Vibrating Sample Magnetometer SWT Physics Department SAFETY FIRST

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Turn on the equipment ONLY in the order specified. Failure to cool the vibration exciter during operation will lead to a system meltdown!

VSM PRINCIPLES A vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) operates on Faraday's Law of Induction, which tells us that a changing magnetic field will produce an electric field. This electric field can be measured and can tell us information about the changing magnetic field. A VSM is used to measure the magnetic behavior of magnetic materials. For more information on magnetic properties and hysteresis curves, go to the Kerr Magnetometer page. A VSM operates by first placing the sample to be studied in a constant magnetic field. If the sample is magnetic, this constant magnetic field will magnetize the sample by aligning the magnetic domains, or the individual magnetic spins, with the field. The stronger the constant field, the larger the magnetization will be. The magnetic dipole moment of the sample will create a magnetic field around the sample, sometimes called the magnetic stray field. As the sample is moved up and down, this magnetic stray field is changing as a function of time and can be sensed by a set of pick-up coils. The alternating magnetic field will cause an electric field in the pick-up coils according to Faraday's Law of Induction. This current will be proportional to the magnetization of the sample. The greater the magnetization, the greater the induced current. The induction current is amplified by a transimpedance amplifier and lock-in amplifier. The various components are hooked up to a computer interface. Using controlling and monitoring software, the system can tell you how much the sample is magnetized and how its magnetization depends on the strength of the constant magnetic field. A typical measurement of a sample is taken in the following manner:
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the strength of the constant magnetic field is set. the sample begins to vibrate the signal received from the probe is translated into a value for the magnetic moment of the sample the strength of the constant magnetic field changes to a new value. no data is taken during this transition the strength of the constant magnetic field reaches its new value

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the signal from the probe again gets translated into a value for the magnetization of the sample the constant magnetic field varies over a given range, and a plot of magnetization (M) versus magnetic field strength (H) is generated.

PARTS OF THE VSM The VSM consists of ten parts:

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water cooled electromagnet and power supply vibration exciter and sample holder (with angle indicator) sensor coils Hall probe amplifier control chassis lock in amplifier meter computer interface

Water cooled electromagnet and power supply The water cooled electromagnet, along with the power supply, generate the constant magnetic field used to magnetize the sample. Vibration exciter and sample holder (with angle indicator) The sample holder rod is attached to the vibration exciter, and the end of it hangs down in between the pole pieces. The exciter moves the sample up and down at a set frequency, typically 85Hz. The sample rod can be rotated to achieve the desired orientation of the sample to the constant magnetic field. There are also three knobs for controlling the x,y, and z positions of the sample. Sensor coils The sample produces an alternating current in these coils at the same frequency as the vibration of the sample. The signal generated contains the information about the magnetization of the sample. Amplifier The amplifier does just that - amplifies the signal created by the sensor coils. Control chassis

This controls the 85Hz oscillation of the exciter. Lock in amplifier This amplifier is tuned to pick up only signals at the vibrating frequency. This eliminates noise from the environment, such as from the overhead lights or hovering spacecraft nearby (unless the noise happens to be an 85Hz signal). Meter This is used to measure something important. Computer Interface The software makes data collection easier by automating the control of the various components during data collection. The data can be graphed and plotted on the printer. Magnetometers -- Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) The vibrating sample magnetometer has become a widely used instrument for determining magnetic properties of a large variety of materials: diamagnetics, paramagnetics, ferromagnetics, ferromagnetics and antiferromagnetics. This experimental technique was invented in 1956 by Simon Foner, a scientist of the MIT. EGG Princeton Applied Research (EGG PAR) was the world leader company that started the commercialisation of this magnetometers in the sixties. It has a flexible design and combines high sensitivity with easy of sample mounting and exchange. Samples may be interchange rapidly even at any operating temperature. Measurements of magnetic moments as small as 5x10-5 emu are possible in magnetic fields from zero to 9 Tesla (or higher). Maximum applied fields of 2-3 Tesla or 9 Tesla are reached using conventional laboratory electromagnets and superconducting solenoids, respectively. Vibrating sample magnetometers normally operate over a temperature range of 2.0 to 1050 K. Powders, bulk and thin films can be measured and studied. Principle. If a sample of any material is placed in a uniform magnetic field, created between the poles of a electromagnet, a dipole moment will be induced. If the sample vibrates with sinusoidal motion a sinusoidal electrical signal can be induced in suitable placed pick-up coils. The signal has the same frequency of vibration and its amplitude will be proportional to the magnetic moment, amplitude, and relative position with respect to the pick-up coils system. Fig. 1 shows the vibrating sample magnetometer block diagram.

The sample is fixed to a small sample holder located at the end of a sample rod mounted in a electromechanical transducer. The transducer is driven by a power amplifier which itself is driven by an oscillator at a frequency of 90 Hertz. So, the sample vibrates along the Z axis perpendicular to the magnetizing field. The latter induced a signal in the pick-up coil system that is fed to a differential amplifier. The output of the differential amplifier is subsequently fed into a tuned amplifier and an internal lock-in amplifier that receives a reference signal supplied by the oscillator. The output of this lock-in amplifier, or the output of the magnetometer itself, is a DC signal proportional to the magnetic moment of the sample being studied. The electromechanical transducer can move along X, Y and Z directions in order to find the saddle point (which Calibration of the vibrating sample magnetometer is done by measuring the signal of a pure Ni standard of known the saturation magnetic moment placed in the saddle point. The basic instrument includes the electromechanical system and the electronic system (including a personal computer), while the costumer should select the electromagnet or superconducting coil system with the appropriate bipolar power supply. Laboratory electromagnets or superconducting coils of various maximum field strengths may be used. For ultra-high magnetic fields a cryogen-free magnets can be also used. For the characterization of soft magnetic materials a pair of Helmholtz coils may be also used. As accessories the costumer must also select a high temperature oven assembly and a liquid Helium cryostat. Fig. 2 shows the vibrating sample magnetometer.

Technical specifications of VSM (typical figures). Maximum sensitivity: 5x10-5 emu. Calibrated ranges from ? 100 to ? 0.01 emu full scale. Stability of output signal: ? 0.05 % of full scale per day. Absolute accuracy: better than 2 % Angular variation of H: full 360o rotation ? 0.5o Maximum sample size: 7 mm. Operating temperature range: 2.0 K to 1050 K Applications. Using a vibrating sample magnetometer one can measure the DC magnetic moment as a function of temperature, magnetic field, angle and time. So, it allows to perform susceptibility and magnetization studies. Some of the most common measurements done are: hysteresis loops, susceptibility or saturation magnetization as a function of temperature (thermomagnetic analysis), magnetization curves as a function as a function of angle (anisotropy), and magnetization as a function of time.