Leiden Cryogenics Unveils Prototype of Rapid-Cycle Compact Dilution Refrigerator
March 6, 2026
A new compact dilution refrigerator prototype, promising to significantly accelerate research in quantum computing and other advanced sciences, has been developed by Leiden Cryogenics in partnership with Orange Quantum Systems (OrangeQS). The tabletop system, named Quper, addresses a critical bottleneck in experimental workflows by drastically reducing the time required to achieve and reset the ultra-low temperatures essential for quantum and materials research.
The Dutch cryogenics firm, in collaboration with the quantum chip testing startup, announced that the Quper prototype can cool experimental samples below 25 millikelvin and subsequently return to room temperature in less than 24 hours. This rapid thermal cycling is a marked improvement over traditional cryostats, which often require more than a day, and sometimes multiple days, to complete a single cooldown and warm-up cycle. The system achieves these extreme temperatures without relying on liquid nitrogen and uses a significantly reduced amount of the rare and expensive helium-3 isotope compared to conventional designs.
The three-year development project, funded by the Dutch national initiative Quantum Delta NL, has resulted in a system featuring an inverted fridge design. It integrates with OrangeQS's open-source operating system, OrangeQS Juice, and SubZero cryogenic control software, enabling full remote monitoring and operation. Sasha Usenko, CTO of Leiden Cryogenics, highlighted the market demand driving the innovation: "Fast, compact, simple, but fully functional dilution refrigerators – be it for quantum chip testing and development, optical or beamline experiments, etc. – have been a popular request from our customers for many years, and now we are finally ready to fulfill it."
The commercial availability of such a system could have profound implications for the pace of quantum hardware development. By minimizing downtime between experimental runs, the technology allows researchers and engineers to test quantum chips and materials more iteratively and rapidly. This acceleration is crucial for an industry racing to overcome significant technical hurdles to build practical quantum computers. The partnership signifies a trend of specialized hardware firms collaborating to create integrated solutions that streamline the complex infrastructure supporting quantum advancement.
Source: datacenterdynamics
