A 300-mK Test Bed for Rapid Characterization of Microwave SQUID Multiplexing Circuits

Published

August 3, 2018

Author(s)

Abigail L. Wessels, Daniel T. Becker, Douglas A. Bennett, Johnathon D. Gard, Johannes Hubmayr, Norman Jarosik, Vincent Y. Kotsubo, John A. Mates, Joel N. Ullom

Abstract

Microwave SQUID multiplexing is a promising technique for multiplexing large arrays of transition edge sensors. A major bottleneck in the development and distribution of microwave SQUID multiplexer chips occurs in the time-intensive design testing and quality assurance stages. To obtain useful RF measurements, these devices must be cooled to temperatures below 500 mK. The need for a more efficient system to screen microwave multiplexer chips has grown as the number of chips requested by collaborators per year reaches into the hundreds. We have therefore assembled a test bed for microwave SQUID circuits, which decreases screening time for four 32-channel chips from 24 h in an adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator to approximately 5 h in a helium dip probe containing a closed cycle ³He sorption refrigerator. We discuss defining characteristics of these microwave circuits and the challenges of establishing an efficient testing setup for them.

Citation

Journal of Low Temperature Physics

Volume

193

Issue

5-6

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10909-018-2048-3

Local Download

Keywords

multiplexing, SQUID, screening, microwave, transition edge sensors, He, refrigerator, closed cycle, screening time, testing, design, temperature

Citation

Wessels, A. , Becker, D. , Bennett, D. , Gard, J. , Hubmayr, J. , Jarosik, N. , Kotsubo, V. , Mates, J. and Ullom, J. (2018), A 300-mK Test Bed for Rapid Characterization of Microwave SQUID Multiplexing Circuits, Journal of Low Temperature Physics, [online], https://doi.org/10.1007/s10909-018-2048-3 (Accessed October 8, 2025)