Patent Publication Number: US-2022221104-A1

Title: 1 kelvin and 300 millikelvin thermal stages for cryogenic environments

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The subject disclosure relates to cryogenic environments, and more specifically, to techniques of facilitating efficient thermal profile management within cryogenic environments. 
     A cryostat can maintain samples or devices positioned on a sample mounting surface located within the cryostat at temperatures approaching absolute zero to facilitate evaluating such samples or devices under cryogenic conditions. Cryostats generally provide such low temperatures utilizing five thermal stages that are mechanically coupled to a room temperature plate of an outer vacuum chamber that encloses the five thermal stages. The five thermal stages of a cryostat comprise a thermal profile in which each subsequent thermal stage has a progressively lower temperature than exists at a preceding thermal stage. 
     In addition to having progressively lower temperatures, each subsequent thermal stage generally has progressively lower cooling power available than is available at a preceding thermal stage. For example, while a 50 kelvin (50-K) stage can have 30 watts (W) of available cooling power at a temperature of 50 K, a 4 kelvin (4-K) stage may have 1.5 W of available cooling power at a temperature of 4 K, and a Mixing Chamber stage generally associated with a lowest temperature within a cryostat may have 20 microwatts (μW) of available cooling power at a temperature of 20 millikelvin (mK). As such, efficiently managing available cooling power can become increasingly important at lower temperature regions within a thermal profile of a cryostat. 
     SUMMARY 
     The following presents a summary to provide a basic understanding of one or more embodiments of the invention. This summary is not intended to identify key or critical elements, or delineate any scope of the particular embodiments or any scope of the claims. Its sole purpose is to present concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. In one or more embodiments described herein, systems, devices, and/or methods that facilitate efficient thermal profile management within cryogenic environments are described. 
     According to an embodiment, a cryostat can comprise a plurality of thermal stages intervening between a 4-Kelvin (K) stage and a Cold Plate stage. The plurality of thermal stages can include a Still stage and an intermediate thermal stage that provides additional cooling capacity for the cryostat. The intermediate thermal stage can be directly coupled mechanically to the Still stage via a support rod. One aspect of such a cryostat is that the cryostat can facilitate efficient thermal profile management within cryogenic environments. 
     In an embodiment, the intermediate thermal stage can operate at a temperature of about 1 kelvin (K). One aspect of such a cryostat is that the cryostat can facilitate increasing the cooling power of the Still stage, the Cold Plate stage, and/or the Mixing Chamber stage by exposing those stages to 1 K blackbody radiation instead of 4 K blackbody radiation. 
     According to another embodiment, a cryostat can comprise a Still stage directly coupled mechanically to an intermediate thermal stage via a support rod. The intermediate thermal stage can provide additional cooling capacity for the cryostat. The Still stage and the intermediate thermal stage can be included among a plurality of thermal stages intervening between a 4-K stage and a Cold Plate stage. One aspect of such a cryostat is that the cryostat can facilitate efficient thermal profile management within cryogenic environments. 
     In an embodiment, the intermediate thermal stage can operate at a temperature of about 300 millikelvin (mK). One aspect of such a cryostat is that the cryostat can facilitate increasing the cooling power of the Cold Plate stage and/or the Mixing Chamber stage by exposing those stages to 300 mK blackbody radiation instead of 700 mK blackbody radiation. 
     According to another embodiment, a cryostat can comprise a sealed pot that facilitates evaporative cooling of a helium medium. The sealed pot can be coupled to an intermediate thermal stage that provides additional cooling capacity for the cryostat. The intermediate thermal stage can be directly coupled mechanically to a Still stage via a support rod. The Still stage and the intermediate thermal stage can be included among a plurality of thermal stages intervening between a 4-K stage and a Cold Plate stage. One aspect of such a cryostat is that the cryostat can facilitate efficient thermal profile management within cryogenic environments. 
     In an embodiment, the sealed pot can comprise sintered material. One aspect of such a cryostat is that the cryostat can facilitate thermal budget optimization. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an example, non-limiting cryostat, in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a circuit schematic of an example, non-limiting cryostat, in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an example, non-limiting cryostat with an intermediate thermal stage that provides additional cooling capacity, in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates another example, non-limiting cryostat with an intermediate thermal stage that provides additional cooling capacity, in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an example, non-limiting cryostat with multiple intermediate thermal stage that each provide additional cooling capacity, in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following detailed description is merely illustrative and is not intended to limit embodiments and/or application or uses of embodiments. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied information presented in the preceding Background or Summary sections, or in the Detailed Description section. 
     One or more embodiments are now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like referenced numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the one or more embodiments. It is evident, however, in various cases, that the one or more embodiments can be practiced without these specific details. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an example, non-limiting cryostat  100 , in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein. As shown in  FIG. 1 , cryostat  100  comprises an outer vacuum chamber  110  formed by a sidewall  120  intervening between a top plate  130  and a bottom plate  140 . In operation, outer vacuum chamber  110  can maintain a pressure differential between an ambient environment  150  of outer vacuum chamber  110  and an interior  160  of outer vacuum chamber  110 . Cryostat  100  further comprises a plurality of thermal stages (or stages)  170  disposed within interior  160  that are each mechanically coupled to top plate  130 . The plurality of stages  170  includes: stage  171 , stage  173 , stage  175 , stage  177 , and stage  179 . Each stage among the plurality of stages  170  can be associated with a different temperature. For example, stage  171  can be a 50-kelvin (50-K) stage that is associated with a temperature of 50 kelvin (K), stage  173  can be a 4-kelvin (4-K) stage that is associated with a temperature of 4 K, stage  175  can be associated with a temperature of 700 millikelvin (mK), stage  177  can be associated with a temperature of 100 mK, and stage  179  can be associated with a temperature of 10 mK. Each stage among the plurality of stages  170  is spatially isolated from other stages of the plurality of stages  170  by a plurality of support rods (e.g., support rods  172  and  174 ). In an embodiment, stage  175  can be a Still stage, stage  177  can be a Cold Plate stage, and stage  179  can be a Mixing Chamber stage. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a circuit schematic of an example, non-limiting cryostat  200 , in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein. As discussed above, a cryostat can maintain samples or devices positioned on a sample mounting surface located within the cryostat at temperatures approaching absolute zero to facilitate evaluating such samples or devices under cryogenic conditions. Evaluating samples or devices under cryogenic conditions generally involves interacting with such samples or devices using one or more devices external to a cryostat that sit at room temperature conditions. To that end, a cryostat can include input/output (I/O) lines that facilitate propagation of electrical signals between a sample positioned within the cryostat and the devices external to the cryostat. 
     By way of example, superconducting qubits can be positioned on a sample mounting surface  260  of cryostat  200 . Coupling the superconducting qubits positioned on sample mounting surface  260  to one or more devices external to cryostat  200  are four I/O lines: a drive line  271 ; a flux line  273 ; a pump line  275 ; and an output (or readout) line  277 . One skilled in the art will appreciate that these four I/O lines can contribute to a heat load placed on cryostat  200  in a number ways. One way that the four I/O lines can contribute to the heat load is that each I/O line can provide a thermal path along which heat can be conducted from higher temperature thermal stages to lower temperature thermal stages. For example, in  FIG. 2 , drive line  271  is routed from a 50-K stage  210  of cryostat  200  to a Mixing Chamber stage  250 . Along that routing path through cryostat  200 , drive line  271  can provide a thermal path through which heat can be conducted from higher temperature thermal stages to lower temperature thermal stages, such as from 50-K stage  210  to a 4-K stage  220 . 
     Another way that the four I/O lines can contribute to the heat load relates to heat (e.g., Joule heating) generated due to dissipation of signals propagating along a given I/O line or via an intervening electrical component. For example, a microwave flux signal propagating along flux line  273  towards a SQUID loop associated with the superconducting qubits positioned on sample mounting surface  260  can introduce heat on a Still stage  230  of cryostat  200  via a thermal coupling  274 . As another example, a microwave pump signal propagating along flux line  273  for operation of a traveling wave parametric amplifier (TWPA)  283  can introduce heat on a Cold stage  240  via an attenuator  285  coupled to flux line  273  and Cold stage  240 . 
     Another way that the four I/O lines can contribute to the heat load involves a radiative load that higher temperature thermal stages represent to lower temperature thermal stages. For example, direct current (DC) signals biasing a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) amplifier  285  to facilitate measurement of the superconducting qubits positioned on sample mounting surface  260  via output line  277  can introduce heat on the 4-K stage  220 . Such heat introduced on the 4-K stage  220  can expose lower temperature thermal stages (e.g., Still stage  230 ) a radiative load that the 4-K stage  220  represents to the lower temperature thermal stages as 4 K blackbody radiation. 
     As discussed above, each subsequent thermal stage of a cryostat generally has progressively lower cooling power available than is available at a preceding thermal stage. Therefore, efficiently managing available cooling power can become increasingly important at lower temperature regions within a thermal profile of a cryostat. Embodiments described herein facilitating efficient thermal profile management within cryogenic environments by implementing intermediate thermal stages that can provide additional cooling capacity. For example, in accordance with various embodiments, additional cooling capacity provided by an intermediate thermal stage can improve thermal profile management efficiency by reducing heat that can be conducted from higher temperature thermal stages to lower temperature thermal stages via I/O lines. As another example, in accordance with various embodiments, intermediate thermal stages can improve thermal profile management efficiency by exposing lower temperature thermal stages to radiative load having lower-level blackbody radiation. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an example, non-limiting cryostat  300  with an intermediate thermal stage that provides additional cooling capacity, in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein. As shown by  FIG. 3 , cryostat  300  comprises a 50-K stage  310  that can be coupled to a room temperature plate (e.g., top plate  130  of  FIG. 1 ) of an outer vacuum chamber.  FIG. 3  also shows that cryostat  300  further comprises a plurality of thermal stages intervening between a 4-K stage  320  and a Cold Plate stage  340 . Those plurality of thermal stages include a Still stage  340  and an intermediate thermal stage  330 . Intermediate thermal stage  330  is directly coupled mechanically to 4-K stage  320  via support rod  322  and Still stage  340  via support rod  332 . Intermediate thermal stage  330  is indirectly coupled mechanically to 50-K stage  310  via support rod  312 , Cold Plate stage  350  via support rod  342 , and Mixing Chamber stage  360  via support rod  352 . Surface  331  of intermediate thermal stage  330  can be implemented in various shapes. For example, surface  331  can be implemented as a circle, a quadrant, a triangle, a quadrilateral, and the like. As another example, surface  331  can be implemented as an amorphous shape. 
     Intermediate thermal stage  330  can comprise a feedthrough element  334  that intervenes in a wiring structure  390  that facilitates propagation of electrical signals between 4-K stage  320  and Cold Plate stage  350 . Wiring structure  390  can comprise an I/O line coupling a sample positioned within cryostat  300  and one or more devices external to cryostat  300 . For example, wiring structure  390  can comprise an I/O line such as drive line  271 , flux line  273 , pump line  275 , and/or output (or readout) line  277  of  FIG. 2 . In an embodiment, intermediate thermal stage  330  can comprise copper, gold, silver, brass, platinum, or a combination thereof. 
     Intermediate thermal stage  330  can provide additional cooling capacity for cryostat  300  via a sealed pot  370  coupled to intermediate thermal stage  330 . To that end, sealed pot  370  facilitates evaporative cooling of a helium medium—helium-4. A condenser line  372  can couple an outlet port  382  of a pump  380  to sealed pot  370  via 4-K stage  320 . In an embodiment, pump  380  can be a vacuum pump for circulating a helium medium through sealed pot  370 . In an embodiment, pump  380  is located external to cryostat  300 . In an embodiment, pump  380  is located within cryostat  300 . In this embodiment, pump  380  can be implemented as a sorb pump. Condenser line  372  can provide a return path for the helium medium to sealed pot  370 . A pumping line  374  can couple an inlet port  384  of pump  380  to sealed pot  370  via 4-K stage  320 . 4-K stage  320  can provide passage for condenser line  372  and/or pumping line  374  via a feedthrough element, such as feedthrough element  323 . 
     In operation, helium-4 can flow from outlet port  382  towards sealed pot  370  in a gaseous state. Feedthrough element  323  can thermally anchor condenser line  372  to 4-K stage  320 . As the helium-4 flows past feedthrough element  323 , the helium-4 can transition from the gaseous state to a liquid state. Helium-4 in the liquid state can collect in sealed pot  370 . Inlet port  384  of pump  380  can reduce a pressure above the liquified helium-4 collected in sealed pot  370 . Helium-4 in the gaseous state can form above the liquified helium-4 collected in sealed pot  370  through evaporation and flow to inlet port  384  of pump  380  via pumping line  374 . Heat carried by the helium-4 in the gaseous state flowing through pumping line  374  can reduce a temperature of the liquified helium-4 remaining in sealed pot  370 . Such evaporative cooling of the liquified helium-4 in sealed pot  370  can reduce a temperature of intermediate thermal stage  330  such that intermediate thermal stage  330  can operate at a temperature of about 1 K. In an embodiment, sealed pot  370  can be vacuum sealed or cryogenically sealed. In an embodiment, sealed pot  370  can comprise sintered material that facilitates thermal budget optimization. The sintered material can comprise silver, gold, copper, platinum, and the like. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates another example, non-limiting cryostat  400  with an intermediate thermal stage that provides additional cooling capacity, in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein. As shown by  FIG. 4 , cryostat  400  comprises a 50-K stage  410  that can be coupled to a room temperature plate (e.g., top plate  130  of  FIG. 1 ) of an outer vacuum chamber.  FIG. 4  also shows that cryostat  400  further comprises a plurality of thermal stages intervening between a 4-K stage  420  and a Cold Plate stage  450 . Those plurality of thermal stages include a Still stage  430  and an intermediate thermal stage  440 . Intermediate thermal stage  440  is directly coupled mechanically to Still stage  430  via support rod  432  and Cold Plate stage  450  via support rod  442 . Intermediate thermal stage  440  is indirectly coupled mechanically to 50-K stage  410  via support rod  412 , 4-K stage  420  via support rod  422 , and Mixing Chamber stage  460  via support rod  452 . Surface  441  of intermediate thermal stage  440  can be implemented in various shapes. For example, surface  441  can be implemented as a circle, a quadrant, a triangle, a quadrilateral, and the like. As another example, surface  441  can be implemented as an amorphous shape. 
     Intermediate thermal stage  440  can comprise a feedthrough element  444  that intervenes in a wiring structure  490  that facilitates propagation of electrical signals between 4-K stage  420  and Cold Plate stage  450 . Still stage  430  can also comprise a feedthrough element  434  that intervenes in wiring structure  490 . Wiring structure  490  can comprise an I/O line coupling a sample positioned within cryostat  400  and one or more devices external to cryostat  400 . For example, wiring structure  490  can comprise an I/O line such as drive line  271 , flux line  273 , pump line  275 , and/or output (or readout) line  277  of  FIG. 2 . In an embodiment, intermediate thermal stage  440  can comprise copper, gold, silver, brass, platinum, or a combination thereof. 
     Intermediate thermal stage  440  can provide additional cooling capacity for cryostat  400  via a sealed pot  470  coupled to intermediate thermal stage  440 . To that end, sealed pot  470  facilitates evaporative cooling of a helium medium—helium-3. A condenser line  472  can couple an outlet port  482  of a pump  480  to sealed pot  470  via 4-K stage  420 . In an embodiment, pump  480  is located external to cryostat  400 . In an embodiment, pump  480  can be a vacuum pump for circulating a helium medium through sealed pot  470 . In an embodiment, pump  480  is located within cryostat  400 . In this embodiment, pump  480  can be implemented as a sorb pump. Condenser line  472  can provide a return path for the helium medium to sealed pot  470 . A pumping line  474  can couple an inlet port  484  of pump  480  to sealed pot  470  via 4-K stage  420 . 4-K stage  420  can provide passage for condenser line  472  and/or pumping line  474  via a feedthrough element, such as feedthrough element  423 . Still stage  430  can provide passage for condenser line  472  and/or pumping line  474  via a feedthrough element, such as feedthrough element  433 . 
     In operation, helium-3 can flow from outlet port  482  towards sealed pot  470  in a gaseous state. Feedthrough elements  423  and/or  433  can thermally anchor condenser line  472  to 4-K stage  420  and/or Still stage  430 , respectively. As the helium-3 flows past feedthrough elements  423  and/or  433 , the helium-3 can transition from the gaseous state to a liquid state. Helium-3 in the liquid state can collect in sealed pot  470 . Inlet port  484  of pump  480  can reduce a pressure above the liquified helium-3 collected in sealed pot  470 . Helium-3 in the gaseous state can form above the liquified helium-3 collected in sealed pot  470  through evaporation and flow to inlet port  484  of pump  480  via pumping line  474 . Heat carried by the helium-3 in the gaseous state flowing through pumping line  474  can reduce a temperature of the liquified helium-3 remaining in sealed pot  470 . Such evaporative cooling of the liquified helium-3 in sealed pot  470  can reduce a temperature of intermediate thermal stage  440  such that intermediate thermal stage  440  can operate at a temperature of about 300 mK. In an embodiment, sealed pot  470  can be vacuum sealed or cryogenically sealed. In an embodiment, sealed pot  470  can comprise sintered material that facilitates thermal budget optimization. The sintered material can comprise silver, gold, copper, platinum, and the like. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates an example, non-limiting cryostat with multiple intermediate thermal stage that each provide additional cooling capacity, in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein. As shown by  FIG. 5 , cryostat  500  comprises a 50-K stage  505  that can be coupled to a room temperature plate (e.g., top plate  130  of  FIG. 1 ) of an outer vacuum chamber.  FIG. 5  also shows that cryostat  500  further comprises a plurality of thermal stages intervening between a 4-K stage  510  and a Cold Plate stage  530 . Those plurality of thermal stages include a Still stage  520  and multiple intermediate thermal stages (e.g., intermediate thermal stage  515  and intermediate thermal stage  525 ). 
     Intermediate thermal stage  515  is directly coupled mechanically to 4-K stage  510  via support rod  512  and Still stage  520  via support rod  516 . Intermediate thermal stage  515  is indirectly coupled mechanically to 50-K stage  505  via support rod  506 , intermediate thermal stage  525  via support rod  522 , Cold Plate stage  530  via support rod  526 , and Mixing Chamber stage  535  via support rod  532 . Intermediate thermal stage  525  is directly coupled mechanically to Still stage  520  via support rod  522  and Cold Plate stage  530  via support rod  526 . Intermediate thermal stage  525  is indirectly coupled mechanically to 50-K stage  505  via support rod  506 , 4-K stage  510  via support rod  512 , intermediate thermal stage  515  via support rod  516 , and Mixing Chamber stage  535  via support rod  532 . Intermediate thermal stages  515  and  525  are directly coupled mechanically to opposing sides of Still stage  520  via support rods  516  and  522 , respectively. Surfaces  519  and/or  529  of intermediate thermal stages  515  and  525 , respectively, can be implemented in various shapes. For example, surfaces  519  and/or  529  can be implemented as a circle, a quadrant, a triangle, a quadrilateral, and the like. As another example, surfaces  519  and/or  529  can be implemented as an amorphous shape. 
     Intermediate thermal stages  515  and  525  can comprise feedthrough elements  518  and  528 , respectively, that intervene in a wiring structure  580  that facilitates propagation of electrical signals between 4-K stage  510  and Cold Plate stage  530 . Still stage  520  can also comprise a feedthrough element  524  that intervenes in wiring structure  580 . Wiring structure  580  can comprise an I/O line coupling a sample positioned within cryostat  500  and one or more devices external to cryostat  500 . For example, wiring structure  580  can comprise an I/O line such as drive line  271 , flux line  273 , pump line  275 , and/or output (or readout) line  277  of  FIG. 2 . In an embodiment, intermediate thermal stages  515  and/or  525  can comprise copper, gold, silver, brass, platinum, or a combination thereof. 
     Intermediate thermal stage  515  can provide additional cooling capacity for cryostat  500  via a sealed pot  540  coupled to intermediate thermal stage  515 . To that end, sealed pot  540  facilitates evaporative cooling of a helium medium—helium-4. A condenser line  542  can couple an outlet port  552  of a pump  550  to sealed pot  540  via 4-K stage  510 . Condenser line  542  can provide a return path for that helium medium to sealed pot  540 . A pumping line  544  can couple an inlet port  554  of pump  540  to sealed pot  540  via 4-K stage  510 . 4-K stage  510  can provide passage for condenser line  542  and/or pumping line  544  via a feedthrough element, such as feedthrough element  513 . 
     In operation, helium-4 can flow from outlet port  552  towards sealed pot  540  in a gaseous state. Feedthrough element  513  can thermally anchor condenser line  542  to 4-K stage  510 . As the helium-4 flows past feedthrough element  513 , the helium-4 can transition from the gaseous state to a liquid state. Helium-4 in the liquid state can collect in sealed pot  540 . Inlet port  554  of pump  550  can reduce a pressure above the liquified helium-4 collected in sealed pot  540 . Helium-4 in the gaseous state can form above the liquified helium-4 collected in sealed pot  540  through evaporation and flow to inlet port  554  of pump  550  via pumping line  554 . Heat carried by the helium-4 in the gaseous state flowing through pumping line  554  can reduce a temperature of the liquified helium-4 remaining in sealed pot  540 . Such evaporative cooling of the liquified helium-4 in sealed pot  540  can reduce a temperature of intermediate thermal stage  515  such that intermediate thermal stage  515  can operate at a temperature of about 1 K. 
     Intermediate thermal stage  525  can provide additional cooling capacity for cryostat  500  via a sealed pot  560  coupled to intermediate thermal stage  525 . To that end, sealed pot  560  facilitates evaporative cooling of a helium medium—helium-3. A condenser line  562  can couple an outlet port  572  of a pump  570  to sealed pot  560  via 4-K stage  510 . In an embodiment, pumps  550  and/or  570  can be a vacuum pump for circulating a corresponding helium medium through sealed pots  540  and/or  560 , respectively. In an embodiment, pumps  570  and/or  550  can be located external to cryostat  500 . In an embodiment, pumps  570  and/or  550  can be located within cryostat  500 . In this embodiment, pumps  570  and/or  550  can be implemented as a sorb pump. Condenser line  562  can provide a return path for that helium medium to sealed pot  560 . A pumping line  564  can couple an inlet port  574  of pump  570  to sealed pot  560  via 4-K stage  510 . 4-K stage  510  can provide passage for condenser line  562  and/or pumping line  564  via a feedthrough element, such as feedthrough element  514 . Intermediate thermal stage  515  can provide passage for condenser line  562  and/or pumping line  564  via a feedthrough element, such as feedthrough element  517 . Still stage  520  can provide passage for condenser line  562  and/or pumping line  564  via a feedthrough element, such as feedthrough element  523 . 
     In operation, helium-3 can flow from outlet port  572  towards sealed pot  560  in a gaseous state. Feedthrough elements  514 ,  517 , and/or  523  can thermally anchor condenser line  562  to 4-K stage  510 , intermediate thermal stage  515 , and/or Still stage  520 , respectively. As the helium-3 flows past feedthrough elements  515 ,  517 , and/or  523 , the helium-3 can transition from the gaseous state to a liquid state. Helium-3 in the liquid state can collect in sealed pot  560 . Inlet port  574  of pump  570  can reduce a pressure above the liquified helium-3 collected in sealed pot  560 . Helium-3 in the gaseous state can form above the liquified helium-3 collected in sealed pot  560  through evaporation and flow to inlet port  574  of pump  570  via pumping line  564 . Heat carried by the helium-3 in the gaseous state flowing through pumping line  564  can reduce a temperature of the liquified helium-3 remaining in sealed pot  560 . Such evaporative cooling of the liquified helium-3 in sealed pot  560  can reduce a temperature of intermediate thermal stage  525  such that intermediate thermal stage  525  can operate at a temperature of about 300 mK. In an embodiment, sealed pots  540  and/or  560  can be vacuum sealed or cryogenically sealed. In an embodiment, sealed pots  540  and/or  560  can comprise sintered material that facilitates thermal budget optimization. The sintered material can comprise silver, gold, copper, platinum, and the like. 
     Embodiments of the present invention may be a system, a method, and/or an apparatus at any possible technical detail level of integration. What has been described above includes mere examples of systems, methods, and apparatus. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or computer-implemented methods for purposes of describing this disclosure, but one of ordinary skill in the art can recognize that many further combinations and permutations of this disclosure are possible. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “includes,” “has,” “possesses,” and the like are used in the detailed description, claims, appendices and drawings such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim. 
     In addition, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or.” That is, unless specified otherwise, or clear from context, “X employs A or B” is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive permutations. That is, if X employs A; X employs B; or X employs both A and B, then “X employs A or B” is satisfied under any of the foregoing instances. Moreover, articles “a” and “an” as used in the subject specification and annexed drawings should generally be construed to mean “one or more” unless specified otherwise or clear from context to be directed to a singular form. As used herein, the terms “example” and/or “exemplary” are utilized to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. For the avoidance of doubt, the subject matter disclosed herein is not limited by such examples. In addition, any aspect or design described herein as an “example” and/or “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs, nor is it meant to preclude equivalent exemplary structures and techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art. 
     The descriptions of the various embodiments have been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiments, the practical application or technical improvement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein. 
     While certain example embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope the disclosures herein. Thus, nothing in the foregoing description is intended to imply that any particular feature, characteristic, step, module, or block is necessary or indispensable. Indeed, the novel methods and systems described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the methods and systems described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the disclosures herein. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of certain of the disclosures herein.