High Precision Devices, Inc. (HPD), in partnership with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and supported by an SBIR grant, developed a millikelvin cryostat designed for use with kilopixel arrays of transition edge sensors (TES). This cryostat combines three cooling technologies—mechanical cryocoolers, 3He sorption cooling, and adiabatic demagnetization refrigeration (ADR)—to achieve temperatures as low as 23 mK, nearly absolute zero. This innovation allows researchers to work with superconducting devices without the need for liquid cryogens, making the system more portable and user-friendly.
The development of this cryostat significantly boosted HPD’s growth, with sales increasing from $2.3M in 2009 to $5.6M by 2015, largely driven by the success of its cryogenic instruments. HPD has expanded its product line and market reach, establishing sales representatives in Europe, Asia, and South America, and has continued to innovate with additional SBIR grants. The cryostat technology has become a key part of HPD’s business, with projected annual sales of $2M in the coming years.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/tpo/sbir-success-story-high-precision-devices-inc-hpd
Keywords: cryostat, adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator, transition edge sensor
