LeyBold 554800 X-Ray Apparatus

Leybold 554800 X-Ray Apparatus from Klinger. Currently we are working on improving the signal quality. (updated on 1/6/2020)
(Thanks to the support of NSF DMR-1905636.)

Lindenberg Blue M Box Furnace

The recently installed Lindenberg Blue M Box Furnace, which arrived Fresno State campus in November 2017. Currently we have finished the test of quality of quartz tube and quartz wool at 1050 degree C (updated on 1/20/2020).
(Thanks to the support of NSF DMR-1506677.)

Quartz Bench

The quartz bench is setup with a hydrogen-oxygen torch, which can be used to seal oxygen-sensitive intermetalic samples in quartz tubes for high temperature single-crystal growth or used for general soldering of hardware. (Two undergrads Matt and Anthony were working on carbon coating of a quartz tube on 1/23/2020.)
(Thanks to the continuous support of NSF DMR-1905636.)

Materials Research Furnaces Model SA-200 Single Arc Arc-Melting Furnace

The single arc furnace has just passed the testing stage by melting a 0.6 g Zirconium boule.
(Thanks to the support of NSF DMR-1506677.)

Plas Lab Controlled Atmosphere (Anaerobic) Chamber Model #855-AC

A Plas Lab glove box is used to synthesize rare-earth micor-nano sized particles.
(Thanks to the support of NSF DMR-1104544.)

Laboratory-built additional plumbing to add an external oxygen sensor and an extra drying train with active charcoale.

Ohaus Semi-Micro Balance

An Ohaus Discovery semi-microbalance Model #DV215CD has the capacity of 0-81g with the resolution of 0.01mg (81g-210 g, 0.1mg). This balance enables us to weigh material accurately down to 0.01 mg. (Thanks to the support of NSF DMR-1104544)

Cryocooler (zero magnetic field, 10K-fridge)

An electrical resistivity probe mounted on a cryocooler

An APD HC-2 cryocooler has the capability to reach temperature as low as ~10 K. Currently it has an electrical resistivity probe and a calorimeter setup. The electrical resistivity probe and can monitor four samples for each run. Thermopower, thermal conductivity probe, and 1st-order magnetic susceptometer to match this cryocooler are under construction now.

A calorimeter for a cryocooler

Lab View program for performing the heat capacity measurements from 12K to 300K. Top left graph displays the temperature history monitored by cryocooler's thermometer and calorimeter's thermometer during temperature regulation at each target temperature. Top right graph shows the time dependence of the heat pulse input (red line) and the temperature of calorimeter (light blue dots). After program performed a modified 1-tau relaxation fit (finite pulse width) of the whole trace, heat capacity can be determined. The C (J/K) vs T is displayed in the bottom right graph.

The 1st order AC Magnetic Susceptometer

The primary coil has 1964 windings, which can generate ~0.1 Oe AC magnetic field when ~100 microAmp is applied, and each of the secondary coils has 1133 windings.

Original Design of a Thermopower puck

The thermal time constant of this original design is too long in the temperature range from 40 K to 300 K. Currently we are in the process of redesign a thermopower puck.

9-tesla superconducting magnet cryogenic system (1.6K-fridge)

A 9 tesla 2" bore superconducting (SC) magnet 1.6 K refrigeration system (Janis Model 9TM-SVM-2-SV-HiEff-15V) arrived the CSU-Fresno campus in January, 2009. This system will be setup for electrical resistivity, magnetic susceptibility, thermopower, thermal conductivity, and heat capacity measurements in the temperature range of 300 K and 1.6 K.

Current status: All the hardware construction has been finished and it has passed all the tests in liquid helium environment.

Home-built pumping stations

Diffusion Pumping Station: vacuum reaches ~ 5 X 10^-6 torr.

Turbomolecular Pumping Station (model Seiko-Seikei STP 300): vacuum reaches ~ 5 X 10^-8 torr.

Refurbished ⁴He leak detector Varian 936-70

Model 936-70 performs leak checking to the level of ~10^-8 std. cc./sec.

Home-built coil winder

The home-built coil winder has controllable speed and is equipped with a precision wire tensioner (Fisher Baker Model 100 Dial-Tension, 30 AWG - 44 AWG). It can be used to make small solenoids for pick up signal or producing small magnetic fields.

Renovated high temperature box furnace

A lab-rebuilt old Blue M model no. RG-2090A-3 1482 degree C box furnace, 120Volt, 1PH/50-60 Hz, 21 Amp, sample space 4"H x 4"W x 8"D.

(Thanks to the donation of Dr. James O'Brien who is currently at UC San Diego and previously at Quantum Design.)