Cryogenics at CERN

The use of cryogenics at CERN was originated (in the 1960s) by High Energy Physics detectors requiring low temperature technologies to achieve the desired performance and indicates a sustained trend during the entire evolution of the CERN experimental program. More recently (in the 1980s) the need of cryogenics for CERN accelerators has shown an impressive increase due to the development of superconducting accelerating cavities and high field bending magnets. Today, the two largest detectors (ATLAS and CMS) of the LHC accelerator ask for a considerable variety of cryogenic equipments and the 27 km LHC magnets ring requires the largest 1.8 K helium refrigeration and distribution systems in the world. The status of CERN cryogenics is briefly reviewed including those systems not related to the LHC complex.