Thermal Insulation Waveguide for Superconducting Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thermal insulation waveguides face challenges in achieving both low microwave transmission loss and effective thermal insulation, particularly in high-temperature to low-temperature applications, due to issues with structural size, dielectric loss, and heat intrusion, which hinder the use of superconducting devices and require larger cooling systems.
Innovation Solution
A thermal insulation waveguide design that uses substrates with low dielectric loss materials, a fine wire inductance component, and thermal insulation elements to connect high-temperature and low-temperature units in a vacuum chamber, forming a C-L-C low-pass filter structure to minimize heat intrusion and maintain low-loss signal transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a waveguide tube structure is used to achieve low microwave transmission loss, then the signal transmission quality is improved, but the structure becomes large in sectional area and height, making it unsuitable for downsizing
Solution Approach 1:
The waveguide tube is divided into multiple sections with gaps between them. The waveguide is segmented into a first waveguide section, second waveguide section, and intermediate waveguide section, with gaps positioned between these sections. This segmentation allows the structure to achieve thermal insulation while maintaining a smaller overall footprint compared to a continuous waveguide tube.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a three-dimensional waveguide tube structure to a planar circuit system configuration. By using planar circuits with ground layers and signal transmission lines on substrates, the design achieves waveguide functionality in a two-dimensional plane, significantly reducing the sectional area and height while maintaining low microwave transmission loss.
2Temperature
If members with poor thermal conductivity are used for the transmission path to suppress heat intrusion, then thermal insulation is improved, but dielectric loss increases and microwave transmission quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The transmission path is segmented into multiple waveguide sections separated by gaps. By dividing the continuous transmission path into discrete sections with thermal insulation gaps between them, the design achieves heat intrusion suppression without requiring the entire transmission path to be made of poor thermal conductivity materials. The metallic waveguide sections maintain low dielectric loss while the gaps provide thermal insulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The gap structure acts as an intermediary element between high-temperature and low-temperature regions. The gap, positioned between waveguide sections, serves as a thermal barrier while allowing electromagnetic field continuity through the waveguide mode. This intermediary structure enables heat intrusion suppression without compromising microwave transmission quality.
3Area of stationary object
If a dielectric is loaded inside the waveguide tube to decrease sectional area, then downsizing is achieved, but heat radiation increases due to higher emissivity of dielectrics compared to metals
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of loading dielectric continuously inside the waveguide tube, the patent segments the waveguide into sections with gaps between them. The gaps provide thermal insulation without requiring dielectric materials, thereby avoiding the heat radiation problem associated with dielectric loading while still achieving downsizing through the planar circuit configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a vacuum environment within the waveguide structure to eliminate heat transfer through conduction and convection. By maintaining a vacuum in the gaps and waveguide interior, the design achieves thermal insulation without relying on dielectric materials that would radiate heat, thus avoiding the emissivity problem while maintaining structural integrity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If ground layers are added to configure microstrip or coplanar lines, then circuit configuration becomes possible, but heat intrusion through the ground layer increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ground layer structure is segmented with thermal insulation gaps positioned between different ground layer sections. The first ground layer and second ground layer are separated by the intermediate substrate section containing the thermal insulation gap, which breaks the continuous thermal path through the ground layer while maintaining electrical functionality through the waveguide mode in the gap region.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate substrate section with thermal insulation gap acts as an intermediary between the first and second ground layers. This intermediary structure provides thermal insulation to prevent heat intrusion through the ground layer while allowing the waveguide mode to propagate through the gap, thus maintaining circuit configuration capability without compromising thermal performance.
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
This design achieves superior thermal insulation and low microwave loss, enabling the downsizing of cooling systems and optimizing the performance of superconducting devices by reducing heat intrusion and maintaining low signal loss across a wide frequency band.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal insulation element connecting the substrates and including a third line including an inductance component and connecting the first and second lines
Implementation Method 2
a vacuum chamber, the thermal insulation waveguide including... between a high-temperature unit and a low-temperature unit in the vacuum chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A thermal insulation waveguide between a high-temperature unit and a low-temperature unit in a vacuum, chamber of an embodiment, the thermal insulation waveguide includes, a first substrate including a first line in the high-temperature unit, a second substrate including a second line in the low temperature unit, and a thermal insulation element connecting the substrates, and including a third line including an inductance component and connecting the first and second lines. The first substrate includes a first capacitor unit connected with the first line. The second substrate includes a second capacitor unit connected with the second line.