Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003300190001-5 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 31d derivative axial gradiometer. CTF has a thallium based high-T, 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 Dornier’s dual 14 channel biomagnetometer, along with a dewar, SQUID sensors and electronics for Dornier’s hepatic iron stores measurement system. CTF also built the dewar used by the Helsinki group for the Finn’s 5 fT/ 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 AlO, 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. Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003300190001-5
Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003300190001-5 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-T, and high-T. 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 £T/. The SQUID sensors are based on a NbN-MgO-NbN technology with flux noise <10-5 Fo/. 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 !’Informatique (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 LETT group has described thin film de SQUID. Until recently this group was inactive due to the lack of a sizable market. Because of the intense interest in high-T, 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 (and) gradiometer system, using commercial rf SQUID sensors. They have internally funded a thin film dc SQUID project. Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003300190001-5
Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003300190001-5 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 CTP). 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-T, SQUID (YBa Cu307-_q) 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/. Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003300190001-5
Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003300190001-5 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 (SQUID-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 YBayCu307_q rf SQUID that operates at liquid nitrogen temperatures. The Netherlands Both Delft and Twente Universities have produced dc SQUID sensors at the 10°30 Joule/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/AI-AlO,-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 Nb3Ge SQUID devices. Prof. Jutzi has developed a digital read-out SQUID with Ey =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-> Fo/ in locked loop operation. PTB researchers have also constructed a multi- channel magnetometer for magnetocardiography. Using 6.4 x 10-6 Fo/ de SQUIDs, this system features 37 channels and a noise level of ~5 fT/ above 1 Hz. PTB has fabricated an integral planar dc SQUID 5 x 5 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. Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003300190001-5
Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003300190001-5 Technical University Braunsweig, Germany Researchers at the Institut fur Hochfrequenztechnik have produced high-T, SQUIDs with noise level of (6~7) x 10-5 Fo/ with a I/f knee of 5 Hz. A magnetometer was constructed with one of these devices and used to detect the timing signals from an electromechanical clock. Giessen University, Germany In the past, they have collaborate with Phillips, Hamburg, along with some interaction with Dornier. CNR Rome, Italy Constructed 9-channel gradiometer system with noise levels of 20 fT/. With technology learned at NBS, Boulder, their dc SQUIDs had Ey = 8.5 x 10-31 Joule/Hz. The CNR works closely with Elettronica S.p.A. They have a major project to develop new SQUID sensors for imaging neural and cardiac activity among other biomagnetic diagnostic techniques. This has led to a 28-channel neuromagnetometer system. The dc SQUIDs (currently supplied by IBM) connect to 17 axial gradiometers and 11 planar gradiometers. System performance will be announced at the 1990 Applied Superconductivity Conference. Warsaw Pact Most groups fall into the University and Government laboratory category. However there are three groups marketing SQUID components and are so designated. Soviet The Soviet Union has had a long history of activity in SQUID devices. They are especially strong in the theoretical understanding of the quantum mechanical nature of SQUID devices. A list of references to Soviet activity can be found in the article “Superconductor Electronics: New Prospects” by Likharev. There is also significant Soviet activity in high temperature superconductivity including high-T, SQUIDs. The Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna is purported to be manufacturing commercial grade SQUID electronics. Institute of Radioengineering & Electronics, Moscow In 1987, the Institute was using a single channel SQUID magnetometer with a noise level of 10 £T/ in an unshielded urban environment. Support equipment include a computer for initial data processing and dynamic image processing. By the middle of 1989, the Institute had constructed a high-Tc SQUID and successfully took MCG (cardiac) data. The SQUID operated at 77 K with a noise level ~5,000 fT/. Edward Godik, Institute director said (at the 1989 New York Biomagnetism Conference) that the magnetic imaging group has completed their dc SQUID electronics. They are in the process of building a multi-channel system and would like to work with a commercial company on a 50/50 basis. Dr. Matlashov gave the following performance for their dc SQUID: En = 5x 10-31 Joule/Hz, Linput = 0.6 mH, with the 1/f knee at 0.2 Hz. With a detection coil (gradiometer order Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003300190001-5
Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003300190001-5 not mentioned) attached, the intrinsic field noise was 8 fT/ with actual values being 20 fT/. The gradiometer was mechanically balanced to better than 1000 ppm and electronic balancing with an IBM PC/AT (clone) was used to improve rejection of uniform fields to better than 10 ppm. Since then, the Institute has fabricated Nb-AlO,-Nb de SQUIDs with flux resolution of ~2x 10-6 Fo/. Configured as a gradiometer, magnetic field sensitivities of 10 fT/ have been achieved. Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy, Moscow Their main interest is in MEG. The Kurchatov facility is a new two story wooden building. Inside is an aluminum eddy current (rf) shielded room 5 cm thick. Their magnetometer is an asymmetric first derivative gradiometer. They are using both Zimmerman style two-hole sensors and apparently also have a BTi rf SQUID sensor. They have constructed SQUID sensors of their own design. These devices are were developed in am associated electronics institute (perhaps the Institute of Radioengineering & Electronics in Moscow). Electronic balancing has been used to suppress low frequency noise by 40 dB. In the past, researchers from the Institute (Ozhogin, Shabonov, etc.) have worked with the 7- channel biomagnetometer system at Helsinki that uses IBM dc SQUIDs. Dr. Shabonov feels all planar devices are the way to go. They participated in aspects of the preliminary design of the Helsinki 24 channel system. Ozhogin has written a Russian language text on biomagnetism and so edits a Soviet journal on high temperature superconductivity. USSR Academy of Sciences Kholodov et al (Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology) describe a dc SQUID magnetometer system with sensitivity of 40 fT/. Other work is described in the proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Low Temperature Physics, Bondarenko et al. Alexandr M. Gorbach (Institute of Higher Nervous Activity & Neurophysiology) has built an optically pumped magnetometer for MCG work. Its sensitivity is 100 picoTesla. He has authored a book (in Russian) on magnetometers. On page 80 is a photo that appears to be that of the BTi model 601 SQUID biomagnetometer that was diverted to the Soviet Union in 1984. Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna The Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, USSR constructed a SQUID with noise levels less than 50 mFo/. They have recently constructed a rf-biased YBa7Cu307_g SQUID. Operating at 78 K, the energy sensitivity is 9 x 10-28 Joule/Hz, with an equivalent field noise of ~400 fT/ (f > 100 Hz). As a gradiometer consisting of two SQUIDs in opposition (9 cm baseline), its sensitivity is 3,000 fT/meter/ in the white noise region (> 10 Hz). The system has been used for magnetocardiography. The same group has recently developed a single-hole version with outstanding properties. Used for magnetocardiography measurements in a single room, the basic magnetometer has a 1/f knee at 1 Hz and an ultimate field sensitivity of ~115 fT/ (equivalent to 3 x 10-4 Fo/). The radio frequency electronics used were “Gdentical to the low-temperature SQUID electronics fabricated commercially by the Physics Facilities Division of the JINR.” Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003300190001-5
Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003300190001-5 Ukrainian Academy of Sciences Early work in the 1970’s by the Physicotechnical Institute for Low Temperatures led to a <10°3 Fo/ thin-film SQUID. This Institute has published many papers of SQUID magnetometers, including papers on biomagnetism and geophysical applications. The Institute of Cybernetics reported on a niobium tunnel junction device with noise levels of 30 mFo/. More recently, they have constructed a YBa2Cu307-q high-T¢ SQUID operating at 77K with EN < 10-28 Joule/Hz. The Institute is actively promoting its technology to interested parties in view of a potential joint effort in scientific research, manufacturing or marketing. In particular, they describe a high-T, rf SQUID magnetometer with a magnetic field sensitivity of 400 - 800 fT/ at 77 K. Its intrinsic noise level (0.1 - 150 Hz) is stated to be < 10 fT/ ( 200 mF /). The accompanying dewar claims to have a >30 day hold time. The rf SQUID electronics offer a 120 dB dynamic range. The Institute also offers YBCO powders and precursor materials for sale. Moscow State University The department of Physics has been active in constructing SQUID sensors for at least the last five years producing both rf and dc SQUIDs operating at the 10-31 Joule/Hz level. Sektion Physik, Friedrick-Schiller-Universitt Jena — Manufacturer, Germany The group leader, Professor Albrecht, has more than a decades experience in constructing thin- film tunnel-junction (dc) SQUIDs with noise levels less than 100 mF/ (< 60 fT/). Using a planar dc thin film SQUID with an integrated transformer connected to a second order _ gradiometer, sensitivities of 20 fT. / have been achieved. The device is a multiloop thin film tunnel junction (Nb-NbO,-Pb) de SQUID with an input impedance of 0.7 mH, 3.8 x 10-7 A/Fo and a flux noise of 1 x 10-5 Fo/. The junction dimensions were 2.6 m x 2.6 m. The latest SQUID sensor from the Jena group, the model “UJ 111” has an energy sensitivity of 2.9 x 1073 Joule/Hz (2 x 10-6 Fo/ into a 0.9 mH input coil). note: these performance figures are comparable with the best de SQUID commercially available in the West. Their construction is felt to be superior (in terms of reliability) to those supplied to Helsinki by IBM. Albrecht’s group has been supplying most of eastern bloc with niobium and NbN Josephson junctions and is now selling these devices commercially. Customers outside the Warsaw Pact include Helsinki University of Technology, Tampere University and Wurtzberg University. According to Prof. Williamson, the Jena devices have equivalent performances to BTi’s de SQUIDs. These SQUIDs have been used to construct a 5-channel biomagnetometer with mechanical balance of 100 ppm and field noise of 20 fT/. Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakian Academy of Sciences, Prague — Potential Manufacturer The Physics Institute constructed a 440 MHz rf SQUID with a sensitivity of 2.6 x 10°29 Joule/Hz. A review paper by M. Odehnal gives extensive references to work in Warsaw Pact countries. Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003300190001-5
Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003300190001-5 The Slovak Academy of Sciences have advertised a laboratory rf SQUID system for sale that is comparable to commercially available rf SQUID systems. No customers names are known. Institute of Physics, Prague Incorporated SQUIDs into a susceptometer and built a three-axis geophysical magnetometer with a sensitivity better than 100 fT/. Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava The Institute of Electrical Engineering, Electro-Physical Research Centre is known to be conducting theoretical, experimental and applied research on the Josephson effect and superconducting electronics. Poland Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland — Potential Manufacturer Early activity at the Institute of Physics is described in articles in the Review of Scientific Instruments. These devices may be in use in a hospital for biomagnetic applications. The Instytut Niskich Temperatur, has advertised a laboratory rf SQUID system for sale (with a digital fluxcounting accessory). Their early SQUID sensors were based on the S.H.E. Corp. point contact model TSQ SQUID sensor. They have coated a point contact SQUID with NbN, giving the sensor the potential to operate above 10 K. Finland Helsinki University of Technology, Helsinki, Finland — Potential Manufacturer In 1976, Professor Olli Lounasmaa’s group constructed 7-channel gradiometer for magnetoencephalography. The system uses IBM dc SQUIDs (supplied by C. Tesche, IBM, Yorktown Heights) with a sensitivity of 5 mFo/ and extremely low I/f noise. These all thin-film devices are considered to be the world’s best. Operating in the Helsinki magnetically shielded room, system performance is 5~6 fT/. The dc SQUID electronics were designed by HUT personnel. With a dynamic range > 100 dB (1 Fo maximum), the electronics features two ranges and three different slew rates. An impedance damping circuit allow the first derivative coils to operate at full system sensitivity. It should be noted that there has been Soviet access to this system and others in the past. The Helsinki group (headed by Professor Lounasmaa) completed a 24 channel system in 1989 with Soviet (Drs. Ozhogin and Shabonov of the Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy, among others) participated in the early stages of the system design. The 24 channel system uses planar dc SQUIDs (supplied by IBM after Soviet involvement ceased) integrated with planar orthogonal planar first derivative detection coils. It is serving as a test bed for a 100 channel planar gradiometer system. The 100 channel system is intended to be commercially available. At this point, IBM is considering extending their collaboration with the Finns and supplying dc SQUIDs for the first 100 channel system. It is unclear whether or not IBM would be involved in any follow-on systems. The Finns have the capability to produce their own chips. Their current SQUID chip is a single large wafer with two planar first-order gradiometers oriented perpendicularly to each other Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003300190001-5
Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003300190001-5 (dB,/dx and dB,/dy). They were jointly developed by the Finnish State Research Laboratory located on the Helsinki campus) and fabricated to HUT’s specification. The Finns claim that SQUID chips are being produced reliably and have noise levels as good as the IBM devices. It should be noted that if the Finnish SQUIDs were as good as [BM’s, Helsinki would not need IBM’s. The same government agency (established to promote new technology for commercial exploitation by industry in Finland) funded the SQUID development at the State Research Laboratory as well as production of the large number of SQUIDs required for Lounasmaa’s 24 channel magnetometer. The Finnish dc SQUID has the following characteristics: i) All thin-film improved IBM process: Nb-NbO-Pb/In junctions, lift-off technique, 10 layers. ii) Process claimed to be reliable, with the ability to produce more than 1,000 devices/year. iii) SQUID chip designed to be inductively coupled via built-in impedance matching transformer to pickup coil on separate substrate (no superconducting joints), with the detection coils being inductively coupled to the SQUID. iv) Built-in rf shielding; self-shielded via balanced input coil transformer. The dc SQUID electronics have a relatively compact, modular design with state-of-the-art performance. Its rfi rejection said to be much better than BTi or any other known design, with minimal noise from transmission lines and matching circuits. Tampere University, Finland Experienced in systems integration, Tampere University has constructed a three channel SQUID gradiometer for biomagnetism (cardiography). They have purchased both BTi (rf) and Jena (dc) SQUID components for their work. Instruments for Technology, Finland A defunct manufacturer of rf SQUID systems. Technical support came from Professor Lounasmaa’s group at Helsinki University. Neuromag Ltd., the new Finnish venture — Manufacturer As mentioned, Professor Olli Lounasmaa/Helsinki University of Technology is building a 100 channel planar gradiometer system. IBM is sufficiently interested that (IBM) is considering giving (loaning) Helsinki the SQUIDs for free. The IBM press release in the Wall Street Journal gave the (mistaken) impression that IBM was getting into the MEG business. Lounasmaa has formed a company (believed to be named Neuromag, Ltd. and headed by Dr. Antti Ahonen) to market the 100 channel system. Participants include the Helsinki University group and the Finnish company Instrumentarium. IBM is not listed as a participant in this venture and most likely, the Finns will have to build their own SQUIDs for commercial units. IBM’s participation is felt to be to keep IBM’s hand in, in case there is a $1 billion market in biomagnetism. Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003300190001-5