Reaching 10 Kelvin: Precision Thermal Metrology; Cryogenic Infrastructures: How it Shapes Power and Access in Quantum Computing 14 views

My technical capstone project and STS research paper are closely connected through their shared focus on the role of cryogenic infrastructure in shaping access to advanced scientific research. In my technical work, my team and I seek to redesign cryogenic experimentation systems to make them more affordable and accessible. In contrast, my STS research analyzes how existing cryogenic infrastructures structure wider participation in quantum computing. Using Actor-Network Theory (ANT), both projects aim to examine how technical systems and social arrangements are co-created. My technical project attempts to intervene and improve this system, while my STS research helps to explain the broader implications of the technical challenges. My technical work focuses on the design and fabrication of a low-cost cryostat system capable of running 3ω thermal measurement experiments. This system is intended to allow for the measurement of thermal conductivity and diffusivity of materials at cryogenic temperatures, which are essential for applications such as semiconductor research and development, quantum computing, and aerospace. Existing systems are prohibitively expensive and require specialized infrastructure, limiting their use to well-funded institutions. To address this, our design repurposes old components such as a Cryo-Torr cryopump and a refurbished compressor while also utilizing cost-efficient manufacturing methods, creating a cryostat which can maintain sub-10K conditions without needing expensive liquid helium systems. By reducing the cost and complexity, this project demonstrates that high-precision cryogenic experimentation can be made more accessible to smaller research labs and education institutions. My STS research paper examines how access to quantum computing is structured through cryogenic infrastructure, using IBM Quantum Experience as a case study. Drawing on Actor-Network Theory, I argue that cryogenic systems act as active participants in a network that includes engineers, institutions, users, and corporate policies. These systems require extreme conditions and specialized expertise, centralizing quantum experimentation within a small number of well-funded organizations and institutions. Although IBM Quantum Experience appears to democratize access by allowing remote interaction with quantum hardware, it simultaneously reinforces the centralization through maintaining control over the underlying cryogenic infrastructure. As a result, access is expanded at the interface level while remaining constrained at the material level. Working on these two projects simultaneously has deepened my understanding of both the social and technical dimensions of cryogenic systems. My technical work made the complexity and cost of cryogenic environments more tangible and reinforces the argument in my STS research that infrastructure itself shapes access and participation. At the same time, my STS research provided a much broader perspective on why improving accessibility through technical design matters, highlighting how reducing infrastructural barriers could redistribute opportunities in research and innovation. Together, these projects demonstrate that addressing challenges in advanced engineering fields requires not just technical innovation but also an awareness of how these technological systems structure power and access.

BS (Bachelor of Science)

Cryogenic Infrastructure ; Cryostat; three omega; Precision Thermal Metrology

School of Engineering and Applied Science Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering Technical Advisor: Ethan Scott STS Advisor: Benjamin Laugelli Technical Team Members: Mia Petersen, Mary Cotter, Mohammad Ahmadzai, Andrea Rojas Ramirez, Brandon Flores Castaneda, Matthew Alexander Orellana-Aquino, Raymond Ni, Philip Li, Jimmy Chen, Jonathan Martinez, Tristan Huynh, Jimmy Bastos Infantas, Hannah Heafner

English

All rights reserved by the author (no additional license for public reuse)

2026-05-02