Dark Matter Cleanroom Believed To Be The Deepest In The World

23rd February 2006

Sirus Microtech Ltd has provided a cleanroom for a deep underground laboratory where some of the UK's leading scientists investigate what the Universe is made of. The cleanroom was constructed over 1000 metres below sea level at a point off the east coast of Britain as part of the Boulby Mine Dark Matter research facility. Access to the cleanroom is down a Potash mine lift which takes 45 minutes to descend. It is believed to be the deepest cleanroom in the world, a location that will allow the scientists at CCLRC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory to conduct research into the nature of so called "Dark Matter" without interference from cosmic rays, gamma-rays, electrons and alpha particles.

Astronomers have known for some time that there is not enough visible mass in the cosmos to cause the observed gravitational movements of the stars and galaxies as they move around and cluster together They have therefore concluded that some other form of unseen mass must be exerting an influence; hence the term "Dark Matter" and the acronym "WIMPS" which stands for "weakly interacting massive particles". In fact, at least 90% of the Universe must consist of this unseen fundamental matter and billions of WIMPS are believed to pass through us every second.

Despite their mass, WIMPS barely interact with ordinary matter and are extremely difficult to detect, hence the stringent requirements placed on the location of the cleanroom. The cleanroom is equipped with fan filter units which keep the enclosure free of unwanted particles and several detectors which determine the energy from the recoil of an impact between a WIMP and the atomic nucleus of a liquid such as xenon. It is hoped that research into these phenomenon will provide scientists with a greater understanding of the Big Bang and the main constituent of the Universe.

The construction of this cleanroom in the deepest mine in Europe proves the flexibility and simplicity of its design. The modular cleanroom system is easily assembled with an allen key, being no more difficult to put together than the average self assembly furniture. Because of this it is ideal for a customer wishing to avoid the expense and complexity of planning and constructing a permanent cleanroom. Cleanrooms of this size can be self assembled inside 2-3 working man days, making them a very cost effective solution for providing a rapid, reliable cleanroom space, which can simply be enlarged, moved or taken down at a later date.

Further information about the Boulby Mine Dark Matter Research Facility is available in this research paper (PDF) and this brochure (PDF).

Author : Alan Waterman-Smith - C.Eng. M.I.E.E. Managing Director Sirus Microtech Ltd.