Importance

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Abstract

A self contained cryogenic cooler, requiring only electricity to operate, maintains apparatus therein at cryogenic temperatures without introducing liquefied gas, and with a minimum of mechanical vibration. The cooler includes an elongated cylindrical insulated container with an end plate, the container having a vacuum conduction barrier and a heat shield radiative barrier so that the heat flow through the walls is small. The interior of the container and the apparatus are cooled by a mechanical cooler that achieves intermediately low temperatures, and a helium gas expansion cooler providing the final stage of cooling to below about 5K. The mechanical cooler is supported from the end plate on a first support, and the expansion cooler and apparatus are supported from the end plate on a second support independent of the first support, so that minimal vibration from the mechanical cooler is introduced into the apparatus. The apparatus can be cooled to about 4K without being immersed in liquid helium, and with a regular vibrational amplitude of less than about 5 micrometers, which for many applications can be readily filtred electronically.

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First Claim