Encapsulated Superconducting Wire Assembly for Low-Crosstalk Cryogenic Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional superconducting wires used in low temperature applications, such as the CRESST dark matter searching experiment, face challenges including high thickness, space requirements, difficulty in shielding, non-reproducible crosstalk, and complex connections to hardware components.
Innovation Solution
A conductor device comprising multiple self-supporting superconducting wires encapsulated in an electrically insulating material, allowing for a compact, well-defined arrangement that facilitates shielding, reduces crosstalk, and simplifies connections, while maintaining superconductivity at low temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional superconducting wires are used, then superconductivity at low temperature is achieved, but the wires have high thickness and require large space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from conventional round wires to a flat ribbon cable structure with multiple superconducting lines arranged in parallel on a substrate. This dimensional change from circular cross-section to flat planar arrangement reduces the overall volume and allows for more compact routing while maintaining the superconducting functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the conductor into multiple separate superconducting lines (e.g., 8 lines) arranged in parallel on a common substrate. Each line can be independently positioned and connected, allowing for modular assembly and reduced individual line thickness while achieving the required total current capacity through parallel conduction.
2Reliability
If conventional superconducting wires are used, then superconductivity is maintained, but shielding against electromagnetic fields becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple superconducting lines and shielding layers into a single unified cable assembly. The shielding layers are combined with the superconducting lines and isolating material into a compact flat cable structure, making shielding an inherent part of the cable design rather than a separate component that needs to be arranged around individual wires.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces isolating material as an intermediary layer between adjacent superconducting lines and between the lines and shielding layers. This intermediary material provides electrical insulation and mechanical separation, enabling effective electromagnetic shielding while maintaining the superconducting properties of the lines.
3Reliability
If conventional superconducting wires are used, then superconductivity is achieved, but crosstalk between different wires occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates adjacent superconducting lines with isolating material layers, creating electrical and electromagnetic isolation between individual lines. This segmentation prevents capacitive and inductive coupling between lines, thereby reducing crosstalk while allowing the lines to be closely spaced in the flat cable structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The isolating material serves as an intermediary barrier between adjacent superconducting lines, providing electrical insulation and reducing electromagnetic coupling. This intermediary layer minimizes capacitive effects and inductive interference between lines, thereby reducing crosstalk in the multi-line cable assembly.
4Reliability
If conventional superconducting wires are used, then superconductivity is maintained, but connecting the wires to hardware components becomes difficult and time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple superconducting lines into a single flat cable assembly with a unified structure. This merging allows all lines to be connected to their respective hardware components simultaneously in a single operation, rather than connecting individual wires separately, thereby significantly reducing connection time and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a flat planar structure with lines arranged in parallel on a substrate, which provides well-defined positions and accessible endpoints for each line. This dimensional arrangement facilitates systematic routing and connection to hardware components such as PCBs, making the connection process more organized and efficient compared to managing individual round wires.
5Volume of moving object
If thin film superconducting lines are used, then thinner conductor is achieved, but stability in practical use is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite cable structure consisting of superconducting lines, isolating material layers, and shielding layers all integrated into a single flat cable assembly. This composite structure provides mechanical support, electrical insulation, and electromagnetic shielding simultaneously, enhancing the practical stability and robustness of the thin superconducting lines for real-world applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the superconducting lines with protective and functional layers (isolating material and shielding) into a unified cable structure. This integration provides mechanical protection and environmental stability to the thin superconducting lines, making them suitable for practical applications while maintaining their thin profile.
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 conductor device provides a reliable, compact, and easily connectable superconducting path in low temperature environments, reducing crosstalk and improving mechanical stability, making it suitable for applications with a large number of signal channels.
Implementation Method 1
an electrically insulating encapsulation material, wherein the conductor wires are encapsulated in the encapsulation material
Implementation Method 2
the conductor wires have electric superconductivity at an operation temperature equal to or below −196° C. (about 77 K), preferably equal to or below −269° C. (about 4 K)
Data Source
AI summary
A conductor device 100, preferably being configured for low temperature applications, comprises multiple conductor wires 10 being arranged along a longitudinal extension of the conductor device 100, and an electrically insulating encapsulation material 20, wherein the conductor wires 10 are encapsulated in the encapsulation material 20, so that each conductor wire 10 is covered by the encapsulation material 20 in all radial directions relative to the longitudinal extension of the conductor device 100, wherein the conductor wires 10 have electric superconductivity at an operation temperature equal to or below −196° C., and each conductor wire 10 has two longitudinal end sections 11 and a self-supporting wire section 12 therebetween. Furthermore, an electrical conductor arrangement including the conductor device and a method of manufacturing the conductor device 100 are described.