SupraCube - In life Science
Superconductors must be permanently kept below their transition temperature for levitation. Because of the integrated cooler, applications with superconductors used to require a relatively large amount of space or their operating time was greatly restricted. We now present the SupraCube, the first concept in which the superconductor unit can be separated from the electrical cooler and can operate autonomously for up to two hours.
This compact technology enables objects to be moved and handled without contact, perfect for industries with very high demands on cleaning and cleanliness, such as laboratory automation, biotechnology or semiconductor production.
Here is a movie of the SupraCube in real action.
The magnetic levitation is reduced to the essentials with the SupraCube: a passive magnetic basic unit with a connected levitation support above. The modular design of the system allows the superconductor to be cooled down to -210°C before the cooling unit is automatically shut off and the SupraCube can be disconnected for up to two hours.
Separation of cooler and superconductor
Once cooled and separated from the cooler, the SupraCube is ready for operation. It can be mounted on the end of a robot arm, connected in parallel with other SupraCubes on a transport system, or used in an adjacent safety laboratory. The stable levitating connection between the magnetic carrier and the superconductor permits distances of ten millimetres and more – plenty of space for separating walls that can enclose clean or sterile work environments, for example.
This results in a wide range of possible applications, for instance:
- Transporting and processing wafers under clean room conditions
- Decapping and filling special containers for sensitive liquids, which are then frozen
- Automated pipetting and contactless weighing under the most demanding laboratory conditions
