Environment for studying electromagnetic and thermodynamic properties of superconducting and materials in cryogenic temperatures. Test samples and components such as small magnets can be cooled by using liquid nitrogen (approx. -200 °C), mechanically by using cryocooler (approx. to -260 °C), or by liquid helium (down to -271 °C). We have high accuracy multimeters and DC current supply up to 800 A.
Research infrastructure
Cryolab facility includes cryocoolers (3 units) for testing devices with external diameters up to ~20-30 cm. They can be cooled down to 12 K in a cryogen free cryostat, with vacuum level of 1e-5 mbar. It is possible to use also liquid nitrogen for rapid testing of samples at 77 K.
Additionally, there exists a commercial helium cryostat with a background solenoid magnetic field up to 16 T, and with variable temperature range from 1.6 K to 300 K. The sample space in the helium cryostat is approximately 35 mm x 35 mm x 40 mm.
Magnets can be powered with DC current supplies by Sorensen (800 A) and Cryogenic (300 A). Cryogenic has also an integrated protection circuit against a quench in a superconducting magnet. In addition, there exist small DC power sources for exciting censors and measurement devices.
The data-acquisition allows measuring voltages at the microvolt level. This allows e.g. for detailed studies of the resistive transition characteristics in HTS (High temperature superconductor) components and the thermal and electrical material characterization.
The main measurement devices in the lab are a PXI setup, two HP 3458A digitial multi-meters, HP 34420A nanovolt/micro-ohm meter, Signal recovery 7265 lock-in-amplifier, and Tektronix oscilloscope and function generator. The PXI-setup allows real-time monitoring and control of devices. The setup consists of voltage-, oscilloscope, and FPGA-module. We have also recently bought a signal generator compatible with the PXI set-up (PXIe-5423).
