International. Kiutra is the first company in the world that has managed to develop a permanent magnetic cooling system to reach temperatures close to absolute zero. Such temperatures are, for example, required for the operation of quantum computers. The system was created by a team of researchers from the Department of Physics at the Technical University of Munich (TUM).
Low temperatures are essential for basic research in the field of quantum physics. More and more technologies based on quantum mechanics are now also making the leap from the lab to commercial applications.
High-sensitivity detectors and quantum computers are two well-known examples. However, very low temperatures close to absolute zero (around -273°C) are usually required for quantum-sensitive technology operation. Therefore, the demand for effective cooling solutions is growing rapidly.
TUM researchers Alexander Regnat, Jan Spallek, Tomek Schulz and Prof. Christian Pfleiderer are trying to meet that demand. The four are currently working on their prototype in TUM's Physics Department. According to Alexander Regnat, there is already the possibility of hiring more staff and establishing a separate headquarters.
The team of scientists came up with the idea during their work at TUM. Time and again, they faced the limits of conventional methods to reach such low temperatures. Therefore, the group developed its own technology to ensure permanent cooling and founded kiutra GmbH in the summer of 2018.
Magnetic cooling
Liquefied gases are generally used to generate very low temperatures. Where constant temperatures close to absolute zero are needed, to date the extremely rare and expensive isotope helium-3 has been used. There are magnetic cooling processes, which can generate the necessary temperatures using low-cost solids, but usually only for a limited period of time.
Concepts for permanent magnetic cooling have been around for many years. "However, the technical implementation is extremely challenging and this has previously prevented the development of a product for widespread use," explains Tomek Schulz.
"We are the world's first commercial supplier of a cooling system that can magnetically reach temperatures close to absolute zero (close to -273°C) permanently," says Alexander Regnat. "Our big advantage is that we don't need the expensive helium-3. All we need is electricity."
Promoting entrepreneurship at TUM
TUM creates more than 70 spin-offs every year. This project is a spin-off of the Physics Department and the team is currently receiving an EXIST startup grant. The program helps students, graduates, and scientists launch their new businesses. kiutra also received validation support from the Free State of Bavaria in 2016 and 2017.
A few days ago, a consortium formed by the main investor High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), Deep-Tech VC APEX Ventures and the UnternehmerTUM Initiative for industrial innovators, invested a sum of seven figures in the spin-off of TUM. The new capital will be used to further expand global sales and production capacity for the rapidly growing quantum technology market.
Data Source Provider: Technical University of Munich.
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