Bozeman-based Montana Instruments, a national leader in the quantum supply chain, announces entry-level cryogenic system
CryoCore is Montana Instruments’ most affordable cryogenic system. The equipment can create ecosystems as low as 4 Kelvin, or about -452.47 degrees Fahrenheit. Photo via Montana Instruments.
By Martina Pansze
High-end cryogenic equipment manufacturer Montana Instruments announced the release of their newest and most affordable to-date cryo system last month. The product, called CryoCore, is a low-vibration, cryogen-free system that allows researchers to access extremely cold temperatures without multiple pieces of equipment. The CryoCore system is $49,950, compared to Montana Instruments’ other models priced north of $90,000.
The company hopes that the lower price point will enable smaller colleges, companies, and educational/research labs to get into cryogenics and quantum physics without prohibitive equipment costs. The CryoCore has touchscreen capabilities, automated cooldowns, and performance relatively close to the company’s standard line.
“Traditional low-cost, closed-cycle systems require heavy time investment by the end user to get them running and keep them running optimally,” said Montana Instruments VP of Engineering Josh Doherty. “We already know how to design usability into a high-performance system, and now we’ve made this more accessible for a larger group of potential users.”
Montana Instruments Founder Luke Mauritsen graduated from Montana State University with a degree in mechanical engineering in 2005, and his first job out of school was developing technologies for defense applications. He worked on radar technology projects that used Bozeman-grown crystals to process signals at four Kelvin, which is colder than the dark side of the moon and four degrees away from absolute zero.
That research was Mauritsen’s introduction to cryogenics; at extremely low temperatures, researchers can learn about the most fundamental properties of materials.
“If you want to understand what's happening at the most fundamental level in a material, like how molecules interact, you’ve got to reduce all the thermal noise,” said Mauritsen.
“You can think of temperature as the random vibration of molecules, so if you want to reduce that thermal noise floor, you’ve got to lower the temperature. Things get really quiet. And it's kind of like going to the quietest spot in the universe to study some of the most subtle phenomena that can occur in materials.”
Mauritsen quickly realized the lack of quality tools to maintain cryogenic conditions. Vibrations and temperature fluctuations created frustrating conditions for many scientists who were developing quantum technologies. He founded Montana Instruments in 2009 to simplify the experience at low temperatures by creating more stable, user-friendly research environments. Montana Instruments’ 50-person team in Bozeman now consists of roughly ⅓ engineers, ⅓ production, and ⅓ administrative employees.
MI Founder Luke Mauritsen sits on the National Quantum Initiative Advisory Committee. Photo via Montana Instruments.
Much of Montana Instruments’ customer base uses cryogenic technology to explore new quantum materials. Mauritsen said that MI sells to virtually every quantum materials research lab in the world, some of which are building quantum computers. Quantum computers can solve exponentially more complex data problems than the ‘classical’ device you’re using to read this.
In 2018, congress passed the National Quantum Initiative Act, which allotted $1.3 billion to national labs for quantum mechanics and quantum computing technology. In addition to research, the legislation included a convergence of industry, academia, and government in the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C). Mauritsen has been part of the QED-C and was later appointed to be part of the National Quantum Initiative Advisory Committee (NQIAC) to advise the White House and Department of Energy on quantum and cryogenics technology strategy to support the industry’s growth.
In November of 2019, Mauristen hosted 50 of the nation’s cryogenics and quantum experts for a two-day working session in Bozeman where they built a roadmap for cryogenics. One of the largest takeaways from the conference was discussion on how to jumpstart the industry, and many leaders identified cost as the most significant barrier to widespread technological advance. With the entry-level CryoCore system, small research labs who could not otherwise provide quantum research will be able to break into the industry.
“To be able to work on meaningful technology that has significance for our nation and our world is just an incredible gift and privilege, said Mauritsen. “And to be able to do that in a place where I would choose to raise my family, where I go skiing on Thursday and might make a meeting by three o'clock in the afternoon, that's a dream come true.”
About the Publisher: Launched in 2014, the Montana High Tech Business Alliance is an nonpartisan nonprofit association of highly-engaged high tech and manufacturing companies and affiliates creating high-paying jobs in Montana. For more information, visit MTHighTech.org or subscribe to our biweekly newsletter.
About the Author: Martina Pansze is the Communications Director for the Montana High Tech Business Alliance. She graduated from Whitman College with a degree in Film and Media Studies.