Learn About My Work
Coil winder and chip holder for superconducting circuit
Collaborated with Debadri Das, a Quantum Physics PhD candidate at Stanford University to design and build a chip holder for super conducting circuit which has the capability to generate variable magnetic field.
BRAIN - STORMING
The goal of this project was to design a chip holder in a uniform magnetic field of 1000 gauss (0.1 tesla) for chip resonator tuning in dilution fridge. We decided to go for superconducting coil-based magnetic field generation for two reasons, the first being superconducting wires conduct electricity at very low temperatures without much resistance, thus causing no heating issues in the dilution fridge. Secondly, coils would provide uniformity in the magnetic field generated. Next, we made a gold-plated copper holder which had a 4x4 mm groove to hold the chip in place. The superconducting wire was to be coiled around this chip holder. Now, to generate a uniform magnetic field of 1000 gauss (0.1 tesla), we calculated the number of wire turns to be 2000. So, to precisely wind this wire around that holder, we designed and built a custom coil winder employing stepper motors and a microcontroller that could be coded to wind exactly 2000 turns. This project attempts to solve the problem of tediousness and inaccuracies/ non-uniformities in magnetic field generation arising from manual windings that are done today.
SKETCHING AND MODELING
PROBLEMS AND SOLUTION
Problem 1
Manual winding of the coil to generate the required magnetic field is tedious.
Solution -
Create an microcontroller based coil winding machine which can be programmed to get the exact number of turns.
Problem 2
There is significant slack generated in the wire during the winding operation.
Solution -
Create a self tensioning mechanism to remove wire slack.
FINAL RENDER
3D printed working device
