Experimental and numeral simulation of meso-pumping of liquid nitrogen—Application to cryogenic spot cooling of sensors and detectors

Superconducting electronics for sensors and detectors require cryogenic conditions and certain conventional electronic applications exhibit better performance at low temperatures. Most of these applications require modest power dissipation capabilities while having strict requirements on the spatial and temporal temperature variations. Controlled surface cooling techniques ensure more stable and uniform temporal and spatial temperature distributions that allow better signal-to-noise ratios for sensors and elimination of hot spots for processors. Small-scale or meso-pumping is a promising technique that could provide pumping and mass flow rate control along the cooled surface. In the present work, an ion-drag electrohydrodynamics (EHD) meso-pump is utilized for the first time, to achieve pumping of liquid nitrogen for spot cooling applications. Successful implementation of these cooling techniques could provide on-demand and on-location pumping power which would allow tight cryogenic temperature control on the cooling surface of sensors, detectors and other cold electronics.