JPE keeps vibrations out of the Einstein Telescope

Eliminating vibrations is a key requirement for the Einstein Telescope. Engineering firm JPE in Maastricht has designed a unique system for this purpose that permanently neutralises the vibrations. In the underground triangle of the Einstein Telescope, laser beams are sent back and forth between mirrors. When a gravitational wave passes through the Earth, the distance between the mirrors changes ever so slightly, almost imperceptibly. It is therefore crucial that the system is completely vibration-free.

The towers in which the mirrors are suspended are therefore placed under vacuum, and temperatures will reach minus 263 degrees Celsius. Why? Huub Janssen briefly looks surprised at what he considers an obvious question. “Heat causes vibrations,” he explains. “Just like air. On a hot day, you can actually see the air moving. That is why the temperature in the vacuum towers must be as low as possible—ideally close to minus 270 degrees, absolute zero. It’s a challenge, certainly, but it can be done.”

Ultra-low temperatures

Cooling itself is not the main issue, Janssen notes. The real challenge lies in suppressing the vibrations caused by that cooling. This led to JPE being asked to find a solution. “And we did,” says Huub, a mechanical engineer trained at Eindhoven University of Technology. “We developed a device capable of fully absorbing vibrations under these extreme conditions: vacuum and ultra-low temperatures.”

Huub Janssen places a copy of the crucial component on the table, fresh from a 3D printer. How it works remains confidential. This piece of high-tech equipment is considered highly innovative and is protected by multiple patents. “JPE is one of the few companies in the world capable of doing this,” he says with pride. “Designing instruments that function in extremely cold environments. We’ve been doing this for about 15 years, ever since we successfully developed a device for a professor in Leiden to precisely move a sample inside a cryostat.” A cryostat is essentially a freezer capable of reaching near absolute zero. It is valuable for scientists because material properties change under such extreme conditions. Researchers need to move test samples without opening the cryostat. “That’s why we developed that instrument at the time.”

Driven by Innovation

A type of challenge that suits Huub Janssen and his team perfectly. In 1991, he founded his own engineering firm after working at ASML in Veldhoven and Philips in Heerlen. “We design solutions for clients in the field of precision engineering. Tailor-made work where nanometer-level accuracy is the standard. That’s why we are called JPE – Driven by Innovation. Innovation—developing something new—is our top priority.”

The company started in a garage workshop. In 2001, JPE moved to the Technoport Europe business park near Maastricht Aachen Airport. High-tech engineering remains a key pillar of the company, which now employs 25 specialists. “We have also developed a product line for the cryogenic and vacuum sectors,” says Marianne Janssen, Huub’s partner and head of communications and PR. “In the past, we were asked to design an instrument for a telescope on La Palma. It had to operate at minus 200 degrees. We took on the challenge and developed a movable diaphragm that allows astronomers to precisely target specific stars. That project provided the expertise needed to operate at such extreme temperatures and laid the foundation for our current product line.”

Some quantum computing

The latest development involving JPE is quantum computing. “A quantum computer only works if the chip is cooled to extremely low temperatures, as scientists have established. That’s exactly our area of expertise. We have succeeded in designing an instrument that can quickly test different chips inside a cryostat.”

This is precisely what major companies like Google and IBM are looking for. “Together with a cryostat manufacturer, we are now developing a complete system to bring to market. It’s very promising. Quantum computing is coming and will revolutionize computational power. It could, for example, be used to develop new medicines. It’s fantastic for a small company from South Limburg to contribute to that.”

A strategic and regional project

Participation in the Einstein Telescope project is equally important for Huub Janssen. “Of course—it’s home for me, even though JPE works with clients across Europe, Asia, and especially the United States. Ten years ago, we were already involved in the initial exploratory discussions for the telescope. Today, our innovation is part of the test version, with strong results. Something to be proud of, and an opportunity for further growth in this market.”

Cross-border collaboration

“It would of course be great if the telescope were actually built in this region. For the local economy, employment, and the boost to innovation. Cross-border collaboration remains a challenge, however. Perhaps it will improve once the scale of the project becomes clear. We are certainly ready to contribute. We already share our technical knowledge through our Precision Point portal.”

Marianne Janssen nods: “In addition to sharing our knowledge online, we compile it into a booklet intended as teaching material for students and useful for other companies as well. We don’t give away trade secrets, but collaboration is essential. For us, it’s also a way to maintain global visibility.”

JPE
Last year, JPE won the first Innovation Award Limburg. The company is located on Aziëlaan near Maastricht Aachen Airport. JPE focuses on development, while manufacturing is outsourced. Its clients include ASML, Google, Philips, as well as several renowned universities and research institutes in Europe and the United States.