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Canadian Capability—Manufacturer
CTF Systems, Port Coquitlam, British Columbia
CTF is a manufacturer of dewars, SQUID sensors, electronics and systems including rock
magnetometers (some with cryocoolers attached), geophysical magnetometers and biomedical
gradiometers. CTF has supplied 8-element (MADAIR style) gradiometer systems to the Canadian
Defence Ministry. They currently offer point-contact niobium SQUIDs, but are developing a thin
film dc SQUID.
CTF is working on a 60 channel MEG system that is funded by the Canadian Defence Ministry.
The detection coil geometry will most likely be a 3rc* derivative axial gradiometer. CTF has a
thallium based high-Tc effort (also supported by the Canadian government). A prototype is
expected to be finished within a few months with the final design being a year off. CTF is
currently seeking funding to support their biomedical development programs. They supplied
custom asymmetric dewars and rf SQUIDs for Dormer’s dual 14 channel biomagnetometer, along
with a dewar, SQUID sensors and electronics for Dormer’s hepatic iron stores measurement
system. CTF also built the dewar used by the Helsinki group for the Finn’s 5 ff7 gradiometer
system. Annual revenues from SQUID sales are estimated to be ~$ 1,500,000.
Europe Capability-Manufacturers
Although the worldwide demand for products incorporating SQUIDs is small (less than 100 units
per year), there are several foreign suppliers. Among active commercial manufacturers of SQUID
sensors, electronics and systems are:
Cryogenic Consultants, Limited, London, England
CCL is a manufacturer of dewars, superconducting magnets (laboratory and MRI) cryostats,
magnetic ore separation systems, SQUID sensors electronics and systems. Systems include rock
magnetometers, geophysical magnetometers, SQUID susceptometers and biomedical
gradiometers.
CCL offers planar niobium SQUIDs with A10x junctions. Their rf SQUID performance is
comparable to BTi’s (10*28 Joule/Hz). Their rf electronics are a duplicate of BTi’s electronics.
CCL now has available dc SQUID sensors with energy sensitivities better than 10‘30 Joule/Hz.
Their dc electronics have not been described in the open literature. The development of their
planar SQUIDs was in conjunction with Professor Lumley of Cambridge University. CCL has
delivered some systems with cryocoolers attached to the thermal shields for extended hold times.
Estimated annual revenues from SQUID systems is on the order of $1,000,000. CCL’s market
could be as large as 30+ systems/year by 1992 or as few as ten. This ignores any possible entry by
CCL into the biomagnetic market
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Siemens, Germany
Siemens has been involved in SQUID R&D since 1982, most likely for biomedical applications.
Like Westinghouse, Siemens is heavily involved with all aspects of superconductivity, large scale
and small scale, both low-Tc and high-Tc
. Siemens offers a 37 channel (+3 noise channel)
biomagnetometer. System sensitivity 5 — 10 fT/ with a price of $2,500,000. The first Siemens
system in the U.S. will most likely be placed at Stanford University. The sensors are thin film dc
SQUIDs (10 on a single wafer) with energy sensitivities of 3.3 x 10'31 Joule/Hz above
1 Hz. The
system features superconducting connections between an array of SQUIDs on a wafer and a
gradiometer array.
Philips GmbH, Germany
A major manufacturer of medical products, Philips has interests in biomagnetism. Their medical
instrumentation group at Hamburg has been working with Professors Rogalla and Peters at
Twente University. They have developed a 7-channel system that has been used for auditory
evoked response measurements. Using 2 cm diameter second order gradiometer coils, its system
noise is less than 20 fT/. The SQUID sensors are based on a NbN-MgO-NbN technology with
flux noise <10'3 Fq/.
Elettronica, S.p.A., Italy
Elettronica is a commercial vendor of rf SQUID gradiometer systems with sensitivities
~30 fT/ (Their early systems used BTi 330X electronics and BMD-5 dewars). Elettronica
constructed a 9-channel dc SQUID biomagnetometer system with CNR, Rome. They also have a
small developmental cryocooler project.
LETI, France.
A French Government controlled laboratory, Laboratoire d’Electronique et de Technologie de
l’lnformatique (L.E.T.I.), attached to the Centre d’Etudes Nucleaire de Grenoble (C.E.N.G.) has
built rf SQUID sensors and electronics in the past. The LETI group has described thin film dc
SQUID. Until recently this group was inactive due to the lack of a sizable market. Because of the
intense interest in high-Tc superconductors, L.E.T.I. supplied sensors and electronics to ANVAR,
Barras who attempted to construct a SQUID susceptometer.
System Integrators, England
Both Thom EMI and General Electric Company (GEC) have been building SQUID systems based
on commercial SQUID sensors and electronics. Thorn EMI has been supported by the British
Ministry of Defence while GEC’s interests are medical. GEC has constructed an asymmetric (2nd
)
gradiometer system, using commercial rf SQUID sensors. They have internally funded a thin film
dc SQUID project.
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Dornier, Germany
Biomedical interests. Using CTF SQUID sensors, electronics and dewars, Dornier has
constructed (under German government funding) a SQUID susceptometer for assessment of
hepatic iron stores. They have also built a dual 14 channel biomagnetometer that includes
electronic balancing. This system will be used in a magnetically shielded room at ULM University
and includes a computer controlled gantry for Probe placement System sensitivity is thought to
be ~20 fT/.
Metronique, France
Manufactures a SQUID susceptometer. The SQUID sensors and electronics are supplied by CCL.
Sales are thought to be insignificant.
University and Government Laboratories
Cambridge University, England
Works with CCL in development of thin film SQUIDs.
University of Sussex
Professor Terry Clark developed 430 MHz rf SQUID electronics. Commercially offered (1980)
by VG Instruments, only a few sold, less delivered. Clark never allowed design to be frozen and
the product was dropped by VG.
Open University, Milton Keynes
Using commercially available SQUID components, they developed a miniature asymmetric
SQUID gradiometer with 2 mm dia. detection coil and 5 mm tail separation (dewar supplied by
CTF). Intrinsic noise calculated to be 30 fT/. Although intended for biomagnetic investigations,
the system would be appropriate for NDE.
Birmingham University
Like NIST (NBS), Boulder, they have constructed a high-Tc SQUID (YBa2Cu307_cj) that
operates (noisily) at liquid nitrogen temperatures.
Imperial College, London
Using rf SQUID sensors and electronics, they constructed a 7-channel biomagnetometer. System
noise level was ~28 fT/.
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University of Strathclyde, Scotland
Their main activity is crack detection and NDE. Prof. Donaldson will receive additional funding to
work on non-invasive magnetic methods of crack detection (SQUED-based NDE). He was told by
the British Ministry of Defense/Navy not to include stainless steel as the Navy was interested in
stainless steel. However, Hitachi/Japan is interested in Donaldson’s work. Donaldson’s group has
also constructed a YBa2Cu307 _cj rf SQUID that operates at liquid nitrogen temperatures.
The Netherlands
Both Delft and Twente Universities have produced dc SQUID sensors at the 10*30 j0ule/Hz
level. The low temperature group at Twente is constructing a 19-channel systems using first order
gradiometer detection coils. The dc SQUIDs are based on a Nb/Al-A10x-Nb technology are felt
to be of very high quality.
University Karlsruhe, Germany
Has produced excellent SQUID sensors and electronics. They have fabricated first order integral
Planar dc SQUIDs and detection coils in conjunction with a novel digital feedback loop. Also
active in constructing M^Ge SQUID devices. Prof. Jutzi has developed a digital read-out SQUID
with En = 2 x 10*32 Joule/Hz. Low frequency noise reduction was achieved using a variant of the
BTi Dynabias modulation scheme. Subsequent work on the digital SQUID using single turn input
coils has led to field sensitivities of 7.5 fT/ above 6 Hz.
Physikalisch-Technische-Bundesanstalt (PTB), Berlin
A small, capable, well-equipped research group, the PTB is part of the German Commerce
Ministry, similar to our NIST (NBS). PTB is exploring promising pre-commercial technologies;
their mission is to establish and maintain metrology standards. Guest scientists and industry
collaborations are encouraged. Technology developments and assistance are available to German
industry. They have a strong program in low temperature physics and technology. PTB has had
extensive biomagnetometer activities, and was an early contributor to SQUID technology. PTB
also has a submicron microfabrication facility available.
dc SQUIDs fabricated with SAIL (Self-Aligned In-Line) junctions were able to achieve flux noise
levels below 10'5 Fq/ in locked loop operation. PTB researchers have also constructed a multi-
channel magnetometer for magnetocardiography. Using 6.4 x 10~6 Fq/ dc SQUIDs, this system
features 37 channels and a noise level of ~5 fT/ above
1 Hz. PTB has fabricated an integral planar
dc SQUID 5x5 array for biomagnetism, initially for MCG. The PTB has a research cooperation
with CNR/Univ. of Rome magnetocardiography group and a collaboration with epilepsy group at
Free Univ. Berlin.
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