DC SUCEPTIBILITY /

MAGNETIZATION MEASURMENT
TECHNIQUE

Dr. Sanjay Kumar

Professor
Department of Physics
Jadavpur University
Kolkata – 700032
 Magnetic Susceptibility /Magnetization Measurement

Methods available for dc magnetic measurements:

1. Excitation method 2. Force method

3. Vibrating Sample method 4. SQID magnetometer

EXTRACTION METHOD:
Basic Working Principle: Faraday and Lenz’s law of electromagnetic induction. In this
method a small search coil is placed within a solenoid in which an uniform magnetic field is
produced by applying constant dc current. The axis of the solenoid and the search coil should
be collinear. The sample is first placed inside (at the center of) the search coil, then removed
from the coil. Corresponding change of flux is recorded by a flux meter or ballistic method.
The change of flux is proportional to the magnetization (M) of the sample.

ADVANTAGE: The method is very simple.

DISADVANTAGE:
(i) Size large: both the coils must have large no. of turns, (ii) sensitive low,(iii) the method is
inefficient for samples having low susceptibility, (iv) It is well known that susceptibility of
para and anti – ferro magnetic specimens changes with the change of temperature. These
samples need to be cool down, which very difficult for this method.
Force method:
Basic working principle:
Measurement of force acting on a sample when it is placed in a non – uniform magnetic
field. Force is usually measured by a sensitive balance. So, this method also termed as
MAGNETIC BALANCE.

Here a magnet placed is a non-uniform

magnetic field increasing from left to
right, i.e., field is stronger at north pole
than at south pole
p: pole strength
The net force to the right (along x axis):

A magnet placed in a non uniform magnetic field

dynes
Assume that in place of a magnet a sample has been placed in the non uniform
magnetic field. If,
(a)If the sample is para/ferro magnetic in nature then it will be attracted by the
field and will move towards right, i.e, into a region of higher flux density (greater
field strength) if it is free to do so.
(b) If the sample is dia magnetic in nature then it will move towards the region with
lower field strength.

If, the field is uniform, then a diamagnetic sample will align perpendicular to the field
and the para or ferro magnetic
samples will align parallel to the
field .

Therefore, we may conclude that,

a net force will act on the sample if
it is placed in a non – uniform magnetic
field.
If the field H has components HX,
Hy and Hz :

dynes
Gouy method:

Gouy Balance
 The force on the whole rod is,

Fy

Fy Since,

Here, Fy can be measured by digital spring balance.

Where, is the change (increase/decrease) of weight due to

magnetic force.
Main advantage:
Field gradient need not to be measured. Only uniform field strength in
the gap between the pole pieces has to be accurately measured.

Disadvantage:
Sample size (10 – 15 cm long) and volume (10 cm 3) should be large.
Low temperature measurement is very difficult.
 Faraday method:

The field in the Faraday balance as shown in

figure is predominantly in the y direction.
The field gradient,

To achieve above condition the pole pieces of

the electromagnet have to be specially designed.
Shape of such magnet is shown in figure along
with the variation of with x
Here,
Faraday balance
and Field gradient is calibrated by using specimens of known susceptibility
For Faraday method the sample should be very small and it has to be placed at a region
between the pole pieces in such a way that the field gradient is constant throughout the
sample volume.
Sample is suspended from a highly sensitive balance .
Disadvantage: We have to measure the field gradient accurately for determination of
susceptibility using Faraday’s method as absolute tool.
Field gradient is calibrated by using specimens of known susceptibility
(determined by Guoy method say)
Advantage: Highly sensitive, useful for small size of sample, high precission.
 Vibrating Sample Magnetometer

Working principle:
Faraday Lenz’s Law of induction. Magnetization/ Susceptibility is measured by detecting the emf
induced in a coil due to the flux change in it when the sample is systematically vibrated in the coil.
Sample is taken as small disc or sphere.

The main building units of VSM :

(a) One strong electro magnate (superconducting magnet: Field up to 18 T)
For regular normal use field maximum required is: 5 – 7 T
(b) Two pickup coils: (i) Reference coil (Compensation coil)
(ii) Detection coil
(c)Sample holder (a light rod/wire of nonmagnetic material).
One end of the sample holder is fixed to a velocity
transducer (e.g., loudspeaker) and sample is hanged from
the other end.
A reference sample (i.e. a small permanent magnet) is fixed
with holder rod and put into a ref. coil (Fig.)
The sample along with reference specimen is vibrated by the
velocity transducer.
The coils sense the variation of magnetic flux due to the
sample and reference specimen movement.
Range: Frequency 1 – 100Hz [for commercial VSM]
Amplitude: 0.1 mm – 10 mm

The sample and the oscillating magnet induce

ac current in detection and reference coils.

Voltages of two different set of coils is measured

and the voltage difference is proportional to the
magnetic moment of the sample.

If we work with the difference voltage then measurement

of magnetic moment will not depend on frequency
and amplitude of oscillation.

ADVANTAGES:
Highly sensitive
Smallest moment that can be measured: 5 × 10-5 erg/Oe
In mass susceptibility: 5 × 10-9 emu/gm.
High speed of operation.
 SQUID Magnetometer
Working principle: Flux quantization in Josephson junction

Flux Quantization: In the year 1961 Deaver and Fairbank did experiments with a
tiny superconducting cylinder made by electroplating tin on a copper wire. They
found magnetic flux quantized in units of

Such that the total flux linked is given by, φ = nφ0

where, n is an integer.

Flux quantization occurs in Type II

superconductors .

For type II superconductors below a critical field

Hc1, all magnetic flux is expulsed according to
the Meissner effect and perfect diamagnetism is
observed (exactly as in a Type I superconductor).

But beyond a second critical field

value, Hc2 , flux penetrates in discrete
units while the bulk of the material
remains superconducting.
Hc1 and Hc2 are temperature dependent.
 SQUID Magnetometer
Working principle: Flux quantization in Josephson junction

The superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) consists of two

superconductors separated by two pieces of thin insulating layers to form
two parallel Josephson junctions as shown in the figure. The device can be
used to detect very small magnetic fields

Two superconductors separated by a thin (of the order of few nm) insulating
layer exhibits tunneling of Cooper pairs of electrons through the junction.
The Cooper pairs on each side of the junction can be represented by a single
wave function. The wave functions of the opposite side of the junction differs
by phase.
Due tunneling of electron a current proportional to the phase difference of the
wave functions flows through the junction while the electric field (voltage)
across the junction is zero. This known as dc Josephson effect.
On the hand in presence of applied voltage across the junction an oscillating
current is produce in the junction. Which is known as ac Josephson effect.
 SQUID Sensor

There are two main types of SQUID:

(i) direct current (DC) (has two Josephson junctions)
(ii) radio frequency (RF). (has only one Josephson junction)

RF SQUIDs are cheaper to produce but are less sensitive than DC SQUIDs

dc SQID
 SQUID Magnetometer

In a SQUOD magnetometer, sample is allowed to move through the super-

conducting detection coils.
This coils are placed at the center of the magnet.

As the sample moves through the coils, the magnetic moment of the sample induces
an electric field in the coils, which in turn produces a change in current in the
detection circuit
Change in current is proportional
to the change in magnetic flux.

The variation of the current in the

detection coils results in a variation
in output voltage of the SQUID,
which is proportional to the
magnetic moment of the sample.

Very Highly sensitive

Smallest moment that can be
measured
in mass susceptibility: 10-15
emu/gm.
 SQUID VSM

Couples speed of VSM

With sensitivity of SQUID
AC SUCEPTIBILITY MEASURMENT TECHNIQUE

Dr. Sanjay Kumar

Professor
Department of Physics
Jadavpur University
Kolkata – 700032
 AC Susceptibility
DEFINATION:
When a sample is introduced in an ac field H (t) then the induced
magnetization M or the moment of the sample lags behind the applied
field by a phase angle Φ.

In an ac susceptometer the sample is generally centered within a pair of

detection coil and magnetized by an ac magnetic field (Hac).

Then the magnetization and

the susceptibility should
have two components in-
phase χ′ and out of phase χ′′

χ = χ′ + χ′′
AC susseptometer detects change in flux due to the changing moment of the
sample (dM) in responds to the ac field (no sample movement is required to
produce an output signal) and does not measure the moment itself as in dc
technique.
The ac susceptibility is:
This is why ac susceptibility is
sometimes referred to as a differential
susceptibility. This is the fundamental
difference between the ac and dc
measurement techniques.
AC vs DC Suceptibility

In the dc measurement, the magnetic moment of the

sample does not change with time. Thus, a static
magnetic measurement is performed.

In the ac measurement, the moment of the sample

changes in response to an applied ac field i.e. with time.
Thus ac measurements enable us to study the dynamics
(e.g. magnetic relaxation phenomena) of the magnetic
systems.
 Working principle
AC susceptibility is measured by set of primary and pair of secondary coils utilizing
Faraday Lenz’s law of induction.

Induced voltage in the secondary:

AC susceptometer has two secondary pickup (detection) coils

The secondary coils are wound in series in the opposite direction so that
in absence of the sample if an ac voltage is applied in the primary, then
the induced voltage (offset voltage) in the secondary coil should be zero.

The magnetic flux through the N turn oppositely wound coils of radius a is:

M(t) is the magnetic induction inside the sample averaged over the volume V.
 Voltage induced:

As susceptibility is complex quantity, by Fourier expansion of M(t) we have:

Where is an alternating magnetic field and n = 1 represents fundamental mode and

n = 2,3,4… represent higher harmonics.

Where,

The real and imaginary component of susceptibility and can be

determined directly from the following equations:
Construction of AC susceptibility setup

CRYOSTAT with the coil assembly

1.Wilson seal
2.Vacuum port
3.Gate valve
4.Hanging rods
5.Glass-metal seal
6.Glass cryostat
7.SS rod
8.Sapphire plate
9.Heater wire
10.Platinum resistance thermometer
11.Secondary coil (s1)
12.Sample
13.Secondary coil (s2)
14.Primary
15.Cryogenics (liquid He)
AC voltage is applied in the primary coil from a function generator or from sine
wave output of LIA. The amplitude should be small.

Typical voltage range: 5 mV – 4 V which can induce ac field up to 300 Oe (rms).

Frequency is adjustable (Hz – kHz).

The secondary coils are wound in series in the opposite direction so that in absence
of the sample if an ac voltage is applied in the primary, then the induced voltage
(offset voltage) in the secondary coil should be zero.
(Empty coil have to be balanced to null out the flux changes other that of sample.)
Current is first busted up and then the
induced voltage is measured by LIA
Offset nullification techniques are:
This induced voltage is proportional to
Precision variable mutual inductance ac susceptibility of the sample
The setup is calibrated by measuring ac
Kelvin – Varley voltage divider susceptibility of paramagnetic salt like
Er2O3 and Gd2O3.