Cryogenics for CERN experiments: past, present and future

Use of cryogenics at CERN was originated (in the 1960s) by bubble chambers and the associated s.c. solenoids. Complex cryoplants were installed to provide cooling at LH2 and LHe temperatures. Continuity (in the 1970s) in He cryogenics for experiments was provided by spectrometer magnets for fixed target physics of the SPS accelerator. More recently (in the 1980s), large "particle-transparent" s.c. solenoids for collider experiments (LEP) have been built demanding new cryoplants. The LHC experiments (in the 2000s) will continue the tradition with s.c. dipoles (ALICE and LHCb), solenoids (CMS, ATLAS) and toroids (ATLAS) of unusual size. Cryogenics for experiments using noble liquids follows the same trend since the development (in the 1970s) of the first shower LAr detectors. A LKr calorimeter (about 10 m3) will be operated in 1996 and the ATLAS experiment foresees a set of three huge LAr calorimeters (almost 90 m3 total volume of liquid) to be installed underground.