Design of a 3-stage ADR for the soft x-ray spectrometer instrument on the ASTRO-H mission

Peter J. Shirron; Mark O. Kimball; Donald C. Wegel; Edgar R. Canavan; Michael J. DiPirro

doi:10.1117/12.856880

29 July 2010 Design of a 3-stage ADR for the soft x-ray spectrometer instrument on the ASTRO-H mission

Peter J. Shirron, Mark O. Kimball, Donald C. Wegel, Edgar R. Canavan, Michael J. DiPirro

Proceedings Volume 7732, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2010: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray; 773212 (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.856880
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2010, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

The Japanese Astro-H mission will include the Soft X-ray Spectrometer (SXS) instrument, whose 36-pixel detector array of ultra-sensitive x-ray microcalorimeters requires cooling to 50 mK. This will be accomplished using a 3-stage adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (ADR). The design is dictated by the need to operate with full redundancy with both a superfluid helium dewar at 1.3 K or below, and with a 4.5 K Joule-Thomson (JT) cooler. The ADR is configured as a 2-stage unit that is located in a well in the helium tank, and a third stage that is mounted to the top of the helium tank. The third stage is directly connected through two heat switches to the JT cooler and the helium tank, and manages heat flow between the two. When liquid helium is present, the 2-stage ADR operates in a single-shot manner using the superfluid helium as a heat sink. The third stage may be used independently to reduce the time-average heat load on the liquid to extend its lifetime. When the liquid is depleted, the 2nd and 3rd stages operate as a continuous ADR to maintain the helium tank at as low a temperature as possible - expected to be 1.2 K - and the 1st stage cools from that temperature as a single-stage, single-shot ADR. The ADR's design and operating modes are discussed, along with test results of the prototype 3-stage ADR.

Citation Download Citation

Peter J. Shirron, Mark O. Kimball, Donald C. Wegel, Edgar R. Canavan, and Michael J. DiPirro "Design of a 3-stage ADR for the soft x-ray spectrometer instrument on the ASTRO-H mission", Proc. SPIE 7732, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2010: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 773212 (29 July 2010); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.856880

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available