This home-built facility provides a versatile modular experimental station for investigating the electrical properties of energy materials (e.g., electrode materials for Li/Na-ion rechargeable batteries), while enabling the study of electric and magnetic dipole ordering and their coupling—central aspects of phase transitions in emerging magnetoelectric quantum materials.
Applications:
This experimental station enables computer-controlled physical property measurements, including electrical transport and dielectric spectroscopy, using a custom-built modular sample environment capable of probing temperature-dependent (down to 4.5 K) and frequency-dependent (up to 2 MHz) phenomena under externally applied electromagnetic stimuli (e.g., electric and magnetic fields). Custom-designed sample holders accommodate diverse material forms, including polycrystalline pellets, single crystals, and thin films. Flexible integration of digital measurement instrumentation enables automated acquisition of key physical parameters, including capacitance, dielectric loss, voltage, DC current, I-V, and impedance. These capabilities support the development and optimization of advanced functional materials for applications ranging from sensors and energy storage technologies to high-capacity, multi-state logic memory devices.
Specifications:
Indicative capabilities include:
- low level sensitive measurements of current down to 10 aA (10 x10-18 A), electric polarization to charge levels down to 1 fC, very high resistance up to 210 PΩ (1018 Ω) and even I-V characteristics by a two-electrode configuration (Keithley 6517B & 6517A Electrometers)
- low noise voltage (down to 50 nV) measurements, characterization of low resistance/resistivity specimen by a standard four-wire setup (10 μΩ - 10 MΩ) and even Hall effects by Van der Pauw wiring (Keithley 6221 DC & AC current source; Keithley 2182A Nanovoltometers)
- dielectric and ferroelectric material characterization, e.g., static/dynamic hysteresis loops and CV (aixACCT TF Analyzer 2000E, with FE-Module and 200 V High Voltage amplifier)
- impedance spectroscopy for precise measurement of capacitance and loss over a choice of frequencies, ranging from 50 Hz - 20 kHz, with a precision (AH 2700) bridge, and extended up to 2 MHz (with an option for DC-bias ±40 V), with an LCR meter (Agilent E4980A).
- continuous flow cryostat (T= 4.5-320 K; STVP-NMR, Janis Research Co.)
- superconducting magnet, cryogen-free (H= 0-7 Tesla; American Magnetics Inc., controlled by a CRYOMECH Pulse Tube cryocooler).
Access Routes:
