal mode) , the gravitational

radiation could be detected. To date an antenna of this type 1.5 meters long, operated

at room temprature, has been able to detect vibrational amplitudes of 10"-'-^ to 10" m

228
(one hundredth the dimension of a nucleus) . The limit on this sensitivity has been

imposed by the thermal vibrational of the antenna itself. A number of groups are now

attempting to cool antennae in order to improve their sensitivity by many orders of

magnitude.

Cryogenics are required basically for the following reasons: reduction of thermal

noise level in antennas; use of low noise amplifiers (probably SQUIDS); e-m shielding

available with superconducting shields, and vibration thermal isolation available with

a magnetically levitated antenna. That the lowest achievable temperatures will undoubtedly

be required for a flyable antenna is suggested by the fact that a number of groups are now constructing antennae for operation on earth in the mK temperature region.

The choice of a space environment benefits the experiment since vibration isolation

becomes increasingly difficult on Earth, especially if the antenna operates at low

frequency. The most attractive cryogenic experiment for space is the detection of gravitational radiation from the Crab Nebula at 60 Hz as proposed by Weber [6]. Also, the

possibility of long baselines between two or more antennae, which is necessary for spatial

resolution, is available in space.

Preliminary estimates for the cryogenics required are given in Table I.

Table I - Relativity Experiments

Experiments Temperature Temperature

Stability

Cooled Volume Cooled Lifetime of Ref.

Mass Experiment

Gyroscope <2.2K

Gravitational <2.2K

Wave Detector

10~^K

Equivalence < 2 . 2K

Gravitational <0.1K

Spin-Spin

Coupling

G

G

IK

< 0. IK/week

_3 <10 K/week

10 K/week

-2

10 K/week

cylinder

0,4 m diameter

X 1.5 m long

cylinder

0.3 m diameter

X 3.5 m long

20 litres

10 litres

cylinder

0.4 m diamter

X 0.4 m long

50 kg 1-2 years [7]

300 kg 7 days [5]

10 kg 1 day-1 year [10]

5 kg 12 days [3]

200 kg 1 week [3]

2.2 Stanford Gyro Experiment

This experiment [7, 8], which has been funded since 1963 and is under active development, will probably be the first relativity experiments to be flown. The experiment tests

Einstein's general theory of relativity by measuring the precession rate of one or more

gyroscopes with respect to the axis of a telescope pointing at a suitable fixed star.

In particular, the relativistic precession rate of a gyroscope in free fall about a rotating massive sphere (the earth), which was calculated by Schiff [9], is measured.

229
The experiment must be done in space in order to take advantage of the large mass and

moment of inertia of the earth, the reduction of suspension forces and torques achievable

on a gyro in space and the capability to utilize a drag-free satellite to reduce g.

It is proposed to develop a satellite which is essentially a free-flying dewar incorporating a drag-free controller. The cryogenic package is also a He dewar constructed

totally of non-magnetic materials. It is first precooled in a low magnetic field facility

and then inserted into the main flight dewar. Contained in the inner dewar are 4 gyroscopes, a zero g proofmass for the drag-free controller and a telescope used to orient the

apparatus. Temperature required is < 2.2 K and is provided by superfluid He. Temperature

stability provided by the He film is sufficient. An additional rationale for using superfluid is that this will eliminate bump boiling of the He which would send vibrations

through the apparatus. Cryogenic estimates are given in Table I.

2.3 Equivalence Experiment

This proposed experiment [10] tests the weak equivalence principle, which states

that the ratio of gravitational mass to inertial mass is the same for all bodies,

irrespective of their composition. To date, earth-bound experiments have tested this

hypothesis to at best 1 part in 10"''^. Using cryogenic techniques in space it is hoped

to improve these measurements to 1 part in 10''"^. An experiment of this precision would

allow one to test this fundamental postulate of gravitational theory.

The experiment consists of measuring the relative accelerations of two masses whose

centers of mass are nearly coincident. The two masses are superconducting coaxial

cylinders whose positions are sensed by superconducting coils. A feedback circuit drives

the masses back to their equilibrium positions. Currents in the feedback circuit con- stitute the signal determining the motions of the cylinders which are being measured.

The two chief motivations for a space experiment are: firstly that disturbing forces

are smaller in space. On earth the experiments would be limited by seismic noise to a precision of at best 1 part in lO-'-^; secondly, the driving acceleration in space may be

the full gravitational attraction of the earth - 950 cm/ sec^ . On earth the driving

accelerations are derived from the sun or the earth's rotation and are three orders of

magnitude smaller.

One is driven to the use of cryogenic techniques at this sensitivity by the following

considerations. Gravity gradient eff ects on the test masses restrict the distance between

the centers of mass to 10"^ cm or less. This forces abandonment of the traditional torsion

balance technique and requires large improvements in sensitivity and stability. Using

cryogenic techniques to measure the relative acceleration of two coaxial cylinders, this

sensitivity may be achieved. Cooling the apparatus reduces the thermal noise, allows the use of superconducting magnetic shields and allows superconducting position sensors using

SQUID amplifiers.

Many of the necessary techniques have already been developed for this and associated

projects. It is hoped that the earth-based experiment will eventually yield sensitivities

of - 1 part in lO-*--^. A satellite experiment as proposed tests the theory to 10~ in an experiment lasting an hour and 10"-'-^ in a year. If the system were increased to m = 100 kg

as appears feasible and T reduced to lO^^K, the equivalence principle would be tested to

10"^ at best. Given that the experiment must be done at cryogenic temperatures, it is

apparent that reduction of temperature from the 2 K region to the 0.01 K region would give

either the same resolution in 100th the time or 10 times the resolution with the same integration time.

230
The unprecedented sensitivity of this experiment would require a cryogenic system

with the properties outlined in Table I

3. He EXPERIMENTS

These experiments are important not only for their intrinsic scientific interest but

for their impact on future engineering of cryogenic systems in space as well. Measurements near the transition temperature where He^ becomes a superfluid (X-point) will contribute

to our understanding of the theories of cooperative transitions in a wide variety of systems.

Since cooperative transitions occur in solids as well as in phase changes from liquids to

gases, study of the X-point contributes to an understanding of these other systems

as well. Experiments on superfluid films are of intrinsic scientific interest and as well

are required for an engineering understanding of heat transfer mechanisms to a superfluid

cryogen bath. Experiments on bulk superfluids are necessary for engineering purposes if

superfluid He is used as a cryogen. Studies of the liquid-gas interface in He under zero-g

conditions will contribute to the theory of these interfaces in all such systems. He^ -He^

mixture experiments in a zero-g environment will allow one to engineer the next generation

of flyable refrigerators operating at temperatures substantially below 1 K.

3.1 Specific Heat near the X-Point

X-point experiments on helium provide information on the nature of the theories of all

cooperative transitions. Of all cooperative transitions, study of the X-point is the one most accessible to precise experimental measurements close to the transition temperature. This results from the intrinsic properties of helium for which the experimentally

measured properties are not smeared by crystal structure defects, impurities, strains, etc., as in solids nor by the divergence of the compressibility and thermal relaxation time

which makes measurements near the gas-liquid critical point difficult. Historically,

whenever more precise specific heat measurements near the X-point have been made in

helium, great activity has been generated in study of phase transitions in a wide variety

of other systems.

The experiment is of necessity cryogenic since the X-point is at a temperature of

T;i^ ~ 2.2 K. To date, earth-bound experiments have approached T^ to a temperature T given by

e = T -1 : 10~^ .

In a finite sample on earth, this is just about the limit one can attain before the

transition temperature is smeared by density gradient effects resulting from the earth's

gravitational field. In a low-g environment the measurements can be improved to:

E 2 X

10""'"° [11].

—8 —2/3

Near T^ , the coherence length, r diverges as r ~ 2 x 10 |e| cm. For a space

experiment with g/g = 10"-^^ a minimum temperature resolution e = 8 x lO"-'-'^, an optimum

sample height h = °1.40 cm and 4 days measuring time, the specific heat could be measured

to 1%. With g/g = 10"^, e = 2 X lO"-'-^, and h = 3.5 cm, a 1% measurement could be made

in 18 days.

231
Cryogenic requirements on the temperature stability and thermometry are very stringent,

the system to be cooled would have the representative properties listed in Table II.

Experiment

Table II He Experiments

Temperature Temperature Thermometric Size of

Stability Resolution Experiment

Cooled

Experimental

Time

Reference

4

Specific Heat 2.2K 10" """^K/ sec io-i\ 5 kg 4 days [13]

Velocity of

Sound near

A-po int 2.2K 10 ^^K/sec io-^\ 5 kg 4 days [14]

Liquid Gas

^ Interface in He

Helium Near

Its Critical

Point

He^-He^

Mixtures

He'

5.2K _•:> 3.2K

"^/^^^ <10 \

0.1K-2.2K

Dynamics of

Bulk Superfluid Helium <2.2K

and Dynamics

of Thick

Superfluid Films

10 K/sec short ^ term <10~ K

10 K/sec long

Measured

5 kg

5 kg

sphere 30 cm diameter

9 Kg

1 day [15]

1 week [16]

2 days [18]

3.2 Velocity of Sound Near the X-point

This experiment [12] is very similar to the specific heat measurements and could

perhaps be done at the same time. The experiment proposes to measure the velocity of

first sound, u, as close to the X-point as feasible, u is given by:

u-u, = 12 X 10'

where u^ is velocity of sound at T and C is the specific heat. Therefore, measurements

of u could give essentially the same infBrmation as specific heat experiments and is

considered here because of the ease with which it can be measured.

Experimental cryogenic requirements would be similar to those for the heat capacity

measurements listed in the previous section.

3.3 Liquid-Gas Interface in Helium Near Its Critical Point

The suggested experiment [13] aims at elucidating the behavior of the interfacial

region between liquid and vapor phases of He in the critical region and thus contributes

232
fundamentally to a theoretical understanding of the critical region. By measuring the

surface tension a and the density p (x) , information for the use of either He-^ or He^

cryogens in space could be obtained. A knowledge of a and p would contribute to the

modelling of the distribution of a liquid-gas system in a container under low g conditions.

The space environment is ideal for these measurements since on earth the gravitational

forces establish a density gradient across the sample so that the sample is at a critical

point only in a single plane perpendicular to g. Corrections which in principle can be

made on earth-bound measurements are limited by knowledge of the equation of state, which

is basically what one is attempting to measure. Surface properties will undoubtedly be

affected by the reduction of g. Whether the thermodynamic properties associated with

the interface will be modified in an essential way is an open question whose answer will

have a significant effect on an understanding of the interfacial region. Experimentally,

one is further helped by low g conditions since measurements of a by a differential

capillary rise method involving capacitive sensine is a method whose sensitivity is

inverse to g.

3 4 3.4 He - He Mixtures

3 4 Study of He - He mixtures [14] could provide useful information on these systems.

Study of the tricritical behavior where the X-line meets the two-phase region would give

information on the properties of this system in the transition region. Measurement of

quantities such as heat capacity, vapor pressure and osmotic pressure, sound and second

sound, and light scattering in a near zero-g environment would allow the tricitical

point to be approached perhaps two to three orders of magnitude closer than is now possible

on earth-bound experiments. On earth, experiments are limited by the earth's gravitational field which smears the transition temperature due to the very strong dependence of

the concentration susceptibility (9X/3A)^

p on the density of the fluid. Since the

density on earth is height dependent, thi5 xmposes a severe restriction on the nearness of

approach to T^. This is partially overcome in earth based experiments by reducing the

height h of the sample and hence the temperature difference between the top and bottom

of the container. On earth with:

, 9X . ~ 10"*"^ ergs

— 3 —2 we are limited to |t-Tj^| - 10 K, with h ~ 10 cm. There are limits to reducing h since

the mixtures have different properties in small containers from their behavior in the

bulk fluid. Reducing g to 10"^ g , as in the Space Shuttle, would allow a reduction of

T-T^ by three orders of magnitude and hence, a significant improvement in the study of

this system near the critical point.

An important additional problem is the nucleation of phase separation in metastable

mixtures. This is not only of intrinsic interest but is also critical for the use of

He^ - He^ dilution refrigerators in space. These refrigerators are now the first choice

on earth in the temperature region of 10"^ K to 0.8 K.

A system capable of doing these experiments would have the cryogenic requirements

listed in Table II.

233
3.5 Superfluid Agglomerates

This study [15] would investigate the possibility of creating in zero-g a new class

of superfluid structures consisting of phase agglomerates of superfluid He^ and either

liquid He^ (emulsions) or He-^ - He vapors (foams). If these systems can be made stable,

they would allow cryogenic engineers to design with space filling materials with variable

thermo-mechanical properties intermediate between superfluid helium and either normal

helium gas or liquid. The stability of these systems has engineering significance for

the construction of flyable He-^ - He dilution refrigerators to operate in the temperature

region of 10"^ K to 0.8 K. These refrigerators now depend on moving either He^ or He^

across a phase boundary between the two phases of the mixture produced below 0.8 K. On

earth the two phases are separated because of their different densities and the presence

of the earth's gravitational field.

In a zero-g environment one might expect that when the two phases are mixed, the

emulsion produced could be made meta-stable, since gravitational separation could no longer be a dominant mechanism. This may allow significantly increased times for

study of the "metastable" states and the properties associated with them.

Production of these systems in space would provide a new class of superfluid

structures allowing simplified measurements of restricted geometry effects and magnification of surface properties. A study of transport properties in superfluids of this

type would be of great theoretical interest. It is possible that vortex dynamics

could be studied in systems of this type.

At the present time an experimental design is premature.

3.6 Dyanamics of Bulk Superfluid Helium

This experiment [16] studies the bulk low frequency sloshing frequencies, damping

and temperature distributions in a volume of superfluid He where the helium is dominated

by surface tension forces rather than gravitational forces. The experiment is of great

significance for understanding the properties of the superfluid in space. This is

especially important for spacecraft designers wishing to understand the mechanical

and thermal effects of bulk Hell liquid motion under a zero-g environment.

The ratio of gravitational to surface tension forces on a liquid is described by the

Bond number B

r

a

where Ap is the density difference between liquid and vapor, a is the surface tension,

g the acceleration and^L a characteristic length of the container. For a 10~^ g environment, Bj. ~ 10 to 10 ; hence, surface tension effects dominate. Therefore, in a partially filled dewar, large amplitude, low frequency motions could be expected where

driven by external accelerations. This may have important consequences on thermal

stability in the bath, thermal contact to the bath and on the feedback attitude control

system of small spacecraft.

It is proposed to measure the fluid distribution using many liquid-vapor sensors. From this the distribution of the cryogen and the frequency and damping of the oscillations

could be determined. In addition, temperature sensors will give an indication of the

234
maximum temperature deviation which can be expected. The experiment can be performed in

conjunction with any other experiment which uses superfluid He as a cryogen simply by

instrumenting the cryogen bath with liquid vapor sensors and thermometers. The sensors,

already developed and used on a rocket experiment, will fill the available bath.

Typical cryogenic requirements for this are listed in Table II.

3.7 D3m.amics of Thick Superfluid Films

This experiment [16] proposes the study of quantized surface waves in thick superfluid films. Because superfluid helium has no viscosity it flows readily and forms

thin films on surfaces due to Van der Wall forces. Under zero-g conditions this film,

expected to coat all internal dewar surfaces, will provide an efficient heat link to the

cryogenic bath.

A unique wave mechanism existing in Hell film is third sound, the propagation of

gravity waves on Hell films thinner than a viscosity length X^.

, _ 2ri An - n where 1 is the viscosity of the normal fluid, p its density and

n n

p 0)

0) the frequency. In this regime, the normal fluid is clamped to the substrate by its

viscosity so that all motions take place in the superfluid. The dispersion relation for

the wave motion in clamped Hell is given by:

c^ =

( g + g/d") + a ~ ^ ^^^^

P

where c is the wave velocity, g is the acceleration due to gravity, k is the wave vector

a is the surface tension, p the density and d the thickness of the liquid film. The

gravitational and Van der Wall's forces give the g + a/d^ term. For long X and low

E frequencies, the g/k term dominates and the waves are gravitational. For short X and

high frequencies, the surface tension dominates and the waves are described as capillary

In a zero-g environment, capillary waves at frequencies at low as 1 Hz could be studied

in films as thick as 10 ym. Measurements will allow extension of experiment and the

theory of capillary waves to this frequency region in these thick films.

Study of capillary waves in a 1 g environment, even at higher frequencies, is

impossible because of attenuation, how thin the films must be to meet the damping

condition, and inability to maintain film uniformity. It is proposed to carry out

this experiment in an integrated package with the bulk superfluid experiment.

Cryogenic estimates are given in Table II.

4. ASTRONOMICAL EXPERIMENTS

These experiments make use of space in order to eliminate obscuring effects due to

the earth's atmosphere. The experiments can be categorized into three types. First are

the detectors of e-m radiation, i. e. , telescopes for IR and microwave regions of the e-m spectrum. Second are particle detectors of various types. Third is an experiment

previously described to detect gravitational radiation.

235
Telescopes are now being designed for flight. These are chiefly for observation

in the IR region of the spectrum, for example, the IR Astronomy Satellite. Additional

IR facilities and microwave receivers are now under active consideration and are in early

design and proposal stages. The IR telescopes all use cryogenic techniques. Microwave

"telescopes" in space will make use of cryogenic techniques when the users can be assured

that the lowest noise systems now available (maser amplifiers, [17, 18] cooled parametric

amplifiers and super-Schottky microwave mixers [19] can be reliably flown with available

cryogenic techniques. Amplifiers cooled to liquid He temperatures have noise temperatures

at the input of 1.5 to 2 orders of magnitude lower than the best room temperature

amplifiers [20]. Particle detectors under consideration would require superconducting

magnets; hence, their inclusion in this study.

4.1 IR Telescopes

IR telescopes are cooled in order to reduce the infrared radiation emitted by the

telescope itself. This improves the sensitivity of the telescopes since the instrument

noise is reduced. The ultimate limit to the required cooling is imposed by the cosmic

background radiation which is inescapable and is due to black-body radiation at 2.7 K. In addition, various types of IR detectors must be cooled in order to achieve required

performance. (Missions involving IR telescopes or facilities include IRAS, Space

Telescope, and Shuttle IR Telescope Facility.)

Interest in studying astronomical sources of infrared radiation is motiviated by

attempts to understand both galactic and extragalactic sources. Because of obscuration

by the earth's atmosphere, these measurements can best be done from a space environment.

For galactic sources, the origin, constitution and replenishment of interstellar matter,

the problem of star formation and the energy balance in Hell regions and molecular

clouds can be studied by looking at the IR spectral region. For extragalactic sources,

many of which emit mainly in the IR, an understanding of their luminosity in this region

of the spectrum is a major astrophysical problem.

A. IRAS. With this Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS) satellite, it is proposed

[21] to undertake an all-sky survey to measure the IR flux in four wavelength bands

centered at 10, 20, 50, and 100 \ixa. Since the aim of IRAS is to produce an all sky

survey with unprecedented sensitivity, it is likely that a large number of new sources will be detected which will warrant further study. Part of this can be done with IRAS

since 50 percent of the available time is reserved to special observational programs.

Additional special studies would probably be performed using more higher resolution

systems such as the proposed SIRTF [22], discussed below. The baseline IRAS system is

capable of detecting sources similar to those already known to distances up to 3 orders

of magnitude greater than the distances to known sources. Design of this system is well

advanced and therefore will not be reproduced in this study.

The cryogenic design is driven by the requirement to reduce flux from the telescope

itself and to cool the detectors. Cryogenic temperatures in the 1 - 4 K region are essential. As now proposed, the telescope is likely to be cooled by the gas evolving

from a superfluid He cryogen bath. The telescope will be maintained at a temperature

less than 10 K. The telescope baffles will be cooled to less than 16 K. The focal plane

assembly, including the IR detectors, will be cooled to ~3 K. In addition, a cryogenic

236
removable cover operating between 5.3 and 10 K will be used to protect the telescope

optics from contamination during and after launch. Projected heat loads are 10 mW for

the detectors at 3 K and 6 mW for the telescope at 5 - 10 K and 50 mW for those parts

(baffling supports, etc.) cooled to 5.2 - 16 K. Extensive details are given in [21].

B. SIRTF. The shuttle infrared telescope facility (SIRTF) as proposed [22] is

intended to be a man-operated astronomical observatory to perform infrared observations

from the shuttle. An observatory of this type will allow extended observation of

astronomical sources leading to a better understanding of galactic and extra-galactic

sources of infrared radiation.

In order to obtain sensitivity in a space observatory in which incoming IR flux is

not obscured by the earth's atmosphere, cooling of the telescope and detectors is

required. Accordingly, it is proposed that a 1.0 meter class cryogenically cooled

IR telescope will be provided with the capability to couple on a time sharing basis

to a variety of IR instruments. Specifications for such a telescope facility have

been written [22]. The proposed telescope barrel will be a large aperture dewar

with sufficient cryogen stored to give a 30 day running time. The telescope will be

~ 1 meter in diameter and be cooled to 30 K or less. A cryogenic removable cover would

be installed to allow cryopumping of contaminants during launch and while initially in

flight. A multiple instrument chamber (MIC) will incorporate provisions for various

instruments such as photometers, photoconductor detectors, Fourier spectrometers, polarimeters and grating spectrometers. Most of these will require cooling to liquid He

temperatures. The cryogen is suggested to be superfluid He at ~ 2 K. Any instrument

which requires cooling to He temperatures will be expected to use the 2 K reservoir as

a heat sink.

A cryogenic design for such a telescope facility could have a number of features

in common with that now being designed for IRAS. They include a similar cooling scheme

and a similar contaminant control scheme.

4.2 Cosmic Background Studies

Cryogenics are chiefly required in order to realize the low noise performance of

cooled amplifiers [20]. For the cosmic background experiments described herein this

is crucial in one case. For the survey of cosmic background in the millimeter wavelength region the bolometers which are being suggested must be cooled. For cosmic

background anisotropy experiments, cryogenic amplifiers would be useful but certainly

not essential.

Study of the cosmic background microwave radiation provides a unique opportunity

for study of the early pregalactic plasma stage of our universe. The radiation,

characteristic of a black body of temperature 2.7 K, provides a window on the early

history of the universe and its subsequent expansion and as such provides a test

of the various proposed cosmologies. From previous study of cosmic background radiation and other astronomical evidence it would appear that the universe has evolved

from an initial singular state or "big bang" as predicted using Einsteins's theory

of general relativity. Since the photons of the radiation have not directly interacted

with matter for almost all the history of cosmic evolution, study of this radiation

provides a unique opportunity for gaining insight into the surface of the primordial

hot plasma and inferring from small scale structure of that surface much of the early

237
inhomogeneities which have lead to clumping and galaxy formation. A brief review of

the scientific rationale for this study can be found in [20]

.

Two allied experiments are now under consideration for flight in the same cryogenic package.

A. Cosmic Background at Millimeter Wavelengths. The first is an experiment to measure the cosmic background radiation in the far infrared (or microwave) regions of

the e-m spectrum for wavelengths between 0.5 to 3 mm.

The antenna would likely consist of an exponentially shaped horn of dimensions

1 m long and 30 cm aperture and would use bolometers as detectors. The spectrometer

and cone would be cooled to temperatures -2.7 K. Consideration is being given to

developing bolometers to operate at 0.3 K in order to reduce the noise equivalent

power (NEP) of the bolometer and hence increase their sensitivity.

B. Anisotropy of Cosmic Background. The second experiment proposes to survey

the large scale anisotropy of the radiation [20]. The objective is to determine to

high precision the dipole, quadrupole and higher order spherical harmonics of the cosmic

background radiation field at frequencies in the range 18 - 90 GHZ. Determination of

these forms of anistropy is an important problem of experimental cosmology bearing

directly on the evolutionary history of the universe.

Earth based measurements have been dominated by problems due to variable atmospheric

emission, hence the motivation for placing a system in orbit. This could be accomplished

by mapping the microwave emission at several frequencies to a relative accuracy of 0.3 mK

and an angular resolution of 15° over the entire celestial sphere. As initially

proposed cryogenic techniques would not be required. However, should this experiment

continue to be allied with the previous one, an opportunity would exist to use a cryogenically cooled amplifier having a sensitivity 2 orders of magnitude greater than

those available at room temperature. This improvement could be used to reduce the time

require to perform the experiment, to increase the relative accuracy, or to increase

the angular resolution.

4.3 Cosmic Ray Detection

Study of high energy particles or cosmic rays incident on the earth is a subject

with implications on cosmology. Identifying the incoming particles, their masses and

energies can contribute to an understanding of galactic energy storage mechanisms, the

2.7 K cosmic background radiation through its influence on the electron spectrum,

characteristics of the cosmic ray sources and the possible existence of primordial

matter.

Magnetic spectrometers [23] incorporating cryogenically cooled superconducting

magnets contribute to this study in the measurement of particle rigidities which are related to the particle momenta and charge. Since the spectrometer does not disturb the

particle other than to change its flight direction, use of other available detection

techniques in conjunction with the spectrometer would allow the particle to be separately

identified as electrons, protons or individual nucleides and would distinguish between

particles and anti-particles.

Cosmic ray particles can as well be used for studies in high energy physics. The

highest energy particles avaiable to high energy physicists are not produced in large

accelerators but rather arrive as cosmic rays.

238
Magnetic spectrometers using superconducting magnets have been successfully flown in

balloons. The advantage to be gained by going to space comes from the fact that cosmic

rays interact strongly with the atmosphere. An experiment above the earth's atmosphere

would allow a study of the primary cosmic rays with potentially increased fluxes.

A cryogenic system suitable for space flight is similar to those already used for

balloon-borne spectrometers. Typically it would consist of a dewar containing two

large superconducting magnet coils. Two coils with opposing fields are required in order

not to orient a spacecraft in the earth's magnetic field. Typical dewar dimensions are

a cylinder 0.6 m long by 0.6 m diameter. The cryogen bath could be held anywhere in the

temperature region of 1 - 5 K with no requirement on temperature stability. A suitable

running time for a typical experiment would be a few days.

5. OTHER EXPERIMENTAL AREAS

Studies of the earth's atmosphere and cloud parameters might benefit from use of the

very far infrared cooled detectors which are now being developed. At present, however,

no definite proposals could be identified. It is to be expected that once these detectors

have been developed for astronomical use and become generally available, use of these

devices will become widespread in atmospheric physics research.

6. CONCLUSIONS

A number of research areas requiring flyable cryogenic systems at temperatures below

4 K have been identified. Systems requiring temperatures of 2 K for periods of a year or more now under active development for flight before 1980. Experiments operating to the

mK temperature region are now being proposed. Provision of temperatures dowi to 1 K for

extended periods now appears to be feasible. Considerable effort is, however, required

for the development of flyable cooling systems working at temperatures below IK. A

number of possible techniques are suggested in [24],

References

[1] Fairbank, W. M. , "The Use of Low Temperature Technology in Gravitational Experiments,"

Proc. of the International School of Physics "Enrico Fermi" Course LVI , ed. B. Bertotti, Academic Press, New York (1974).

[2] Everitt, C. W. F. , "Gravitation, Relativity and Precise Experimentation," in Marcel

Grossman Proc. ed. R. Ruffini, Trieste, July 7-12, 1975, North Holland Press.

[3] Braginsky, V. B., Caves, C. M. , and Thome, K. S., Phys. Rev. D, 15, 2047 (1977).

[4] Rosi, L. A. and Zimmerman, R. L. , "A Maximal Background Spectrum of Gravitational

Radiation," As trophys . & Space Sci. (Netherlands) 447 (December 1976).

[5] Weber, J., General Relativity and Gravitational Radiation, New York Interscience

,

(1961)

.

[6] Weber, J., "Gravitational Radiation Experiments at Moderate and Low Temperatures,"

(in press) , Proceedings of the Academia Nazionale dei Lincei International Symposium

on Experimental Gravitation, Pavia, Italy, Sept. 17 - 20, 1976.

[7] Everitt, C. W. F. , "The Gyroscope Experiment I, " Proc. of the International School

of Physics "Enrico Fermi" Course LVI, ed. B. Bertotti, Academic Press, New York (1974),

239
[8] Lipa, J. A., Fairbank, W. M. and Everitt , C. W. F. , "The Gyroscope Experiment II"

in Proc. of the International School of Physics "Enrico Fermi" Grouse LVI , ed.

B. Bertotti, Academic Press, New York (1974).

[9] Shiff, L. I., Proc. Nat. Aca. Sci. , 46, 871 (1960).

[10] Worden, P. W. , Jr., and Everitt, C. W. F. , "The Gyroscope Experiment III, Tests of

the Equivalence of Gravitational and Inertial Mass Based on Cryogenic Techniques,"

Proc. of the International School of Physics "Enrico Fermi" Course LVI, ed. B. Bertotti, Academic Press, New York (1974).

[11] Fairbank, W. M. , Van Kann, F. J., and Lipa, J. A., "The Possibility of Performing

in Space an Improved Measurement of the Lambda Point Heat Capacity Singularity"

Proceedings Summary of the Conference on Quantum Fluids in Space, Eugene, Oregon,

July 1, 2, 1975, ed. R. J. Donnelly and P. Kittel, p. 35.

[12] Rudnick, I., "Preliminary Feasibility Study for Lambda Point Experiment on Liquid

Helium," ibid, p. 2 6.

[13] Northby, J. A. and Hallock, R. B. , "The Liquid-Gas Interface in Helium Near its

Critical Point," ibid, p. 16.

[14] Cole, M. W. , Goldman, A. M. , and Saam, W. F. , "Possible Cryogenic Mixture Experiments

in Two Component Systems in Space," ibid, p. 6.

[15] Campbell, L. J., "Proposal of STudy of Superfluid Dispersion," LASLP77, Los Alamos

Scientific Library.

[16] Mason, P. V. , "Dynamics of Bulk and Thick Film Superfluid Helium," Proposal to

NASA^Investigation and Technical Plan, JPL Internal Document No. 750-86, June 11,

1976.

[17] Clauss, R. C. and Wiebe, E., "The Deep Space Network Progress Report for Jan. & Feb.,

1973," JPL Technical Report 32-1526 Vol. XIX, April 15, 1973.

[18] Reid, M. S., Clauss, R. C. , Bathker, D. A. and Stelzried, C. T. , Proc. of the IEEE,

61, 1330 (1973)

[19] McColl, M. , Milea, M. F. , Silver, A. H. , Bottjer, M. F. , Pedersen, R. M. , and

Vernon, F. L. , Jr. , "The Super-Schottky Microwave Mixer," 1976 Applied Superconductivity Conference, Stanford University, Aug. 17 - 20, 1976, paper Gl.

[20] Interim Study Report for Cosmic Background Explorer, Feb. 1, 1977, Goddard Space

Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland.

[21] IRAS, "Report of the Joint Scientific Mission Definition Team for an Infrared

Astronomical Satellite," May 1976.

[22] "Preliminary Design Study for Space Shuttle Infrared Telescope Facility Final

Report," August 1975, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California.

240
[23] Golden, R. L. , and Badhwar, G. D. , "Superconducting Magnets for Spaceflight,"

presentation to Research Goals for Cosmic Ray Astrophysics in the 1980 's ESRIN,

Frascati, Italy, October 24, 1974.

[24] Tward, E. , "Refrigeration Below 1 K," Report to JPL/NASA, JPL Internal Document

No. 900-756, August 1976.

241
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Josephson Voltage Standards - An Application for Cryocoolers?

L. B. Holdeman and C. C. Chang^

Electricity Division, Institute for Basic Standards,

National Bureau of Standards, Washington, D.C. 20234

A Josephson-effect voltage-standard instrument, similar to but less accurate

than the instrument used to maintain the U.S. legal volt, has been developed by

the Electricity Division of the National Bureau of Standards. The Josephson

device incorporated into this instrument operates with a combined rf and dc power

input of less than one milliwatt. Microwave radiation is brought to the Josephson device via a small -diameter stainless-steel coaxial cable, so that the

thermal load on the cryostat due to heat leaks is minimal.

Key Words: ac Josephson effect; Josephson junction; low temperature; superconductivity; voltage calibration; voltage standard.

When a Josephson junction is irradiated with microwaves of frequency v, constantvoltage steps are induced in the I-V characteristic of the junction at voltages proportional to V [1,2], and thus a Josephson junction can be used as a precision frequency-tovoltage converter [3]. The constant-voltage steps occur at integral multiples of (h/2e)v,

where h is Planck's constant and e is the charge on an electron. On July 1, 1972, the

National Bureau of Standards adopted the value 2e/h = 483593.420 GHz/Vf^jg^ [4], and since

that date the U.S. volt has been maintained via the ac Josephson effect [5].

It has been estimated that more than six thousand laboratories in the U.S. maintain

an "in-house" dc voltage reference [6]. Over three hundred of these utilize the calibration services of NBS, which require the transportation of Weston-type cadmium-sulfate

standard cells to and from the NBS volt facility at Gaithersburg, Maryland. However, with

the volt defined in terms of frequency through 2e/h, it is now possible for laboratories to

maintain a unit of emf traceable to NBS without having to transport electrochemical cells,

since frequency standards are broadcast throughout the U.S. by NBS on radio stations WWV

and WWVH. A prototype Josephson-effect voltage-standard instrument, designed to be used by

secondary standards laboratories to calibrate standard cells, has been developed in the

Electricity Division of NBS [7-9]. The instrument has an overall accuracy (2a) of 0.4 ppm

or better [8], and will be commercially available [10]. The feature of the instrument

which is perhaps most pertinent for cryocooler considerations is that the combined dc and

rf power input required for the Josephson junction is less than one milliwatt, as compared

with tens to hundreds of milliwatts for "conventional" Josephson voltage standards operating on the same voltage step.

The system consists of four major parts: a Josephson junction-microwave integrated

circuit package (MIC), a microwave source and dc current supply for the junction, a dewar

and probe, and a potentiometer system. The room temperature components of the instrument

were developed by B. F. Field of the Electricity Division staff. The dewar probe was designed by V. W. Hesterman, an NBS Research Associate from Superconducting Technology, Inc.

The MIC used in the instrument was developed by the authors [9].

The design of the potentiometer system makes the instrument extremely simple to use. Instead of the usual procedure of adjusting the microwave frequency to "fine-tune" the

junction voltage to match the potentiometer output, the potentiometer ratio is adjusted and

can be varied sufficiently to accomodate both saturated and unsaturated standard cells.

Moreover, the Josephson junction need not be employed for each and every cell measurement:

the potentiometer incorporates a constant current source which is "standardized" by

matching the potential drop across the resistor network to the junction voltage. The drift

of the current source is less than 0.2 ppm/hr. Thus the Josephson junction is needed only

to determine the initial potentiometer current setting and for periodic readjustment of the

potentiometer current to compensate for drift; i.e. for less than five minutes per hour of

operation.

^Permanent address: Department of Electronics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin,

Hong Kong.

243
Except for the MIC, the major parts of the instrument are described in detail elsewhere [8] and will not be described further in this paper.

Figure 1: Josephson junction-microwave integrated circuit developed for the one-ppm 2e/h

voltage standard: (1) Section of 50 Q microstrip transmission line for contact to coax-tomicrostrip launcher, end-coupled to one of two microstrip resonators; (2) Gap between launch

pad and resonator determines the loaded Q of the coupled resonators; (3) Half-wavelength

microstrip resonator; (4) DC lead incorporating an elliptic-function low-pass filter

(5) Section of 50 Q. microstrip transmission line terminating the low-pass filter and forming a contact pad for attaching external dc leads (6) Josephson tunnel junction formed at

the overlap of the two superconducting films; (7) Section of high-impedance microstrip

transmission line coupling the two microstrip resonators.

The geometry of the MIC is shown in Fig. 1. The circuit is produced by evaporating

Pb films through stencil masks onto 25 mm x 25 mm x 0,8 mm glass substrates; the shaded

and unshaded parts of the circuit are evaporated separately. An oxidation process is

carried out between evaporations so that a Josephson tunnel junction is formed where the

two films overlap. The Pb films are made thin (thickness < 200 nm) so that the Pb/PbxOy/Pb

tunnel junction can be cycled several times between room and liquid helium temperatures^;

Pb/PbxOy/Pb tunnel junctions can be stored indefinitely at 77 K.

The circuit is mounted in an enclosed MIC package with an aluminum ground plane beneath the substrate; thus, except for the Josephson junction, the circuit is composed of

sections of microstrip transmission line which are combined to form resonators, low-pass

filters, coupling elements, and filter terminations and contact pads for external dc leads.

Microwave power is brought into the cryogenic environment via a small diameter stainless steel 50 Q coaxial cable and into the MIC package through a commercial coax-to-microstrip adaptor to a short section of 50 Q. microstrip transmission line. This section of

microstrip line is end-coupled to a "half-wavelength" microstrip resonator, which in turn

is coupled to a second microstrip resonator through the junction impedance and a short

section of high impedance microstrip line. This "double-resonator" configuration results

in excellent coupling of the microwave radiation to the Josephson junction.

The MIC operates at 4.2 K and 9 GHz on a constant voltage step at approximately 5.2 mV

[7]; the exact rf power required depends on the junction resistance. Junction resistances

can be between 0.4 and 1.0 Q. (the lower limit is set by junction self-heating and the upper

limit by the minimum acceptable height of the current steps); the corresponding rf power

inputs required for steps at 5.2 mV are 0.9 and 0.25 mW respectively (measured at the top

21^4
of the cryostat). For 0.9 mW power input the reflected rf power was 0.1 mW. Junction

dimensions are approximately 75 ym x 125 ym. A more detailed description of the MIC and

its development is given in another publication [9].

In addition to the support structure and stainless steel coaxial rf cable, other

necessary heat leaks are due to six dc leads and a hollow fiberglass tube to actuate a superconducting mechanical switch. In the prototype instrument, there are four 0.13 mm diameter (#36 AWG) wires of SiCu alloy for junction current and voltage leads, and two

0.16 mm diameter (#34 AWG) copper leads connecting the junction to the potentiometer. The

superconducting switch is a shorting-type switch that is used to null thermal emf's in the

potentiometer leads, and could be eliminated for cryocooler applications by attaching the

potentiometer leads directly to the junction contact pads with superconducting solder, or

by a modification of the measurement procedures.

In conclusion, a prototype Josephson-effect voltage-standard instrument has been con- structed and operated. The Josephson device developed for the instrument requires less

than one milliwatt of power for operation, and the heat leak to the cryogenic environment

through dc and rf connections to the device is very small. Our future R&D plans include

producing the MIC from more durable materials, producing the MIC from higher-T(; materials,

and investigating MIC's incorporating Josephson junctions of different types.

Development of the prototype Josephson-effect voltage-standard instrument was supported in part by the Calibration Coordination Group of the Department of Defense.

Additional partial support for the MIC development was provided by NASA through G0#

H-27908B. The authors would like to thank Jaan Toots for his untiring assistance,

especially in junction fabrication, and to thank B. F, Field and T. F. Finnegan for many

valuable discussions. One of us (CCC) acknowledges with appreciation a travel grant

from the Ford foundation.

References

[1] Josephson, B. D., Phys. Lett. 1, 251 (1962).

[2] Shapiro, S., Phys. Rev. Lett. U, 80 (1963).

[3] Langenberg, D. N., Parker, W. H., and Taylor, B. N., Phys. Rev. 150, 186 (1966).

[4] NBS Tech. News Bull. 56, 159 (1972).

[5] Field, B. F., Finnegan, T. F., and Toots, J., Metrologia 9^, 155 (1973).

[6] Belecki, N. B. (Chief, Electrical Reference Standards Section, Electricity Division,

NBS), private communication.

[7] Field, B. F. and Hesterman, V. W., in Fifth Cal Poly Measurement Science Conference

Proceedings , (held Dec. 5-6, 1975, at California Polytechnic State University, San

Luis Obispo, California), Session 75-1, p. 1.

[8] Field, B. F. and Hesterman, V. W. , IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas. IM-25, 509 (1976).

[9] Chang, C. C, Holdeman, L. B., and Toots, J. (to be published).

[10] The Josephson-effect voltage-standard instrument will be marketed by Superconducting

Technology, Inc., of Mountain View, Calif. This information is included for the

convenience of the reader and should not be construed as an endorsement or recommendation by the National Bureau of Standards. Technology developed by NBS is in the

public domain.

2^5

Photograph of Delegates

247
IDENTIFICATION OF PHOTOGRAPH

1. P. Durenec 13. L. Ishol 25. W. Goree

2. R. Brandt 14. D. McDonald 26. J. Zimmerman

3. L. Holdeman 15. W. Hartwig 27. M. Beasley

4. J. Good kind ^ 16. A. Silver 28. S. Horn

5. D. Sul 1 ivan 17. 29. R. Radebaugh

6. S. wmiamson 18. B. Renyer 30. R. Longsworth

7. W. Steyert 19. J. Cox 31. J. Vorreiter

8. M. Simmonds 20. J. Harvel

1

32. R. Guernsey, Jr

9. B. van der Hoeven 21. M. Nisenoff 33. B. Troutman

10. G. Karr 22. F. Chellis 34. W. Higa

n. W. Little 23. W. Gifford 35. M. Tward

12. J. Hummel dorf 24. J. Edrich 36. P. Mason

248

1
ATTENDANCE LIST

CRYOCOOLER APPLICATIONS CONFERENCE

October 3 & 4, 1977

John Vorreiter

Research Scientist

244-7

I NASA Ames Research Center

Moffett Field, California 94035

415-965-6525

Peter Mason

! 183-401

Jet Propulsion Lab

Pasadena, California 91103

213-354-4056

Walter Higa

238-528

Jet Propulsion Lab

Pasadena, California 91103

213-354-4240

Fred Chellis

CTI Cryogenics

266 Second Ave.

Waltham, MA 02154

617-890-9400

John Goodkind

Dept. of Physics B-019

University of California, San Diego

La Jolla, California 92093

714-452-3666

I Bill Gifford

Syracuse University

Syracuse, New York 13210

315-423-3235

Iw. H. Hartwig

Electronic Materials Research Lab

Engineering Science Bldg. 439

University of Texas

Austin, Texas 78712

512-471-1754

Thomas M. Flynn

NBS - Cryogenics Division

Boulder, Colorado 80303

303-499-1000, ext. 4108

M. R. Beasley

Department of Applied Physics

Stanford University

Stanford, California 94305

415-497-1196

Ralph C. Longsworth

Air Products & Chemicals, Inc.

Advanced Products Department

1919 Vultee Street

Allentown, Pennsylvania 18103

215-398-8357

J. L. Hummeldorf

Actus, Inc.

7370 Industrial Road

Florence, Kentucky 41042

P. Durenec

U.S. Army Night Vision Lab

DRSEL-NV-SD

Ft. Belvoir, Virginia 22060

202-274-8331

S. Horn

U.S. Army Night Vision Lab

DRSEL-NV-SD

Ft. Belvoir, Virginia 22060

202-274-8321

Gerald R. Karr

University of Alabama, Huntsville

P.O. Box 1247

Huntsville, Alabama 35805

205-895-6330

Bryan Troutman

IBM

18100 Frederick

Gaithersburg, Maryland 20760

301-840-7228

Robert W. Guernsey, Jr.

IBM - Watson Res. Center

Yorktown Heights, New York 10598

914-945-2639

Bernard J. van der Hoeven

IBM - Watson Res. Center

Yorktown Heights, New York 10598

914-945-1593

John T. Harvell

CTI Cryogenics

266 Second Ave.

Waltham, MA 02154

617-890-9400

249
ATTENDANCE LIST, continued

William A. Little

Physics Department

Stanford University

Stanford, California 94305

415-497-4233

W. D. Stanley

U.S. Geological Survey

Bldg. 25, Room 2294

Denver Federal Center

Denver, Colorado 80225

303-234-4091

Lyle M. Ishol

Code 792

Naval Coastal Systems Lab.

Panama City, Florida 32405

904-234-4142

D. Ashley Vincent

Department of Physics

University of South Florida

Tampa, Florida 33620

813-254-9581

William L. Goodman

Applied Physics Systems

Palo Alto, California

415-494-8492

William S. Goree

Superconducting Technology

Mountain View, California 94043

415-969-9400

Arnold H. Silver

Aerospace Corp.

Box 92957

Los Angeles, California 90009

213-648-5840

David E. Daney

NBS, Cryogenics Division

Boulder, Colorado 80303

303-499-1000, ext. 3595

Roland 0. Voth

NBS, Cryogenics Division

Boulder, Colorado 80303

303-499-1000, ext. 3632

Louis B. Holdeman

Electricity Division (211.07)

National Bureau of Standards

Washington, D.C. 20234

301-921-3806

Viri Vrba

CTF Systems, Inc.

Port Coquitlan, B.C.

604-941-8561

F. Consadori

CTF Systems, Inc.

Port Coquitlan, B.C.

604-941-8561

Richard E. Harris

NBS, Cryogenics Division

Boulder, Colorado 80303

303-499-1000, ext. 3776

Michael B. Simmonds

SHE Corporation

San Diego, California 92121

714-453-6300

Bernard L. Renyer

Hughes Aircraft

Culver City, California 90230

213-391-0711

Jochen Edrich

Denver Research Institute

University of Denver

Denver, Colorado 80210

303-753-2241

John E. Cox

Naval Research Lab

Code 6430

Washington, D.C. 20375

202-767-2793

Manny Tward

University of Regina

Regina, Saskatchewan

Canada

306-584-4274

Richard Brandt

Office of Naval Research

Pasadena Branch Office

1030 East Green Street

Pasadena, California 91106

213-795-5971

Samuel J. Williamson

Physics Department

New York University

4 Washington Place

New York, New York 10003

212-598-2867

William Steyert

Los Alamos Scientific Lab

Mail Stop 764

P.O. Box 1663

Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545

505-667-4935

250
ATTENDANCE LIST, continued

M. Nisenoff

Naval Research Lab

'code 6430

Washington, D.C. 20375

202-767-3099

I Ray Radebaugh

NBS, Cryogenics Division

Boulder, Colorado

303-499-1000, ext. 3710

251

~NBS-114A (REV. 7-73)

U.S. DEPT. OF COMM. . BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA

SHEET

1. PUBLICATION OR REPORT NO.

NBS SP-508

2. Gov't Accession

No.

3. Recipient's Accession No.

4. TITLE AND SUBTITLH

Applications of Closed-Cycle Cryocoolers

to Small Superconducting Devices

Proceedings of a Conference Held at the National Biireau

of Standards, Boulder, Colorado, October 3-4, 1977

5. Publication Date

April 1978

6. Performing Organization Code

7. AUTH0R{S)

James E. Zimmerman and Thomas M. Flynn, Editors

8. Performing Organ. Report No.

9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20234

10. Project/Task/Work Unit No. 2750187

11. Contract/Grant No.

12. Sponsoring Organization Name and Complete Address (Street, City, State, ZIP)

The National Bureau of Standards

and

The Office of Naval Research, Arlington, Virginia 22217

13. Type of Report & Period Covered

14, Sponsoring Agency Code

15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 78-6O6OI7

16. ABSTRACT (A 200-word or less factual summary ot most si^ificant information. If document includes a significant

bibliography or literature survey, mention it here.)

This document contains the proceedings of a meeting of specialists in small

superconducting devices and in small cryogenic refrigerators. Industry, Government, and academia were represented at the meeting held at the National Bureau

of Standards (NBS) on October 3 and 4, 1977. The purpose of the meeting was to

define the refrigerator requirements for small superconducting devices and to

determine if small cryogenic refrigerators that are produced in relatively large

quantities can be adapted or developed to replace liquid helium as the cooling

medium for the superconducting devices. Because the focus was on small superconducting devices, the discussion was primarily limited to refrigerators with

capacities from zero up to a watt or two in the temperature range of 2 to 20 K. The meeting was jointly sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and

NBS.

17, KEY WORDS (six to twelve entries; alphabetical order; capitalize only the first letter of the first key word unless a proper name; separated by semicolons)

Cryocoolers; Refrigeration; Superconducting devices

18. AVAILABILITY [x] Unlimited 19. SECURITY CLASS

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21. NO. OF PAGES

1 ! For Official Distribution. Do Not Release to NTIS

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238

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II
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Superconducting Devices and Materials. A literature survey

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