This award provides partial support to replace a Helium Liquefier module operated for the last 20 years by the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Minnesota, and to refurbish two series 1400 compressors. The system will be used to supply liquid helium to the Condensed Matter Physics Group, and to other research groups outside of Physics at the University of Minnesota. In the Condensed Matter Physics Group research dependent on the availability of liquid helium, includes programs on "Pairing Spectroscopy of Exotic Superconductors," "Magnetic Superconductor Interface Structures and High Temperature Superconducting Compounds," "Tunneling and Transport in Ordered and Disordered Superconductors," "Phase Slip in Superfluid 4He Flow through Microscopic Apertures," "Magnetization Reversal in Magnetic Particles: Classical and Quantum Regimes," "Ultra-low Temperature Properties of Metals," and "Quantum Phase Transition in Low-Dimensional Systems." Users outside Condensed Matter include the Astronomy Department, which has a program of Infrared Astronomy with a telecope situated at Marine on St. Croix, east of the Twin Cities, the Chemistry, Biochemistry (College of Biological Sciences and Medical School), Medicinal Chemistry, and Radiology Departments. The latter organizations support a large number of NMR facilities, and several small-scale MRI setups. Additional users are in Electrical Engineering and Geology. The work in Electrical Engineering is focused on Shubnikov-de Haas studies of semiconducting materials, and that in Geology with magnetic minerals and magnetotactic bacteria. Approximately 42 faculty, 40 post doctorals, 62 graduate students, 26 undergraduates, in more than nine disciplines/departments will benefit. %%% ***
