MVT-3.5 Kelvin
The MVT-3.5K Ultra-Low Temperature Tribometer enables friction, wear, scratch, and hardness testing at temperatures down to 3.5 K. Its closed-loop liquid-helium system provides exceptional thermal stability with zero helium consumption, enabling long-duration cryogenic testing for advanced materials, superconducting interfaces, quantum devices, space applications, and cryogenic mechanical systems.
Key Features
- Ultra-Low Temperature Testing Down to 3.5 K
- Closed-Loop Force Control from mN to 200 N
- Nanometer-Level Vibration Isolation
- Exceptional Thermal Stability
- Integrated Mechanical Characterization
- Real-Time Surface Temperature Feedback
Manufacturer
Rtec Instruments
Rtec Instruments develops and manufactures advanced mechanical and surface testing and measurement solutions for research and industrial applications. They specialise in combining techniques that provide a unique perspective in material testing. Their testers include tribometer, profilometer, scratch tester, high-temperature indenter, and corrosion testers. Furthermore, their testers provide the most robust and versatile platform in the market for testing friction, wear, adhesion, hardness, roughness, and film thickness from nano to macro-scale.
Ultra-Low Temperature Testing Down to 3.5 K
Reach controlled temperatures down to 3.5 K for advanced tribological and mechanical characterization. The MVT-3.5K enables researchers to reproduce extreme cryogenic conditions and investigate the performance of materials, coatings, and interfaces for demanding applications including quantum technologies, superconducting systems, space environments, and advanced cryogenic mechanical systems.
Closed-Loop Force Control from mN to 200 N
Patented capacitive sensors provide precise closed-loop down-force control across a broad range from mN to 200 N. This extended force capability supports nano, micro, and macro-scale characterization, providing the flexibility required to investigate different materials, surfaces, coatings, and contact conditions within a single ultra-low-temperature testing platform.
Nanometer-Level Vibration Isolation
Advanced nanometre-level vibration isolation minimizes mechanical noise at the contact interface for highly sensitive measurements. By maintaining exceptional stability during testing, the system provides the controlled mechanical environment required for reliable friction, wear, scratch, and hardness characterization at ultra-low temperatures where measurement precision is particularly critical.
Exceptional Thermal Stability
Maintain precise temperature control over hours or days of operation for long-duration cryogenic experiments. Exceptional thermal stability enables consistent testing conditions throughout extended test cycles, helping researchers accurately evaluate changes in friction, wear, and mechanical properties as materials, coatings, and interfaces are exposed to ultra-low temperatures.
Integrated Mechanical Characterization
Perform micro and macro hardness, scratch, friction, and wear testing within a single ultra-low-temperature platform. This integrated approach enables comprehensive mechanical and tribological characterization of materials, coatings, and interfaces under the same controlled cryogenic conditions, providing complementary information without relying on separate testing systems.
Real-Time Surface Temperature Feedback
Continuously monitor sample, stage, and cooling-system temperatures throughout cooling and steady-state operation. Temperature measurements are synchronized with friction, force, and position data, providing a complete thermal profile of every experiment and enabling researchers to directly correlate tribological and mechanical behaviour with the actual temperature conditions during testing.
Pushing the Limits of Cryogenic Tribology
Understanding friction, wear, hardness, and scratch resistance at ultra-low temperatures is critical for next-generation technologies, from superconducting materials and quantum devices to space exploration and cryogenic mechanical systems.
Conventional tribometers cannot reproduce these extreme operating conditions, while traditional cryogenic systems can be limited by helium consumption, temperature stability, and measurement constraints.
The MVT-3.5K Ultra-Low Temperature Tribometer brings controlled tribological and mechanical testing down to 3.5 K, allowing researchers to characterize materials, coatings, and interfaces under conditions approaching their actual operating environment.
Closed-Loop Helium. Zero Consumption
Ultra-low-temperature experiments can require long cooling and testing cycles. The MVT-3.5K uses a closed-loop liquid-helium system in which helium is fully contained and continuously recirculated.
There is no helium loss and no refilling requirement, eliminating the interruptions and supply risks associated with consumable helium.
The system combines rapid, controlled cooldown from ambient conditions with stable temperature control throughout extended test cycles. This enables long-duration experiments at ultra-low temperatures while maintaining the thermal stability required for reliable tribological measurements.
Accurate Data with a Complete Thermal Profile
At ultra-low temperatures, knowing the temperature at the actual test location is critical. The MVT-3.5K continuously records temperatures throughout cooldown and steady-state operation, including the sample, stage, and cooling system.
Temperature measurements are synchronized with friction, force, and position data, providing a complete picture of both thermal and tribological behaviour throughout the experiment.
Integrated software provides real-time monitoring, data visualization, thermal profiling, and tribological analysis, helping researchers correlate changes in material behaviour directly with temperature.
Applications
- Tribology for the Quantum FrontierThe MVT-3.5K enables precise characterization of friction, wear, hardness, scratch resistance, and material interactions under extreme cryogenic conditions. By recreating ultra-low-temperature environments, researchers can evaluate materials, coatings, contacts, and interfaces where conventional tribological testing cannot reproduce actual operating conditions.
- Outer Space Conditions
Evaluate materials and interfaces for vacuum mechanisms, satellites, rovers, and other systems exposed to extreme low-temperature environments. - Quantum Computing Device Environments
Investigate tribological behaviour in positioning systems and interfaces operating at the ultra-low temperatures associated with quantum technologies. - Superconducting Material Interfaces
Characterize thin films, electrical contacts, coatings, and interfaces under cryogenic conditions relevant to superconducting systems. - Cryogenic Mechanical Systems
Study friction and wear in components such as seals and actuators designed to operate under extreme cryogenic conditions.
Synchronized Thermal and Tribological Data
The MVT-3.5K software provides continuous control and monitoring throughout the experiment, combining thermal and mechanical measurements within a single test environment.
- Real-time monitoring of sample, stage, and cooling-system temperatures
- Synchronized friction, force, position, and temperature acquisition
- Integrated data visualization
- Thermal profiling
- Tribological analysis
- Windows-based, recipe-driven platform
- Standard and fully customizable test programs
- Material library with 500+ entries
- Binary / ASCII data export
Technical Information
| Minimum Temperature | Down to 3.5 K |
| Pre-Cool to 100 K | ~1.5 hours |
| 10 K at Sample Surface | < 5 hours |
| Force Range | mN to 200 N |
| Helium System | Closed-loop / recirculating |
| Platform Windows | Recipe-based |
| Test Programs | Standard recipe and fully customizable |
| Material Library | 500+ |
| Data Export | Binary / ASCII |
Downloads
Liquid-Helium Ultra-Low Temperature Tribometer
Closed-loop liquid helium precision for the quantum frontier
Service Support
Comprehensive repairs and servicing
Annual Support Programs
Your metrology instrumentation is a major investment that is critical to your business operation and success. In today’s competitive climate, it is more important than ever to extend the functionality and peak performance of your metrology equipment years beyond the expiration of your factory warranty. CN Tech’s Support Programs will help ensure that your investment is protected, and that you and your instrument’s are always operating at peak performance.
With over 20 years’ experience servicing and repairing you can be assured that your system is in safe hands. The independent services we offer include system relocation, maintenance visits, parts and consumables, and break down interventions.
CN Tech’s Support Programs are an economical way to guarantee optimal working condition:
- Annual Preventive Maintenance
- Priority Technical Assistance
- Preferred Parts Availability
- On-Site User Training
- Remote Diagnostics
- No surprise repair expense and much more!
Support Contact Example
An example of our service and support contracts are shown below:
Metrology & Instrumentation Annual Support Programs 2024/25
CN Tech's Support Programs will help ensure that your investment is protected, and that you and your instrument’s are always operating at peak performance.