Low temperature radio-frequency transverse susceptibility measurements using a CMOS oscillator circuit

Abstract

A transverse susceptibility (TS) measurement system based on a simple inverter CMOS cell oscillator cross-coupled to a LC tank is presented. The system has been implemented to operate at a Quantum Design Physical Properties Measurement System (PPMS). We introduce several improvements with respect to similar currently operating TS measurement equipments. The electronics have been redesigned to use CMOS transistors as active devices, which simplifies the circuit design and enlarge the tuning range, thus making the proposed electronic block more feasible, predictable, and precise. Additionally, we propose a newly designed sample holder, which facilitates the procedure to change a sample and improves reproducibility of the circuit. Our design minimizes the thermal leak of the measuring probe by one order of magnitude, allowing to measure from 1.8 K in standard PPMS systems, thanks to the use of a low temperature beryllium-copper coaxial cable instead of the conventional RG402 Cu coaxial cable employed in the insert for the PPMS in similar systems. The data acquisition method is also simplified, so that the measuring sequences are implemented directly in the PPMS controller computer by programming them in the Quantum Design MultiVu software that controls the PPMS. We present the test measurements performed on the system without sample to study the background signal and stability of the circuit. Measurements on a Gd 2O 3 calibrating sample yield to the estimation of the system sensitivity, which is found to be on the order of 10 -6 emu. Finally, measurements on a TmCo 2 Laves phase sample with a ferrimagnetic transition temperature around 4 K are described, demonstrating that the developed system is well suited to explore interesting magnetic phenomena at this temperature scale. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.