Conclusion

Low-power cryogenic machines have undergone significant development in recent years, with the advent of pulsed gas tube technology, a key factor in reliability, and efficient regeneration materials for temperatures below 10 K. Improvements in thermodynamic efficiency and reliability will continue to guide developments in the years to come, as will reductions in manufacturing costs.

The emergence of new applications with larger production runs is an important factor in reducing costs. The historical markets for these machines are cryopumping, MRI and high-sensitivity infrared imaging/detection. Their use in new superconductivity applications (intense magnetic fields, magnetometry, electronics, electrical engineering) is a promising avenue. The successful integration of these machines aboard satellites for earth observation (infrared) or the universe in recent years...