Automated Cryogenic Cooling System for Superconducting Electronics Navy SBIR FY2012.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2012.1 Topic No.: N121-079 Topic Title: Automated Cryogenic Cooling System for Superconducting Electronics Proposal No.: N121-079-1031 Firm: Iris Technology Corporation PO Box 5838 Irvine, California 92616-5838 Contact: Carl Kirkconnell Phone: (949) 975-8410 Web Site: www.iristechnology.com Abstract: Continued progress in the development of niobium superconducting electronics (SCE) has made viable for the first time consideration of SCE-based radio frequency (RF) communications systems for a wide range of military platforms. However, before the objective wide scale deployment can be achieved, certain associated fundamental engineering challenges must be overcome. Magnetic field control represents one such challenge. The superconducting (SC) core must be cooled in a controlled fashion that virtually eliminates magnetic flux trapping. The solution to this problem must be affordable and easily implemented, which essentially requires that the cool down process be automated so that any trained communications engineer can utilize the equipment without the support of a SCE/magnetic flux trapping expert. The proposed Automated Cryogenic Cooling System for Superconducting Electronics Program addresses this need by combining the required cryogenic cooling and magnetic flux minimization functions into the Cryocooler System. The critical initial steps involve fundamental research to quantify and better understand the underlying physics, followed by a systematic prototype testing program. The fundamental understanding gained will support future efforts to provide a low magnetic field operating environment for SCE regardless the type of cryogenic cooling system. Benefits: The general problem being addressed is the suprising lack of fundamental understanding of the nature of magnetic flux trapping and how it relates to real-world engineering nonidealities, such as the presence of time-dependent thermal gradients in magnetic shields. Thus, the results of the study are expected to benefit a wide range of superconducting applications, particularly those sensitive to flux trapping. The automated control method developed for the RF core of interest will be generally applicable to a wide range of such systems. Return