Improvement of micro-vibration of a two-stage Stirling cryocooler

Abstract Two-stage Stirling cryocoolers (2ST cooler) produced by Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. have been launched into orbit on three satellites: the “AKARI (ASTRO-F)” infrared astronomical satellite, JEM/SMILES on ISS, and the “HITOMI (ASTRO-H)” X-ray astronomical satellite. A 2ST cooler compressor has a linear-ball-bearing system as a piston-supporting structure. The linear ball bearing system is a key components to realize a lower drive frequency (15 Hz), a long piston stroke (30 mm). Its typical cooling power is 200 mW at 20 K for the second stage and 1000 mW at 100 K for the first stage, with 90 W electrical input power. During the test of the “HITOMI” engineering model, the energy resolution of the detector was found to be degraded when cryocoolers were in operation. After investigation, it was found that micro vibration from 2STs caused the degradation. The continuum in the vibration spectrum propagated into sub-Kelvin region and generated thermal noise. The continuum has origin in linear ball bearing in the compressor. In the case of “HITOMI”, vibration isolators were introduced to resolve this issue. For future mission, we are required to reduce microvibration of cryocooler itself. Therefore, the piston support mechanism in the compressor was modified from linear ball bearings to triangle shape flexure springs in order to reduce the continuum in vibration spectrum. In order to achieve a long piston stroke (± 15 mm), the generated stress could be reduced to 400 MPa (Less than 1/2 of fatigue limit) or less even when the shape of the triangle shape flexure spring was devised and displaced by 15 mm. The typical vibration level has been reduced to 1 × 10 −5 Nrms2 / Hz or less at a frequency of 200 Hz or less and 1/10 times or less at 200 Hz to 600 Hz than that of a compressor with a linear ball bearing system. The cooling power is kept to 260 mW at 20 K, with 90 W electrical input power. This low vibration cooler is expected to be an improved cryogenic system for use in future projects with sub-Kelvin detectors.