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Towards ultra-low temperatures.

Vers les très basses températures.

Author(s) : GANDIT P.

Type of article: Article, Review

Summary

After helium liquefaction was achieved by Kamerlingh Onnes in 1908, all known gases could be liquefied; the discovery of new physical phenomena such as superconductivity and the relationship of these phenomena with the recent quantum theory introduced by Planck in 1900 opened new areas of research, which spurred physicists to develop new technology to achieve temperatures even closer to absolute zero (-273.15°C). Even though refrigeration at the temperature of liquid helium (4.2 K) is used industrially, for medical imagery in particular (MRI) or helium production, the lowest achievable temperatures are restricted to laboratories or major scientific projects (particle colliders, nuclear fusion). It is therfore possible to approach absolute zero (at under 1 mK), by combining several refrigeration technologies such as evaporation, adiabatic demagnetization or the dilution of helium 3 in helium 4.

Details

  • Original title: Vers les très basses températures.
  • Record ID : 2008-1900
  • Languages: French
  • Source: Rev. gén. Froid - vol. 98 - n. 1084
  • Publication date: 2008/06

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