Heat Transfer For Superconducting Integrated Circuits At Millikelvin Temperatures

• US 20130258595A1
• Filed: 03/27/2012
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Tuckerman, David B.
• Application Number:
  US13/431,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20130258595A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/701
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3677 Wire-like or pin-like cooling fins or heat sinks
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/445 the fluid being a liquefied gas, e.g. in a cryogenic vessel
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20372 Cryogenic cooling; Nitrogen liquid cooling

Abstract

Heat transfer is known to be a concern when scaling up a quantum computer. Some basic superconducting devices may dissipate some energy when switched and may interface in close proximity with the qubits. Highly conductive thermal vias may be used to transport hot electrons away from the qubits and into liquid ³He, which has relatively good bulk heat transport properties, such as relatively high thermal conductivity and heat capacity, at milliKelvin temperatures. Large Kapitza resistance between solids and liquid helium may present an issue getting the heat from the thermal vias to the liquid helium. However, Kapitza resistance may be minimized by using a porous open-cell metal ‘sponge’ having very high internal surface area per unit volume.

Claims

1. A heat exchanging apparatus for superconducting integrated circuits operating at milliKelvin temperatures, the apparatus comprising:

a substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite from each other, the first surface being coupled to a dissipative element having at least two electrical terminals; and

a thermal micro-via positioned in physical contact with a portion of the dissipative element and extending towards the second surface in a perpendicular direction;

wherein at least a portion of the substrate is maintained at a temperature of less than 100 milliKelvin.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first surface is coupled to a dissipative element such that a terminal of the dissipative element is at the same electrical potential as a terminal of a second dissipative element.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second surface has a metal backing in contact with the thermal micro-via.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the dissipative element is in electrical contact with a superconductor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermal micro-via comprises a non-superconductive material.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the thermal micro-via comprises copper, silver, gold, platinum, or alloys thereof

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a metal fin coupled to the thermal micro-via and extending from the substrate.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a helium bath in contact with the metal fin.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the metal fin comprises a porous material.

10. A heat exchanging apparatus for superconducting integrated circuits operating at milliKelvin temperatures, the apparatus comprising:

one or more dissipative elements;

a substrate for providing electrical insulation for the one or more dissipative elements;

one or more thermal micro-vias for transporting heat through the substrate and away from the one or more dissipative elements; and

a liquid helium bath for transporting heat from the one or more thermal micro-vias.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the one or more dissipative elements have respective terminals at the same electrical potential.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the one or more thermal micro-vias transport heat through the substrate and away from the one or more dissipative elements by providing a thermal resistance that is lower than that of the substrate.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the one or more thermal micro-vias provide a scattering center for reducing electron temperatures in the one or more dissipative elements.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a heat spreader for transporting heat from the one or more thermal micro-vias.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising porous material to transport heat away from the thermal micro-vias and into the liquid helium bath.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising at least a borehole, the borehole penetrating through the porous material to provide intermingling channels for the liquid helium bath.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the liquid He bath comprises ³He, ⁴He, or a combination of ³He and ⁴He.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the liquid He bath comprises ³He.

19. A heat exchanging apparatus for superconducting integrated circuits operating at milliKelvin temperatures, the apparatus comprising:

a substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite from each other, the first surface being coupled to a dissipative element having at least two electrical terminals;

a thermal micro-via positioned in physical contact with a portion of the dissipative element and extending toward the second surface in a perpendicular direction; and

a heat spreader being coupled to the thermal micro-via and extending from the second surface.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the heater spreader comprises a non-superconducting metal that is maintained at a temperature of less than 100 milliKelvin.