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Where We Live

Creating the Quantum Corridor in ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø

By Tess Terrible,
Patrick Skahill
Published January 16, 2024 at 7:22 AM EST
Grad Assistant Jacob Franklin walks Michael DiDonato, Business Development Manager for UConn's Tech Park, through the functions of the dilution refrigerator in Ilya Sochnikov’s physics lab which is, in DiDonato's words, "100% gorgeously quantum."
1 of 5  — UConn Quantum
Grad Assistant Jacob Franklin walks Michael DiDonato, Business Development Manager for UConn's Tech Park, through the functions of the dilution refrigerator in Ilya Sochnikov’s physics lab which is, in DiDonato's words, "100% gorgeously quantum."
Tyler Russell / ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø
The dilution refrigerator is fully encased when in use, but was left open to display its components. It is a closed system that circulates particular helium isotopes to cool samples to about 7 millikelvins, or -459.6574 degrees Fahrenheit, barely above absolute zero. Once fired up it takes about two days for the unit to reach this working temperature.
2 of 5  — UConn Quantum
The dilution refrigerator is fully encased when in use, but was left open to display its components. It is a closed system that circulates particular helium isotopes to cool samples to about 7 millikelvins, or -459.6574 degrees Fahrenheit, barely above absolute zero. Once fired up it takes about two days for the unit to reach this working temperature.
Tyler Russell / ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø
Franklin points to the tiny area where the sample material being examined is mounted. The refrigerator is primarily constructed from low oxygen copper, both open and gold plated. The tolerances of materials used have to be very carefully managed. Their viewing sensors need to be placed out of alignment initially so that they will shift into the proper place when the refrigerator is at temperature, and everything has contracted from the extreme cold.
3 of 5  — UConn Quantum
Franklin points to the tiny area where the sample material being examined is mounted. The refrigerator is primarily constructed from low oxygen copper, both open and gold plated. The tolerances of materials used have to be very carefully managed. Their viewing sensors need to be placed out of alignment initially so that they will shift into the proper place when the refrigerator is at temperature, and everything has contracted from the extreme cold.
Tyler Russell / ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø
This is the tiny mounting plate for samples to be examined. The extremely low temperatures are necessary to observe the quantum properties of materials as quantum interactions simply do not happen in an observable way in warmer environments. Among the projects ongoing in the lab is investigation into unconventional superconductors, trying to discover the mechanism behind their quantum function.
4 of 5  — UConn Quantum
This is the tiny mounting plate for samples to be examined. The extremely low temperatures are necessary to observe the quantum properties of materials as quantum interactions simply do not happen in an observable way in warmer environments. Among the projects ongoing in the lab is investigation into unconventional superconductors, trying to discover the mechanism behind their quantum function.
Tyler Russell / ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø
UConn’s Innovation Partnership Building is a center for research and aims to be a collaboration hub, linking UConn to industry.
5 of 5  — UConn Quantum
UConn’s Innovation Partnership Building is a center for research and aims to be a collaboration hub, linking UConn to industry.
Tyler Russell / ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø

Quantum mechanics is a theory that even some scientists have trouble wrapping their heads around. But this industry is booming, and some physicists here in ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø are hoping to make our state the

In May 2023,

Today, we hear about this project and learn about the future of quantum. We’ll attempt to answer the question: We only have an hour, but we will try our best.

We’ll hear how this field could eventually touch

GUESTS:

  • UConn Tech Park Business Development Manager, and QuantumCT UConn Project Manager
  • Eugene Higgins Professor of Physics at Yale
  • High School STEM teacher teaching physics, calculus and statistics at the Wooster School, a private co-educational school in Danbury ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø

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Tess Terrible
Tess is a senior producer for ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø news-talk show Where We Live. She enjoys hiking ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø's many trails and little peaks, knitting, gardening and writing in her seven journals.
See stories by Tess Terrible
Patrick Skahill
Patrick Skahill is a reporter and digital editor at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø. Prior to becoming a reporter, he was the founding producer of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Radio's The Colin McEnroe Show, which began in 2009. Patrick's reporting has appeared on NPR's Morning Edition, Here & Now, and All Things Considered. He has also reported for the Marketplace Morning Report. He can be reached at pskahill@ctpublic.org.
See stories by Patrick Skahill