An ultra-stable 1.5 tesla permanent magnet assembly for qubit experiments at cryogenic temperatures

TL;DR

This paper introduces a highly stable 1.5T permanent magnet assembly using a Halbach array and Supermendur, suitable for cryogenic qubit experiments, offering a cost-effective alternative to superconducting magnets.

Contribution

The authors design and characterize a stable, high-field permanent magnet assembly optimized for cryogenic quantum experiments, demonstrating its practical application in spin qubit research.

Findings

Achieved magnetic field strength of 1.5T with a 7mm air gap.

Demonstrated magnetic field stability with drift rate < 2.8 ppb/h.

Successfully used in spin qubit experiments inside a dilution refrigerator.

Abstract

Magnetic fields are a standard tool in the toolbox of every physicist, and are required for the characterization of materials, as well as the polarization of spins in nuclear magnetic resonance or electron paramagnetic resonance experiments. Quite often a static magnetic field of sufficiently large, but fixed magnitude is suitable for these tasks. Here we present a permanent magnet assembly that can achieve magnetic field strengths of up to 1.5T over an air gap length of 7mm. The assembly is based on a Halbach array of neodymium (NdFeB) magnets, with the inclusion of the soft magnetic material Supermendur to boost the magnetic field strength inside the air gap. We present the design, simulation and characterization of the permanent magnet assembly, measuring an outstanding magnetic field stability with a drift rate of |D| < 2.8 ppb/h. Our measurements demonstrate that this assembly can be used for spin qubit experiments inside a dilution refrigerator, successfully replacing the more expensive and bulky superconducting solenoids.