Lockheed Martin Corporation

Superconductor Technologies Inc.

Other

Elna Saito

Krisna Chandra Bhargava

James Kreider

Wallace Y Kunimoto

Mark Goodnough

Angela May Ho

Arturo Soto

Gregory Ronald Harrah

Jeffrey Winfield Scott

Gregory Lynton Hey-Shipton

James R Costa

Stacey M Bilski

Vincent Loung

Jeff W Scott

An apparatus includes a first substrate of a first material having a first bonding surface, and one or more fluidic channels open at a plane of the first bonding surface. The apparatus also includes a different second material disposed on the first substrate. The second material connects two different portions of the one or more fluidic channels. An outer surface of the second material is at the plane of the first bonding surface at positions between the two portions. The apparatus also includes a second substrate having a second bonding surface in contact with the first bonding surface, the second substrate configured to confine fluid flow within the one or more fluidic channels. In a Joule-Thompson cryocooler apparatus, the first material is a first thermally insulating material and the second material is a thermally conductive material and the second substrate is made of a second thermally insulating material.

Integrated functional and fluidic circuits in Joule-Thompson microcoolers

A microcooler includes a substrate with a first and second microchannel and an orifice disposed between, in fluid communication with both. A pair of electrodes is in a vicinity of the orifice. An electrical resistive heating material is in electrical communication with the electrodes and is in thermal contact with a fluid in the vicinity of the orifice. A system includes the microcooler and a voltage source to apply a voltage across the electrodes, which induces sufficient heating in the heating material to disassociate something clogging the orifice, without significant damage to the heating material. Some systems include a sensor configured to detect an effect of clogging at the orifice. A processor is configured to receive sensor output from the sensor, and if there is an effect of clogging, then cause the voltage to be applied across the electrodes.

System and method for electronic de-clogging of microcoolers

Systems, methods, and devices for integrated detector cooler assemblies (IDCAs) and multi-circuit cryostats are discussed herein. Solutions include using cryostats with multiple cooling circuits. Some cryostat variations may include a rapid cooldown circuit and a temperature maintenance circuit. In some cases, the temperature maintenance circuit may be a closed-loop circuit run by a compressor instead of an open-loop circuit run on a pressurized gas bottle/cartridge. Variations of a cryostat may also include a gas expander portion that replaces the coldfinger of typical IDCAs. Further variations of cooling circuits may include circuits that perform reverse-flow heat exchange to pre-cool incoming refrigerant and also cooling circuits that have heat bridges disposed thereon to assist in such heat exchange.

IDCA for fast cooldown and extended operating time

A method includes etching one or more fluidic channels into a first substrate made of a first material according to a first spatial pattern. The method also includes, after etching the fluidic channels, then separately etching a space in the first substrate according to a different second pattern that includes at least one connection between at least two different portions of the fluidic channels. The method still further includes depositing a different second material into the space. The method yet further includes bonding a different second substrate to the first substrate to enclose the fluidic channels to configure them to contain or pass one or more fluids. For fabricating a Joule-Thomson cooler, the first substrate is made of a first thermally insulating material; the second material is a thermally conducting material; and the second substrate is made of a second thermally insulating material.

Integrating functional and fluidic circuits in joule-thomson microcoolers

RF switches and methods of use are provided. In one embodiment, a RF switch includes first and second switch assemblies, each comprising an elongate member and a magnetic housing on an end of the member. The magnet is disposed between contact pads for first and second circuits, and an electromagnetic source is coupled to the assemblies. Each switch has a first and second state. Another RF switch of the present invention includes a rotor, an elongate member disposed centrally through the rotor, an actuator coupled to the member and configured to rotate the member and the rotor, and a contact on the rotor that may touch a substrate. The contact is used to complete a first path or a second path.

RF receiver switches

An improved dewar design that accelerates the manufacturing process of a dewar. In a preferred embodiment, the dewar includes an evacuation port that may be larger in size by a factor of ten over the size of evacuation ports of conventional dewars. The oversized evacuation port, however, does not result in an increase in the overall size or profile of the dewar. The dewar is evacuated and hermetically sealed using an re-usable evacuation tool.

Method of manufacturing dewars

Evacuation port and closure for dewars

Growing community of inventors

Santa Barbara, CA, United States of America

Elna Saito