Physics Commons^™

Computer Modeling And Analysis Of Thermal Link Performance For An Optical Refrigerator, Kevin Byram, David Mar, John Parker, Steven Von Der Porten, John Hankinson, Chris Lee, Kai Mayeda, Richard C. Haskell, Qimin Yang, Scott R. Greenfield, Richard I. Epstein

All HMC Faculty Publications and Research

We have used the thermal modeling tool in COMSOL Multiphysics to investigate factors that affect the thermal performance of the optical refrigerator. Assuming an ideal cooling element and a non-absorptive dielectric trapping mirror, the three dominant heating factors are blackbody radiation from the surrounding environment, conductive heat transfer through mechanical supports, and the absorption of fluorescent photons transmitted through the thermal link. Laboratory experimentation coupled with computer modeling using Code V optical software have resulted in link designs capable of reducing the transmission to 0.04% of the fluoresced photons emitted toward the thermal link. The ideal thermal link will have …