Project description
Overcoming the limitations of dry dilution refrigerators
The emergence of quantum technologies, the growing interest in this field, and the requirements of the expanding fields of cryogenic detectors and quantum computing, which require millikelvin (mK) temperatures, have been driving the rapidly expanding dry dilution refrigerator (DDR) market. DDRs provide high degrees of automation and increased access to ultracold temperatures for non-expert end users. Unfortunately, they also induce mechanical vibrations, which can lead to performance degradation in particle detectors and even destroy qubit coherence. The ERC-funded QUANTUM-VIBES project aims to develop a revolutionary vibration decoupling system (VDS) featuring a spring-pendulum system to reduce DDR-induced mechanical distortions, lowering them to levels below ambient vibrations that do not endanger performance.
Objective
The booming fields of cryogenic detectors and quantum computing require mK temperatures, driving the rapidly growing market for dry dilution refrigerators (DDRs). This key technology enables a high degree of automation and makes ultracold temperatures accessible to non-expert end users. However, DDRs induce mechanical vibrations that dramatically degrade the performance of particle detectors and destroy the coherence of quantum bits - a potential showstopper for quantum technologies. We have overcome these limitations with an innovative vibration decoupling system (VDS), which has been developed in an ongoing ERC Starting Grant for fundamental particle physics. The invention features a sophisticated spring-pendulum system that suspends the payload at mK temperatures from an independent reference frame at room temperature, dramatically reducing DDR-induced mechanical distortions to levels below ambient vibrations. This pioneering work in the laboratory was a breakthrough for the operation of cryogenic detectors in state-of-the-art DDRs. These first results have triggered interest from the scientific community and the cryostat industry, which represents an attractive entry market for the innovation. Quantum computing is expected to become a major future market within the next decade. The intellectual property rights of the novel device and its innovative thermal and mechanical concepts are protected by a European patent application. QUANTUM-VIBES will optimize the VDS for robustness and reproducibility and will conduct a dynamic market study to identify potential customers and assess market size. An already established collaboration with an industrial partner enabled the foundation of a spin-off company with the major goal of developing a VDS proof-of-concept that will pave the way for commercialization in an attractive entry market.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants
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Call for proposal
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(opens in new window) ERC-2025-POC
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80333 Muenchen
Germany
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