CRYOGEN FREE COOLING APPARATUS AND METHOD

• Main Authors: CROWTHER, Gavin, KINGLEY, Simon, GARSIDE, John, WERNICKE, Doreen, BUEHLER, Matthias
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 22.05.2024
• Subjects: BLASTING; COLD ROOMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT COVERED BY ANY OTHERSUBCLASS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; HEATING; ICE-BOXES; LIGHTING; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; REFRIGERATORS; WEAPONS

A cryogen free cooling apparatus comprises a heat radiation shield (54, 10) surrounding a working region (20) and located in a vacuum chamber (4). A cryogen free cooling system has a cooling stage coupled to the heat radiation shield (54, 10). Aligned apertures (52, 56, 58) are provided in the heat radiation shield and vacuum chamber walls. A sample loading apparatus has a sample holding device (2) attached to one or more elongate probes (3) for inserting the sample holding device through the aligned apertures (25, 56, 58) to the working region (20). The sample holding device is releasably coupled for heat conduction via one or more thermal connector(s) to the heat radiation shield (54, 10) so as to pre-cool a sample (1) on or in the sample holding device before the sample holding device is inserted into the working region (20). The thermal connector(s) comprises one or more thermally conductive springs (31) fixed on the heat radiation shield or the sample holding device to make thermal contact between the heat radiation shield (54, 10) and the sample holding device (2).