Supercooled measuring system used

PTB's BMSR-2 is equipped with superconducting measuring systems cooled by liquid helium to within four degrees of absolute zero to attain the extreme sensitivity required. Such ‘Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices’ (SQUIDs) were vital to establish the magnetic moments of the LISA Pathfinder test masses, which turned out to close to a thousand times lower than a standard, supposedly non-magnetic stainless steel screw.