Cooling device comprising an improved cold finger
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooling devices with thin cold fingers face challenges in maintaining rigidity and reducing thermal losses while operating efficiently, leading to deformation and loss of optical performance due to mechanical and thermal stresses.
Innovation Solution
A cooling device featuring a cold finger with at least one side wall formed partially by an amorphous metal alloy, specifically a ternary or higher alloy containing at least 17.5 atomic % hafnium, which acts as a thermal insulator to minimize thermal conductivity and maintain mechanical performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the walls of the cold finger are made thin to reduce thermal losses, then thermal insulation performance is improved, but mechanical rigidity deteriorates causing deformation and vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material parameters of the cold finger walls by using amorphous metal alloy instead of conventional crystalline materials. This material parameter change enables achieving both thin wall thickness (for thermal insulation) and sufficient mechanical strength (for rigidity), resolving the contradiction between reducing thermal losses and maintaining mechanical rigidity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs amorphous metal alloy as a composite material structure that combines the benefits of both thermal insulation and mechanical strength in a single material system. The unique atomic structure of amorphous materials provides low thermal conductivity while maintaining high strength-to-weight ratio, allowing thin-walled cold fingers to resist deformation and vibration
2Reliability
If the wall thickness is reduced to improve thermal resistance, then cooling efficiency is improved, but the cold finger becomes susceptible to deformation under thermal and mechanical stresses
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes the unique physical parameters of amorphous metal alloys, particularly their low thermal conductivity and high strength-to-weight ratio, to enable thin-walled construction that maintains both high thermal resistance and structural stability under operating conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies the amorphous metal alloy material with optimized local properties to the cold finger walls, creating a structure where the material's inherent low thermal conductivity provides thermal resistance while its high specific strength ensures structural stability, achieving both goals simultaneously through localized material quality optimization
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The use of hafnium-based amorphous metal alloys significantly reduces thermal conductivity and maintains mechanical robustness, enhancing thermal insulation and reducing thermal losses while supporting efficient cooling of detection devices.
Implementation Method 1
the at least partially amorphous metal alloy zone being formed by an at least ternary alloy containing at least 17.5 atomic % hafnium and optionally copper with a maximum content equal to 40 atomic% of copper so as to form a thermal insulator
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The detection device comprises a cold finger (4) which provides the thermal connection between a detector (2) mounted on a cooling plate (5) and a cooling system (3). The cold finger (4) comprises at least one side wall formed at least partially by a zone made of the amorphous metal alloy based on hafnium. Advantageously, the entire cold finger (4) is made of the amorphous metal alloy based on hafnium.