Vibrating Sample Magnetometer

Microsense EZ-9 vibating Sample Magnetometer Microsense, LLC (http://www.microsense.net/)
EZ-9
Christian Rinaldi, Matteo Cantoni
NaBiS group and collaborators (ask for magnetic characterizations)
Nanomagnetism Lab – via G. Colombo 81, 20133 Milano (Italy)

Description

A Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) is a scientific instrument able to measures magnetic properties of materials in an external magnetic field, invented in 1955 by Simon Foner at Lincoln Laboratory MIT.

A VSM converts the dipole field of the sample into an ac electrical signal. The sample is placed inside a uniform magnetic field and then vibrated sinusoidally. That creates a corresponding variation of the magnetic flux in pickup coils placed nearby, inducing a sinusoidal voltage. The amplitude of the ac voltage is proportional to the sample magnetic moment and measured by a lock-in amplifier.

MicroSense Vibrating Sample Magnetometers (EZ-9) are the easiest to use and most sensitive vibrating sample magnetometers available. EZ-9 is able to measure magnetic moments down to 1 µemu, hysteresis loop of thin films or studying the magnetic properties of liquids, powders, or bulk samples.

Moreover, by using MATLAB we are able to perform manual or fully-automatize magneto-electric measurements, even with the temperature option. Patterned devices produced by lithography can be connect through bonding to a proper sample holder. The properties of devices can be studied as a function of magnetic field, temperature, currents and electric fields. Finally, it is possible to perform automated complex preparation sequences (e.g. magnetic field cooling for spintronic devices based on antiferromagnets).

Specifications

  • Liquids, powders, bulk samples, thin films
  • Sample dimension: ~10×10 mm2 sample at room temperature, ~5×5 mm2 sample for temperature characterization
  • Magnetic field up to 2.25 Tesla
  • Oven/cryostat always installed on the measurement system and ready for use
    • Temperature control: from 100 K to 1000 K
    • Temperature ramp rate: up to 60-100 K/min
  • 0.75 x 10-7 emu (75 nemu) noise at room temperature
  • Lowest field noise: less than 5 mOe RMS is > 10 times lower than the field noise of competing systems 
  • Automatic Sample Rotation
  • 3 systems in one: VSM, Magneto Resistance and MOKE