Kammrath & Weiss GmbH, a Germany-based manufacturer of specialised microscopy and materials science equipment, has installed a 10 Kelvin cryostat designed for ultra-high vacuum (UHV) applications at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras in Chennai. The system has been commissioned for operation within a UHV chamber and is intended to support advanced low-temperature materials and surface science research.
The cryostat operates at 10 Kelvin, or approximately minus 263 degrees Celsius, enabling experiments under conditions where thermal noise is significantly reduced. The installation includes a load-lock sample transfer mechanism that allows researchers to exchange samples at low temperatures without breaking vacuum or warming the cryostat.
The load-lock configuration is designed to improve experimental efficiency by avoiding repeated warm-up, venting, and cooldown cycles that are typically required during sample changes. By maintaining ultra-high vacuum conditions throughout the transfer process, the system supports experiments that require atomically clean surfaces and stable low-temperature environments.
The cryogenic UHV system is now operational at IIT Madras and will be used for experiments requiring stringent vacuum and thermal control. Such setups are commonly applied in materials and surface science research, where contamination from residual gases and temperature fluctuations can affect measurement accuracy and reproducibility.
The installation was carried out in collaboration with the host research group at IIT Madras, with technical support provided on site during commissioning. The project involved coordination between the equipment manufacturer and its local partner to ensure system integration within the laboratory infrastructure.
The deployment of the cryostat adds to the range of advanced experimental capabilities available at IIT Madras, particularly in low-temperature and ultra-high vacuum research environments. Such infrastructure supports investigations in areas where precise control of surface conditions and thermal stability are required.
Kammrath & Weiss GmbH develops and supplies modular components for microscopy, vacuum technology, and materials science applications. The company’s product portfolio includes cryogenic systems, transfer modules, and in situ testing solutions used in research laboratories and advanced characterisation facilities.
