High-vacuum quantum chip storage box

Abstract

The invention discloses a high-vacuum quantum chip storage box which comprises a first cavity, and a high-vacuum environment is formed in the first cavity and used for storing samples. The second chamber is arranged in the first chamber and used for transferring, storing and taking samples, and the size of the second chamber is smaller than that of the first chamber. The large chamber serves as a special storage area and can be used for densely stacking sample boxes, and the small chamber is wrapped in the large chamber, serves as a transfer platform and is communicated with and isolated from the large chamber sometimes; as the space of the small chamber is small and the time for evacuating and breaking the small space is short, the time for storing and taking the chip can be greatly shortened by only frequently evacuating and breaking the small chamber, the efficiency is high, the sample boxes are stacked together in a concentrated manner, the overall storage volume can be greatly reduced, and the storage and taking operation is realized by designing the small chamber. Only one air pressure balancing device needs to be configured, and the equipment hardware cost is greatly reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of quantum chip storage technology, specifically to a high-vacuum quantum chip storage box. Background Technology

[0002] Quantum chips are the core components of quantum computers. Unlike traditional classical integrated circuit chips, quantum chips require a complex system manufacturing process. Factors such as ambient temperature, cleanliness, noise, vibration, electromagnetic waves, and tiny impurity particles can all affect them. If the storage environment for the quantum chip sample during or after fabrication is substandard, the superconducting quantum chip will adsorb various impurities. Key components such as the Josephson junction and superconducting capacitor will age, leading to poor frequency uniformity of the qubits, reduced coherence time, and ultimately, deterioration of the quantum chip's performance. High-vacuum quantum chip storage boxes provide a stable high-vacuum storage environment, preventing performance degradation due to improper storage.

[0003] Currently, most quantum chip storage boxes are designed as large cabinets similar to refrigerators, with several shelves or drawers (chambers) inside. Each shelf or drawer (chamber) can hold a large number of quantum chips. Because a high vacuum level is required (generally less than 10-3 Pa), a fine pump (molecular pump) is needed in conjunction with a coarse pump (dry pump) to perform vacuum evacuation.

[0004] Existing storage boxes are divided into two categories based on whether the chambers are independently evacuated: interconnected chambers and independent chambers.

[0005] The interconnected chambers are similar to a single-door refrigerator, where all chambers are connected and have the same vacuum level. Before each opening, all chambers are uniformly devastated to atmospheric pressure. After the door is opened and the chip sample is placed in, the vacuum is uniformly evacuated again.

[0006] Disadvantages of interconnected chamber storage boxes: Due to the interconnected chambers, the overall volume is large. Each time the door is opened, all chambers are exposed to the air, which can unnecessarily affect chambers that are not being used. Manual stacking of chips is also slow, especially when storing a large number of chips.

[0007] The independent chambers are similar to those in a multi-door refrigerator, where each chamber is independent of the others. When operating one chamber (containing chips), the vacuum level of other chambers is not affected (or the effect is very small and negligible).

[0008] Disadvantages of independent chamber storage tanks: Because the chambers are independent of each other, multiple fine pumps (molecular pumps) are required to avoid crosstalk (generally one molecular pump per chamber). The use and maintenance costs of these fine pumps (molecular pumps) are high, thus increasing the overall equipment cost. Also, due to the large number of chamber doors, the overall sealing performance is relatively poor. Summary of the Invention

[0009] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides a high-vacuum quantum chip storage box, comprising a first chamber, in which a high-vacuum environment is formed for storing samples; and a second chamber, connected to the interior of the first chamber, for transferring and retrieving the samples, wherein the volume of the second chamber is smaller than that of the first chamber. Preferably, the second chamber is provided with a first door and a second door, the first door being disposed on the outer wall of the second chamber, and the first door serving to allow or block the second chamber from the atmospheric environment.

[0010] The second cavity door is disposed on the inner wall of the second chamber, and the second cavity door is used to connect or block the second chamber and the first chamber.

[0011] Preferably, it further includes a gripping device disposed in the first cavity; when storing a sample, the gripping device transfers the sample in the second cavity to the first cavity; when taking a sample, the gripping device transfers the sample in the first cavity to the second cavity.

[0012] Preferably, the device further includes a third chamber located outside the second chamber. The third chamber is equipped with a pressure balancing device, which is connected to the first chamber and the second chamber via pipelines. The pressure balancing device is used to adjust the pressure values ​​in the first chamber and the second chamber.

[0013] Preferably, the pressure balancing device includes a vacuum pumping system and a vacuum breaking system.

[0014] Preferably, the first chamber has an air inlet and an air outlet. The air inlet of the first chamber is connected to the vacuum breaking system, through which protective gas is supplied to the first chamber. The air outlet of the first chamber is connected to the vacuum pumping system, through which gas is extracted from the first chamber.

[0015] Preferably, the second chamber has another air inlet and another air outlet. The air inlet of the second chamber is connected to the vacuum breaking system, through which protective gas is supplied to the second chamber. The air outlet of the second chamber is connected to the vacuum pumping system, through which gas is extracted from the second chamber.

[0016] Preferably, the vacuum system includes two valve bodies, a fine pump and a coarse pump connected by pipelines. The two valve bodies are respectively connected to two air outlets by pipelines. During the vacuuming process, one of the corresponding valve bodies is opened, and the gas in the chamber connected to the valve body first passes through the fine pump and then is discharged through the coarse pump.

[0017] Preferably, the vacuum breaking system includes two valve bodies and a protective gas source connected by pipelines. The two valve bodies are respectively connected to two air inlets by pipelines. During the vacuum breaking process, one of the corresponding valve bodies is opened, and the protective gas enters the chamber connected to the valve body through the pipeline connected to the valve body.

[0018] Preferably, the samples in the first chamber are arranged in a matrix, and the first chamber is provided with multiple rows and columns of storage stations.

[0019] The technical effects and advantages of this invention are as follows:

[0020] 1. In this invention, the large chamber serves as a dedicated storage area where sample boxes can be densely stacked. The small chamber is enclosed within the large chamber and acts as a transfer platform, sometimes connected to and sometimes isolated from the large chamber. Because the small chamber has a small space and the time for evacuating and breaking the small space is very short, the chip access time can be greatly shortened by frequently evacuating and breaking the small chamber, resulting in high efficiency.

[0021] 2. In this invention, the sample boxes are stacked together, which greatly reduces the overall storage volume. The storage and retrieval operations are achieved by designing small chambers. Only one set of air pressure balancing device is required, which greatly reduces the hardware cost of the equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the high-vacuum quantum chip storage box provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the back of the high-vacuum quantum chip storage box provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0024] Figure 3 The high-vacuum quantum chip storage box provided in this application embodiment is Figure 2 Enlarged structural diagram at point A;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a front view of the high-vacuum quantum chip storage box provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a side sectional view of the high-vacuum quantum chip storage box provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a top view of the high-vacuum quantum chip storage box provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0028] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the high-vacuum quantum chip storage box provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0029] Figure 8This is a schematic diagram of the evacuation process of the high-vacuum quantum chip storage box provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0030] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the sample storage process of the high-vacuum quantum chip storage box provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0031] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the sampling process of the high-vacuum quantum chip storage box provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0032] In the picture:

[0033] 1. Outer cavity; 101. First air inlet; 102. First air outlet; 11. Display screen; 12. Sample box; 13. Robotic arm; 131. X-axis; 132. Z-axis; 133. Y-axis; 134. Gripper;

[0034] 2. Inner cavity; 201. Second air inlet; 202. Second air outlet; 21. Outer door; 22. Door lock; 23. Inner door; 24. Outer door sealing ring; 25. Inner door push rod; 26. Inner door sealing ring; 27. On-position detection sensor; 28. Position detection sensor; 29. ​​Positioning slot;

[0035] 3. Control chamber; 31. First valve body; 32. Second valve body; 33. Fine pump; 34. Coarse pump; 35. Third valve body; 36. Fourth valve body; 37. Inlet pipe; 38. Extraction pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. The embodiments of the present invention are given for illustrative and descriptive purposes only, and are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The embodiments were chosen and described to better illustrate the principles and practical application of the invention, and to enable those skilled in the art to understand the invention and design various embodiments with various modifications suitable for a particular purpose.

[0037] This embodiment provides a high-vacuum quantum chip storage box, including a first chamber, which is a large chamber, to form a high-vacuum environment for storing samples. A second chamber is connected to the interior of the first chamber and is a small chamber used for transferring and retrieving samples. When storing or retrieving samples, the pressure value in the second chamber is adjusted to the same as the expected pressure value before the second chamber is opened to store or retrieve the samples.

[0038] In this embodiment, the volume of the second chamber is smaller than that of the first chamber. The second chamber is disposed within the first chamber. By adjusting the pressure value in the smaller second chamber, the pressure adjustment time can be shortened. The second chamber is used for intermediary storage and retrieval, while the first chamber is used for long-term storage, which can greatly improve the storage and retrieval efficiency.

[0039] Furthermore, the second chamber is provided with a first chamber door and a second chamber door. The first chamber door is located on the outer wall of the second chamber. When the first chamber door is open, the second chamber is connected to the atmospheric environment. When the first chamber door is closed, the second chamber is isolated from the atmospheric environment. Opening and closing the first chamber door facilitates the storage and retrieval of samples.

[0040] The second chamber door is located on the inner wall of the second chamber and is used to connect the second chamber and the first chamber. When the second chamber door is open, the second chamber is connected to the first chamber. When the second chamber door is closed, the second chamber is isolated from the first chamber.

[0041] In practice, the first chamber door is opened, the second chamber door is closed, the second chamber is connected to the atmosphere, and the sample is stored or retrieved from the second chamber before the first chamber door is closed.

[0042] Open the second chamber door and close the first chamber door. The second chamber is connected to the first chamber. The sample can be transferred from the first chamber to the second chamber for retrieval or from the second chamber to the first chamber for storage.

[0043] It is important to note that the first and second chamber doors should not be opened simultaneously when storing or retrieving samples. Each time the first and second chamber doors are opened, the pressure in the second chamber should be adjusted to match the expected pressure after opening before opening the first chamber door. Otherwise, the high vacuum environment of the first chamber may be disrupted or the components of the second chamber may be damaged by impact due to excessive pressure drop.

[0044] Furthermore, the first chamber is equipped with multiple rows and columns of storage stations. The samples in the first chamber are arranged in a matrix for long-term storage. The first chamber is also equipped with a gripping device. When storing samples, after the samples are placed in the second chamber, the gripping device will transfer the samples to the first chamber for storage. When retrieving samples, the gripping device will transfer the samples stored in the first chamber to the second chamber and then retrieve the samples from the second chamber.

[0045] When storing or retrieving samples, it is only necessary to manually place the sample in the second chamber and then transfer the sample through a gripping device, making the operation more convenient.

[0046] Furthermore, it also includes a third chamber located outside the second chamber. The third chamber is equipped with a pressure balancing device, which includes a vacuum pumping system and a vacuum breaking system. The pressure balancing device is connected to the first chamber and the second chamber via pipelines, and the pressure values ​​in the first chamber and the second chamber are adjusted by the pressure balancing device.

[0047] Furthermore, the first chamber has an air inlet and an air outlet. The air inlet of the first chamber is connected to a vacuum breaking system, which delivers protective gas into the first chamber and adjusts the pressure value in the first chamber to be the same as the atmospheric pressure value. The air outlet of the first chamber is connected to a vacuum pumping system, which extracts gas from the first chamber and adjusts the pressure value in the first chamber to be the same as the pressure value in the second chamber.

[0048] Furthermore, the second chamber has another air inlet and another air outlet. The air inlet of the second chamber is connected to a vacuum breaking system, which delivers protective gas into the second chamber to purge the gas and ensure the purity and quality of the gas in the second chamber. The air outlet of the second chamber is connected to a vacuum pumping system, which extracts the gas in the second chamber to create a high vacuum environment for storing samples.

[0049] Furthermore, the vacuum system includes two valve bodies connected by pipelines, a fine pump and a coarse pump. The two valve bodies are connected to two air outlets by pipelines. During the vacuuming process, the corresponding valve body is opened, and the gas in the chamber connected to the valve body is first discharged by the fine pump and then by the coarse pump.

[0050] Furthermore, the vacuum breaking system includes two valve bodies connected by pipelines and a protective gas source. The two valve bodies are respectively connected to two air inlets by pipelines. During the vacuum breaking process, one of the corresponding valve bodies is opened, and the protective gas enters the chamber connected to the valve body through the pipeline connected to the valve body.

[0051] In this invention, the large chamber serves as a dedicated storage area where sample boxes can be densely stacked. The small chamber is enclosed within the large chamber and acts as a transfer platform, sometimes connected to and sometimes isolated from the large chamber. Because the small chamber has a small space, the time for evacuating and breaking the small space is very short. Therefore, by frequently evacuating and breaking the small chamber, the chip access time can be greatly shortened, resulting in high efficiency.

[0052] By stacking the sample boxes together, the overall storage volume can be greatly reduced. The storage and retrieval operations can be achieved by designing small chambers. Furthermore, the first, second, and third chambers are designed independently, and only one air pressure balancing device is needed to adjust the pressure values ​​in the first and second chambers, which greatly reduces the hardware cost of the equipment.

[0053] See Figure 1As shown, in one specific embodiment, a high-vacuum quantum chip storage box is provided. In this embodiment, the first chamber is the outer cavity 1, the second chamber is the inner cavity 2, and the third chamber is the control cavity 3. The inner cavity 2 is placed inside the outer cavity 1 and is located at the bottom of the outer cavity 1. The volume of the inner cavity 2 is smaller than the volume of the outer cavity 1. Because the volume of the inner cavity 2 is smaller, the time required to evacuate or break the vacuum in the inner cavity 2 when storing or retrieving samples is very short. By using the inner cavity 2 for intermediate storage and the outer cavity 1 for long-term storage, the storage efficiency can be greatly improved.

[0054] See Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the outer cavity 1 includes a display screen 11 and a sample box 12. The display screen 11 is mounted on the outer surface of the outer cavity 1 and is used to display storage information and perform operation actions. The sample box 12 is arranged in an array in the middle of the outer cavity 1 and is used for long-term storage of the chip.

[0055] It is understandable that a support frame (not shown in the figure) is also provided inside the sample box 12 to support the sample box 12.

[0056] In this embodiment, the gripping device is a robotic arm 13, which is installed inside the outer cavity 1. The robotic arm 13 includes an X-axis 131, a Z-axis 132, a Y-axis 133, and a gripper 134. The three axes formed by the X-axis 131, Z-axis 132, and Y-axis 133 are perpendicular to each other, which can position and grip the sample box 12 inside the outer cavity 1, and the degree of automation is high.

[0057] It is understandable that the structure of the robotic arm 13 is simple and belongs to the three-axis robotic arms commonly used in the prior art, so it is not described in detail in this application.

[0058] In another embodiment, the gripping device may also be other mechanisms capable of automatic gripping, such as an articulated manipulator, for positioning and gripping the sample box 12.

[0059] See Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the first cavity door includes an outer door 21, and the second cavity door includes an inner door 23. The inner cavity 2 includes an outer door 21, a door lock 22, an inner door 23, an outer door sealing ring 24, an inner door push rod 25, an inner door sealing ring 26, a position detection sensor 27, a position detection sensor 28, and a positioning slot 29. The outer door 21 is disposed on the outer wall of the inner cavity 2, and the door lock 22 is disposed on the outer door 21. The outer door 21 is hinged to the inner cavity 2, and the outer door sealing ring 24 is disposed at the connection between the inner cavity 2 and the outer door 21. When the outer door 21 is locked by the door lock 22, the outer door 21 abuts against the outer door sealing ring 24, thereby improving the sealing performance of the inner cavity 2.

[0060] Furthermore, the inner door 23 is disposed on the inner wall of the inner cavity 2, located at the connection between the inner cavity 2 and the outer cavity 1. The inner door 23 is hinged to the inner cavity 2, and one end of the inner door push rod 25 is hinged to the inner door 2. The inner door 23 is opened and closed by the inner door push rod 25.

[0061] In another embodiment, the inner door 23 can also be driven by a cylinder or an electric cylinder to open and close the inner door 23 by a hinge. It can also be opened by other means, such as horizontal push-pull opening or automatic folding door mechanism.

[0062] Furthermore, an inner door sealing ring 26 is provided at the connection between the inner cavity 2 and the inner door 23. When the inner door 23 is closed, the inner door 23 abuts against the inner door sealing ring 26, thereby improving the sealing performance of the inner cavity 2.

[0063] Furthermore, a positioning slot 29 is provided on the bottom surface of the inner cavity 2. The positioning slot 29 is U-shaped, which facilitates quick and easy placement of the sample box 12 when it is stored. A position detection sensor 27 is provided on one side of the positioning slot 29 to detect whether the sample box 12 is in place. An end-of-position detection sensor 28 is provided on one side of the positioning slot 29 to detect whether the sample box 12 has been pushed into position. If it is not pushed into position, an alarm will be triggered to remind the user of the abnormality.

[0064] In this embodiment, preferably, the position detection sensor 28 is located above the rear side of the positioning slot 29, and the position detection sensor 27 and the position detection sensor 28 are located on both sides of the positioning slot 29 to position the sample box 12, avoid positioning deviation, and enable the robot arm to accurately grasp the correct position.

[0065] See Figure 5 , 6 As shown in Figure 7, in this embodiment, the third chamber includes a control chamber 3, and a pressure balancing device is provided in the control chamber 3. The pressure balancing device includes a vacuum pumping system and a vacuum breaking system. The pressure balancing device includes a first valve body 31, a second valve body 32, a fine pump 33, a coarse pump 34, a third valve body 35, a fourth valve body 36, an air inlet pipe 37, and an air extraction pipe 38.

[0066] Specifically, the vacuum breaking system includes a first valve body 31 and a third valve body 35 connected in parallel through pipelines. Both the first valve body 31 and the third valve body 35 are connected to an air inlet pipe 37 through pipelines. The air inlet pipe 37 is connected to an external nitrogen source. The opening and closing of the corresponding pipelines are controlled by the first valve body 31 and the third valve body 35.

[0067] Specifically, the vacuum system includes a second valve body 32 and a fourth valve body 36 connected in parallel via pipelines. Both the second valve body 32 and the fourth valve body 36 are connected to the air inlet of the fine pump 33 via pipelines. The air outlet of the fine pump 33 is connected to the air inlet of the coarse pump 34 via pipelines. The air outlet of the coarse pump 34 is connected to the suction pipe 38. The opening and closing of the corresponding pipelines are controlled by the second valve body 32 and the fourth valve body 36.

[0068] Understandably, a check valve and a silencer can also be connected at the extraction pipe 38 to prevent airflow backflow and reduce noise.

[0069] In order to cooperate with the use of the vacuum breaking system and the vacuum pumping system, two holes are opened at the bottom of the outer cavity 1 and the inner cavity 2 respectively. The bottom of the outer cavity 1 is provided with a first air inlet 101 and a first air outlet 102. The first air inlet 101 is connected to the first valve body 31 through a pipeline, and the first air outlet 102 is connected to the second valve body 32 through a pipeline.

[0070] The bottom of the inner cavity 2 is provided with a second air inlet 201 and a second air outlet 202. The second air inlet 201 is connected to the third valve body 35 through a pipeline, and the second air outlet 202 is connected to the fourth valve body 36 through a pipeline.

[0071] Preferably, the fine pump 33 can be a molecular pump, which can achieve a high degree of vacuum in the outer cavity 1 and the inner cavity 2 during vacuuming.

[0072] Preferably, the roughing pump 34 can be a vacuum pump.

[0073] In practice, when using the vacuum system, the vacuum pump is first started for rough evacuation, and after reaching the predetermined pressure value, the molecular pump is then started for fine evacuation.

[0074] It is important to note that fine pumping should not be performed directly on the outer cavity 1 and inner cavity 2 at atmospheric pressure (equivalent to high pressure for high vacuum). This will cause excessive pressure difference, which may easily impact the blades of the fine pump 33 and damage them.

[0075] Furthermore, vacuum gauges (not shown in the figure) can be installed inside the outer cavity 1 and the inner cavity 2 respectively to monitor the vacuum level of the outer cavity 1 and the inner cavity 2 in real time.

[0076] See Figure 7 As shown, in a specific implementation, there are four working conditions: evacuation, sample storage, sampling, and cleaning.

[0077] 1. Evacuation process

[0078] See Figure 8 As shown, the evacuation process is the vacuuming process that brings the equipment to its normal operating state.

[0079] First, perform an initial state confirmation to ensure that both outer door 21 and inner door 23 are closed, and both first valve body 31 and third valve body 35 are closed.

[0080] Then, open the second valve body 32 and the fourth valve body 36, turn on the coarse pump 34 to start coarse pumping, and after the outer cavity 1 reaches the predetermined pressure value, turn on the fine pump 33 to reach the predetermined pressure value, close the fourth valve body 36, and at the same time, the second valve body 32 is in the open state, keeping the outer cavity 1 in a evacuated state and maintaining the high vacuum state of the outer cavity 1. Open the third valve body 35, fill the inner cavity 2 with nitrogen to atmospheric pressure, and then close the third valve body 35 to enter the working standby state.

[0081] During the evacuation process, nitrogen is used as a protective gas to isolate the air and ensure that the inner cavity 2 is filled with nitrogen under normal working conditions, providing conditions for rapid sample storage later.

[0082] 2. Sample storage process

[0083] See Figure 9 As shown, the sample storage process corresponds to the operation process when storing chip samples. First, manually open the outer door 21, manually take out the sample box 12, put in the chip, and push the sample box 12 into place. If the sample box 12 is not placed in place, it will be detected by the position detection sensor 28 and an alarm will be output. Then manually close the outer door 21 and lock the door lock 22 to complete the sample storage operation.

[0084] The second valve body 32 is closed, the fine pump 33 is closed, cutting off the connection between the outer cavity 1 and the inner cavity 2. Since the inner cavity 2 is very small, it will be coarsely pumped out quickly. Therefore, the closing time of the second valve body 32 is very short, and its effect on the vacuum level of the outer cavity 1 is negligible. Furthermore, the molecular pump cannot be used directly to pump nitrogen under atmospheric pressure, as it will damage the molecular pump blades. Therefore, it needs to be closed briefly.

[0085] The fourth valve body 36 is opened, and the rough pumping is carried out to the predetermined pressure value. The rough pumping pump 34 is always working and is not turned off. Only after the rough pumping reaches a certain vacuum value can the fine pumping pump 33 be turned on.

[0086] The second valve 32 is open. At this time, although the vacuum values ​​of the inner cavity 2 and the outer cavity 1 are not the same, the inner cavity 2 is at a low vacuum and the outer cavity 1 is at a high vacuum, the inner cavity 2 and the outer cavity 1 are connected after the second valve 32 is opened. Because the inner cavity 2 is very small, the trace amount of gas in the low vacuum inside the inner cavity 2 will be diluted into the outer cavity 1. As soon as the fine pump 33 is turned on, it can be quickly restored to a high vacuum state. Therefore, the effect of the high vacuum of the outer cavity 1 can be ignored.

[0087] When the fine pump 33 is turned on, the fine pump is pumped to the predetermined pressure value. Then, the second valve body 32 is opened first and the two are pumped together. Otherwise, if the inner cavity 2 is pumped first and the second valve body 32 is opened, the outer cavity 1 will be pumped for too long. If the outer cavity 1 is not well sealed, atmospheric leakage will occur into the outer cavity 1. If the time is long, it may damage the high vacuum state of the outer cavity 1 and affect the storage effect.

[0088] Open the inner door 23, close the fourth valve body 36, and push the inner door 23 open by a push rod, cylinder or electric cylinder, and end the evacuation process of the inner cavity 2.

[0089] The robotic arm 13 moves from the standby point to the upper part of the inner cavity 2, grabs the sample box 12 and moves it to the target storage position. The robotic arm 13 returns to its position and is ready to be used. The empty space can be manually specified on the display screen 11 or the equipment can automatically select an empty space for storage.

[0090] Close the inner door 23, open the third valve body 35, and nitrogen gas enters the inner cavity 2 to break the vacuum. After reaching the atmospheric pressure value, close the third valve body 35, and the inner cavity 2 returns to its initial state, that is, it is filled with nitrogen gas, waiting for the next sample storage instruction. The sample storage process is complete.

[0091] 3. Sampling process

[0092] See Figure 10 As shown, the sampling process corresponds to the operation process when taking out a chip sample, which is the opposite of the sample storage process. When the device is in normal working condition, when taking out a chip sample, first click the sample box 12 number where the target sample is located on the display screen 11. The storage information of each chip must be recordable and traceable, such as the chip storage time, the sample box 12 number, and the address of the sample box 12.

[0093] The second valve 31 is closed, the fine pump 33 is closed, and the fourth valve 36 is opened to coarsely pump the inner cavity 2 to the predetermined pressure value; the second valve 32 is opened, the fine pump 33 is opened, and fine pumping begins. The inner door 23 is opened, the robotic arm 13 automatically locates and grabs the target sample box 12 into the inner cavity 2, and then returns to its position to wait. The inner door 23 is closed, the fourth valve 36 is closed, and the third valve 35 is opened, allowing nitrogen to enter the inner cavity 2 to break the vacuum. After the pressure value inside the inner cavity 2 reaches the atmospheric pressure value, the third valve 35 is closed, the outer door 21 is opened, the sample box 12 is manually removed and the chip is removed, and then the sample box 12 is pushed into place. The outer door 21 is closed, and the sampling operation is completed.

[0094] 4. Cleaning process

[0095] Gas cleaning is performed on the outer cavity 1 and inner cavity 2. First, the initial state is confirmed, the outer door 21 and inner door 23 are closed, and the first valve body 31, the second valve body 32, the third valve body 35 and the fourth valve body 36 are opened. Nitrogen from the nitrogen source enters the outer cavity 1 and inner cavity 2 through the inlet pipe 37. The air in the outer cavity 1 and inner cavity 2 is discharged through the exhaust pipe 38. After a preset time, the first valve body 31, the second valve body 32, the third valve body 35 and the fourth valve body 36 are closed, and nitrogen is introduced to clean the outer cavity 1 and inner cavity 2, reducing the air and impurities in the outer cavity 1 and inner cavity 2.

[0096] It is understood that the present invention is not limited to having the outer cavity 1 and inner cavity 2 in the upper part and the control cavity 3 in the lower part. Other layouts are also possible, as long as the inner cavity 2 is inside the outer cavity 1 and the inner cavity 2 is provided with two doors to realize the connection and disconnection between the inner cavity 2 and the atmospheric environment, and the connection and disconnection between the inner cavity 2 and the outer cavity 1.

[0097] Furthermore, a U-shaped slot is provided at the bottom of the inner cavity 2 to facilitate the manual pulling out and pushing in of the sample box 12. It is equipped with an in-position detection sensor 27 and an in-position detection sensor 28 to determine whether it is placed in place. It can also be achieved through other positioning structures and methods, such as multi-point pin positioning or more complex and costly visual image comparison positioning and automatic compensation after robotic arm grasping.

[0098] In this invention, the sample boxes 12 inside the outer cavity 1 are arranged in an array, which can minimize the volume of the outer cavity 1.

[0099] The sample box 12 can hold one or more chips, depending on the chip size. Just make sure to mark the chips and the corresponding sample box 12.

[0100] The sample box 12 is in the shape of an open rectangular box, but it can also be any other shape that allows for matrix-style centralized placement.

[0101] In this invention, the display screen 11 is located on the outer surface of the outer cavity 1 and can be controlled by PLC or PC to realize the storage and retrieval of the sample box 12.

[0102] In this invention, the initial state is to keep the inner cavity filled with nitrogen in a standby state, and it is designed based on the speed of sample storage. However, the sampling operation may take a relatively long time. Alternatively, in the initial state, the inner door 23 is normally open and the outer door 21 is normally closed, and both the inner cavity 2 and the outer cavity 1 are in a high vacuum state. This makes sampling faster, but the sample storage time may be relatively longer. Multiple different initial states and storage and retrieval strategies can be preset for users to choose from, such as quick storage mode and quick retrieval mode.

[0103] The outer door 21 in this invention is designed to be manually opened, which is economical and reliable. It can also be designed to be automatically opened by a button, and is not limited to physical buttons or touch buttons.

[0104] Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art and related fields based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Structures, devices, and operating methods not specifically described and explained in the present invention, unless otherwise specified or limited, shall be implemented according to conventional means in the art.

Claims

1. A high-vacuum quantum chip storage box, characterized in that, Includes a first chamber, in which a high vacuum environment is formed for storing samples; The second chamber is connected to the interior of the first chamber and is used for transferring and accessing the sample. The volume of the second chamber is smaller than that of the first chamber.

2. The high-vacuum quantum chip storage box according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second chamber is provided with a first chamber door and a second chamber door. The first chamber door is located on the outer wall of the second chamber and is used to allow the second chamber to communicate with or block the atmospheric environment. The second cavity door is disposed on the inner wall of the second chamber, and the second cavity door is used to connect or block the second chamber and the first chamber.

3. The high-vacuum quantum chip storage box according to any one of claims 1-2, characterized in that, It also includes a gripping device disposed within the first cavity; During sample storage, the gripping device transfers the sample from the second chamber to the first chamber; During sampling, the gripping device transfers the sample from the first chamber to the second chamber.

4. The high-vacuum quantum chip storage box according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, It also includes a third chamber located outside the second chamber, and the third chamber is equipped with a pressure balancing device. The pressure balancing device is connected to the first chamber and the second chamber via pipelines, and the pressure values ​​in the first chamber and the second chamber are adjusted by the pressure balancing device.

5. The high-vacuum quantum chip storage box according to claim 4, characterized in that, The pressure balancing device includes a vacuum pumping system and a vacuum breaking system.

6. The high-vacuum quantum chip storage box according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first chamber has an air inlet and an air outlet. The air inlet of the first chamber is connected to the vacuum breaking system, through which protective gas is delivered into the first chamber. The vent of the first chamber is connected to the vacuum system, through which gas is extracted from the first chamber.

7. The high-vacuum quantum chip storage box according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second chamber has another air inlet and another air outlet. The air inlet of the second chamber is connected to the vacuum breaking system, through which protective gas is delivered into the second chamber. The vent of the second chamber is connected to the vacuum system, through which gas is extracted from the second chamber.

8. The high-vacuum quantum chip storage box according to claim 6, characterized in that, The vacuum system includes two valve bodies, a fine pump and a coarse pump connected by pipelines. The two valve bodies are respectively connected to two air outlets by pipelines. During the vacuuming process, one of the corresponding valve bodies is opened, and the gas in the chamber connected to the valve body first passes through the fine pump and then is discharged through the coarse pump.

9. The high-vacuum quantum chip storage box according to claim 7, characterized in that, The vacuum breaking system includes two valve bodies and a protective gas source connected by pipelines. The two valve bodies are respectively connected to two air inlets by pipelines. During the vacuum breaking process, one of the corresponding valve bodies is opened, and the protective gas enters the chamber connected to the valve body through the pipeline connected to the valve body.

10. The high-vacuum quantum chip storage box according to claim 1, characterized in that, The samples in the first chamber are arranged in a matrix and the first chamber is equipped with multiple rows and columns of storage stations.

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