10mK

10mK refers to a temperature of 10 millikelvin. The kelvin (K) is the base unit of thermodynamic temperature in the International System of Units (SI). Absolute zero, the theoretical lowest possible temperature, is defined as 0 K. Therefore, 10mK is a very low temperature, just 0.01 kelvin above absolute zero.

Achieving temperatures as low as 10mK is a significant technical challenge and typically requires specialized cryogenic equipment. Dilution refrigerators are the most common devices used to reach these ultra-low temperatures. These refrigerators work by exploiting the quantum mechanical properties of helium-3 and helium-4 isotopes at very low temperatures. The process involves a phase separation of helium isotopes, leading to a continuous cooling effect.

Temperatures around 10mK are important in various scientific research fields. They are crucial for experiments in condensed matter physics, where studying quantum phenomena often requires suppressing thermal fluctuations. For instance, researchers use these temperatures to investigate superconductivity, superfluids, and quantum magnetism. In astrophysics, 10mK is relevant for calibrating sensitive detectors used in space telescopes to observe faint cosmic signals. Furthermore, advancements in quantum computing and quantum information processing often rely on reaching and maintaining such extremely low temperatures to preserve the delicate quantum states of qubits.