We know that Kapton-insulated cables are an excellent choice for high and Ultra-high vacuum cabling. The new KAP 301 range is also unique in its resistance to radiation, making it ideal for Synchrotron and environments with High Energy beams. Many users have also used KAP 301 for cabling in croyostats down to 4.2 Kelvin. Below this, in the millikelvin range where for instance a lot of the cutting-edge research in quantum computing is performed today, testing capabilities and experience is fairly limited.
This is why we were very pleased to hear from a group of researchers in Denmark, at the DTU who use Allectra Kapton-wires regularly at 7 mK to control their JPE positioning device. Their latest research project involved characterizing small silicon-nitride membranes and trampolines (around 100 microns x 100 microns small) and determining their Q-factor as a function of temperature. A high Q-factor describes the ability of the membrane to keep oscillating for a long time – in this case a few minutes. This was done by shining a laser on the membrane, exciting the fundamental mode of the membrane and measuring the ring-down time (the time of the ongoing oscillations until they die out.)
Sissel Bay Nielsen, a PhD scientist from the DTU explains “The Allectra cables were used for the JPE-stage to position the membrane correctly in respect to the laser beam. Our next research project is still in the design phase. The aim of this next experiment is to cool down a quartz crystal to its quantum mechanical ground state and couple the laser light to the oscillations in the crystal by so-called Brillouin scattering. Here, we will again use the Allectra cables to control the JPE stage, that will position the in-coupling lens. The wires will also be used for piezos that will be cooled down to milli-Kelvin. JPE in the Netherlands recommended we use the Allectra Kapton wires and we are very pleased with their performance.”
Ronald Smeets, Supply Chain Engineer at JPE explains ‘JPE’s Cryo & Nano Positioning (CNP) products are designed for accurate positioning in cryogenic and/or vacuum environments for all kinds of scientific experiments. CNP products can operate at temperatures even below 1K and are designed for consistent and robust performance as well as positioning in the nanometer range. Depending on the type of actuator high loads are possible or even operation in high magnetic fields.
JPE mainly uses Kapton wire because of low(er) outgassing properties compared to other wire insulation materials, which is crucial for use in vacuum environments. Kapton wire is used mainly to carry the (high voltage / high peak current) drive signals of the actuators.”
As the world’s number one Kapton wire supplier, we at Allectra are always particularly happy to hear of innovative or novel ways our KAP301 cables are used. We think the massive advances in Cryo-research in the last few years would have made Kammerlingh Onnes proud, freezing Kapton wires to a hair’s breadth of absolute zero certainly makes us so.
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