Advanced Cryogenics for Research Infrastructures

This course takes place on-site at JSC. Online participation is not possible. The course will be held in English.

Course Content:

Cryogenics – the science of extremely low temperatures – serves as the invisible backbone of modern high-level research. Without the ability to cool systems down to near absolute zero, many of today’s scientific breakthroughs would be impossible. From enabling superconductivity in particle accelerators and fusion reactors to stabilising qubits in quantum computers, cryogenics is the "enabling technology" behind many large-scale research infrastructures.

This course explores the advanced techniques and technologies involved in building, maintaining and troubleshooting cryogenic systems, as well as integrating them with quantum devices.

• Millikelvin techniques: dilution refrigerators, adiabatic demagnetisation, pulse-tube systems
• Advanced cryostat design: thermal anchoring, radiation shielding, vibration isolation
• Vacuum technologies: UHV systems, leak detection, bake-out procedures, troubleshooting
• Cryocooler maintenance: pulse tube, Gifford-McMahon (GM), Joule-Thomson (JT) expanders; reliability, efficiency optimisation
• Systems engineering: integration with quantum devices, sensors and control loops
• Failure analysis: case studies, root cause analysis, predictive maintenance; hands-on repairs

 

Content level

In hours

In %

Beginner's content:

0 h

0 %

Intermediate content:

8 h

40 %

Advanced content:

12 h

60 %

Community-targeted content:

0 h

0 %

Prerequisites:

• Participants should have hands-on experience with cryogenic or vacuum systems in a lab setting.
• If you have a specific project, please bring its requirements or any equipment challenges you have encountered for tailored, hands-on treatment and development.

Target Audience:

Experienced technicians, engineers, PhD students and postdocs managing cryogenic infrastructures for material science, high-sensitivity detection, cryogenic electronics, quantum computing, etc.

Language:

This course is given in English.

Duration:

2 full days

Dates:

11-12 November 2026, 09:00-17:00 each day

Venue:

Jülich Supercomputing Centre, building 16.3, seminar room 406

Number of Participants:

Minimum 5, maximum 20

Instructor:

David Rabanus (JSC)