Cryogenic cooler with mechanically-flexible thermal interface

Abstract

A cryogenic cooler and a dewar assembly including a cooled surface; a cooling surface for removing thermal energy from said cooled surface; and an adapter disposed between said cooling surface and the cooled surface for conducting thermal energy therebetween. A first fluid is disposed between the cooled surface and the adapter for conducting thermal energy from the cooled surface to the adapter. A second fluid is disposed between the cooling surface and the adapter for conducting thermal energy from the adapter to the cooling surface whereby the cooling surface remains free to move axially relative to the adapter at a temperature of the cooling surface at which the first fluid is susceptible to freezing. This allows for movement of the cold finger relative to the dewar and adapter, due to differential thermal coefficients of expansion or support structure motion, without adversely affecting the communication of thermal energy from the load. In the illustrative embodiment, the cooler is a Stirling cycle cooler, the first fluid is thermal grease and the second fluid is nitrogen. The cooling surface is a cylindrical cold finger of the Stirling cycle cooler and the cooled surface is an inner wall of a dewar assembly. The dewar is in thermal contact with a load. The adapter is disposed between the inner wall of the dewar and the cold finger. The adapter has an end cap and a cylindrical housing extending therefrom. The housing extends at least partially along a longitudinal axis of the cold finger. An insulator is disposed about the cold finger and the adapter housing. A spring is disposed between a proximal end of the insulator and a base of the cold finger to maintain a distal end of the insulator in contact with the adapter and the adapter in contact with the dewar.