Learn
ADR or dilution refrigerator?
Both take an experiment below one kelvin. They do it with different physics, and the difference shows up in the temperature you reach, the helium-3 you need and how the system is run.
The two methods in one paragraph each
Dilution refrigerator. Below about 0.87 K, a mixture of helium-3 and helium-4 separates into two phases. Pumping helium-3 so that it crosses from the concentrated phase into the dilute phase absorbs heat, in the same way evaporation does. Circulated continuously, this reaches the low millikelvin range and is the standard platform for large superconducting quantum processors. It needs a charge of helium-3 and a gas-handling system.
Adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (ADR). A paramagnetic material is magnetised while connected to a cryocooler stage, isolated with a heat switch, and demagnetised, which lowers its temperature. Run as a single shot or, with several stages, continuously. It needs no helium-3 at all.
Side by side
How they compare
General characteristics of each method. The figures for a specific system are on the manufacturer's datasheet.
| Characteristic | Dilution refrigerator | Adiabatic demagnetization (ADR) |
|---|---|---|
| Cooling principle | helium-3 / helium-4 mixing | Magnetic (paramagnetic material) |
| Helium-3 needed | Yes | No |
| Typical base temperature | Low millikelvin | Sub-kelvin, down to the tens of millikelvin |
| Operation | Continuous circulation | Single-shot or continuous (cADR) |
| Typical use | Large qubit processors, lowest temperatures | Sample characterisation, detectors, optics, materials |
Which one, when
Choose a dilution refrigerator when
You need the lowest base temperature with high cooling power at that temperature, for example a large superconducting qubit processor, and helium-3 supply is not a constraint for your institution.
Choose ADR when
You need sub-kelvin temperatures for characterisation, detectors, optical or materials experiments, want fast turnaround and automated operation, or want to remove helium-3 from the purchasing and running cost entirely.
Where Paeonia Bloch fits
We distribute Kiutra's ADR-based cryostats and Delft Circuits wiring, which is used in both kinds of system. If your group already runs a dilution refrigerator and needs a second platform for sample screening or optical work, a helium-3-free cryostat alongside it is a common setup. See the Kiutra range.
Common questions
Can ADR reach the same temperature as a dilution refrigerator?
ADR systems reach the sub-kelvin range and, depending on the design, the tens of millikelvin. The lowest temperatures, with high cooling power, remain the domain of dilution refrigerators. The datasheet of each system states its base temperature.
Is a Kiutra cryostat a dilution refrigerator?
No. Kiutra cryostats use adiabatic demagnetization (magnetic cooling) and contain no helium-3.
Not sure which your experiment needs?
Describe the temperature, cooling power and access you need. We will give you a straight answer.