RE: Facts5 Jun 2026 10:32
I have asked Gemma about Quantum computers and Helium 4/Helium 3. This is the response:
Yes, absolutely. If your goal is to hold a quantum computer at a steady $0.01\text{ Kelvin}$ ($10\text{ millikelvin}$) continuously for weeks or months at a time, a Helium-3/Helium-4 dilution refrigerator remains the undisputed industry standard and the only practical, highly scalable method available.Despite breakthroughs in solid-state magnetic cooling (ADR), Helium-3 retains a massive advantage that makes it irreplaceable for leading quantum computing companies like IBM, Google, and Bluefors.Why Helium-3 is Still King at 0.01 KWhile solid-state magnetic cooling has successfully breached the $0.1\text{ Kelvin}$ mark without Helium-3, hitting $0.01\text{ Kelvin}$ presents entirely different thermodynamic challenges.1. Continuous Operation vs. "Single Shot" CoolingMagnetic cooling (ADR) typically operates in cycles. It demagnetizes, absorbs heat to get cold, but eventually "runs out" of cooling capacity and must be demagnetized again to reset.A Helium-3/Helium-4 dilution fridge, however, relies on a fluid loop. A gas handling system constantly pumps Helium-3 gas out of the system, liquefies it, and feeds it back into the fridge. This creates a continuous, uninterrupted cycle that can maintain $10\text{ mK}$ indefinitely. 2. The Cooling Power ProblemAs a system gets colder, it becomes exponentially harder to pull heat away from it.Superconducting quantum computers are packed with hundreds of co-axial cables, control lines, and amplifiers that generate tiny amounts of heat. Helium-3 dilution fridges provide high cooling power at ultra-low temperatures, meaning they can absorb that incoming heat without warming up. Traditional solid-state materials struggle to conduct heat fast enough at $10\text{ mK}$ and act like thermal insulation blocks. Just How Critical is Helium-3?To put into perspective how vital this isotope is: global production of Helium-3 is strictly capped at around 20,000 to 30,000 liters per year, yet the booming demand from quantum computing and other advanced physics sectors is drastically outstripping that supply. The shortage is so acute that in late 2025, Bluefors (the Finnish engineering giant that manufactures the vast majority of the world's quantum dilution refrigerators) signed a massive, history-making $300 million contract to buy Helium-3 mined from the Moon starting in 2028. Because Helium-3 is deposited on the lunar surface by solar winds, tech companies are literally looking to outer space to secure their supply. SummaryUntil a company successfully designs an alternative cooling system with equivalent continuous cooling power at $10\text{ mK}$—or until quantum engineers design superconducting qubits that can operate at a warmer $0.1\text{ K}$ to $1\text{ K}$ range—Helium-3 remains the absolute bottleneck and gold standard for the quantum revolution.
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