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The Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) laboratory has multiple specialties and collaborations. The following is a brief overview of the ongoing projects in our laboratory here at UCD:

Scanning SQUID Susceptometer:Part of the newly proposed research and development collaboration between UCD and Stanford University.

Inductance Modeling for the proposed development of the SQUID Susceptometer:

The inductance modeling is of extreme importance as the governing characteristic of superconductors is their inductance, not their capacitance. At the UCD laboratory we have bench tested three commercial inductance modeling software packages, and are currently working with FastHenry. Over the 2001 summer an intensive three month evaluation was conducted of the three software packages, MagNet & ElecNet, J-Mag, and Maxwell 3D. For our detailed evaluation and final conclusions of these pieces of software, please follow this link: Lmodeling. Both of our proposed projects, the Scanning SQUID Susceptometer and the Magnetic Micro-Calorimeter are dependent upon our ability to model inductances successfully.

The Scanning SQUID Susceptometer is funded by the NSF for the development of Nb and Al based devices. The UCD laboratory will be working with Stanford University to complete the design and testing of this project. Please follow the link for the Scanning SQUID Susceptometer project description (references cited in project description).

For more information on our recent work and progress in this field please follow this link: SSSusceptometer

Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS): A laboratory-based search for WIMPS (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles) in cosmic rays. Funded indirectly through DOE and NSF. In collaboration with Stanford University, University of California Berkeley, FermiLab, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and other institutions.

SQUID Operational Amplifier: A pioneering field and ongoing research and development in collaboration with NIST.

Magnetic Micro-Calorimeter: Another part of the newly proposed Research and development between UCD and Stanford University.

Continued SQUID Series Array Amplifier (SSAA) development: We continue to explore SSAA designs that could improve bandwidth, sensitivity or resonance damping as part of our mission to produce the best SQUIDs available on the market.

In order to understand our role in all of the above projects, here is a brief explanation of some of the applications for our SQUIDs.

Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (C.D.M.S.)

The CDMS incorporates our SQUID Arrays as preamplifiers for their Transition Edge Sensor (TES) Weakly Interacting Massive Particle (WIMP) detectors. For a more detailed discussion of their research please follow the links above. At the UCD laboratory, we design new generation SQUID arrays and measure all of the relevant device characteristics of each fabricated SQUID array before they are sent out to their respective research sites where they are incorporated into detectors.

SQUID Operational Amplifier

The SQUID Operational Amplifier is an ongoing project. In its conception, Martin Huber and Ken Irwin (NIST) published their paper on their original design and preliminary measurements of a three-stage feedback SQUID circuit. The first two stages of the circuit are single SQUID's and the third stage is a SSAA. The second stage has self feedback for stability reasons and the third stage feeds-back to the first stage for low distortion linearity. We have begun fully characterizing this device in two wire-bondable configurations; a one turn input coil and a three turn input coil.

Here is a movie of a liquid helium dewar being filled. We use this dewar to get our SQUIDs cold enough to go superconducting (around 4.2K). MOVIE

 

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