Push on connector for cryocable and mating weldable hermetic feedthrough

Abstract

An electrical interconnect provides a path between cryogenic or cryocooled circuitry and ambient temperatures. As a system, a cryocable is combined with a trough-line contact or transition . In the preferred embodiment, the cryocable comprises a conductor disposed adjacent an insulator which is in turn disposed adjacent another conductor . The components are sized so as to balance heat load through the cryocable with the insertion loss. In the most preferred embodiment, a coaxial cryocable has a center conductor surrounded by a dielectric (e.g. Teflon™) surrounded by an outer conductor which has a thickness between about 6 and 20 microns. The heat load is preferably less than one Watt, and most preferably less than one tenth of a Watt, with an insertion loss less than one decibel. In another aspect of the invention, a trough-line contact or transition is provided in which the center conductor is partially enveloped by dielectric to form a relatively flat portion . The preferred overall geometry of the preferred embodiment of the cable is generally cylindrical, although other geometries are possible (e.g., stripline, microstrip, coplanar or slotline geometries). In a further aspect of the present invention, a push-on connector is provided to facilitate connection and disconnection of the cryocable from an HTS circuit and/or a mating feedthrough