Towards all-solid state cryocooling from 300 K to 10 mK
Matthew A. Grayson - Northwestern University
Abstract:
Current cryogenic cooling technology for solid-state quantum computers relies on the non-renewable resource of helium-4 and its even rarer isotope helium-3. Given the volatility of the global supply chain for these elements, new technologies need to be developed to achieve cryogenic temperatures without their use. This talk theoretically proposes an all-solid state milliKelvin refrigeration mechanism, constructing an electron heat pump from a gallium-arsenide (GaAs) quantum well that could, in principle, cool from 300 mK to 10 mK. This heat pump would drive electrostatic gate-tunable subband degeneracy in a semiconductor quantum well in an Otto cycle to achieve cooling power, with the help of electrostatic heat switches. The theory of operation for such a device will be explained and the theoretical cooling powers predicted. Materials challenges and physical constraints to this vision for a possible all-solid state milliKelvin refrigerator will be discussed. Such a device could initially serve as a ‘booster’ for enhancing base-temperature in dilution refrigerators, and eventually serve as the low-temperature component of an all-solid state cryocooler.
Location: QNC 0101