A Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) provides exceptional sensitivity for probing static and dynamic cooperative electronic phenomena —including interactions among charge carriers and magnetic or electric moments— as well as phase transitions in correlated electron systems, in both bulk and nanoscale materials.

Applications:

SQUID magnetometry provides invaluable insight into the physicochemical response of quantum materials by measuring the magnetic moment as a function of applied magnetic field (e.g., magnetic hysteresis loops) or temperature. These measurements enable detailed characterization of magnetic, superconducting, magnetoelectric, and other correlated electronic states over a broad temperature range. Owing to its exceptional sensitivity, reliable measurements can be performed using samples weighing only a few milligrams. Beyond hysteresis measurements, SQUID magnetometry enables precise determination of key superconducting properties, including the critical temperature, Meissner effect, critical fields, and critical current density. It also provides quantitative characterization of magnetic phase transitions, such as the Curie, Néel, blocking, and spin-freezing temperatures, thereby revealing the behavior of ferro-, ferri-, antiferromagnetic, superparamagnetic, and spin-glass systems. These capabilities are essential for applications ranging from magnetic recording and spintronic devices to biomedical technologies, including MRI-guided therapeutics.

Specifications:

SQUID magnetometry with DC & AC options, RSO measurement (with 10^-8 emu sensitivity), a maximum field up to 7 Tesla and ultra-low field  (<0.05 Gauss) capability are offered to explore static and dynamic magnetic properties of samples in various forms, including nanoparticles, thin films, bulk single crystals, and even samples in liquid media (e.g., ferrofluids), over extended areas of temperatures (Low-T: 1.9 - 400 K and High-T: 300 - 800 K) and dynamic range (f= 0.01 – 1000 Hz).  In addition, a fiber optic sample holder allows studying magnetization of a sample under the influence of a light source. Typical container, gelatin capsule ~15 mm long, with O.D. ~5 mm. The software measurement sequencer provides a set of high-level actions to enable you to write and control measurements automatically and in a way that suits your own specific requirements.

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 systems.

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
• 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
• 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= 1.8-320 K)
• superconducting magnet (H= 0-7 Tesla)

The nanochemistry facility entails exploitation of elaborate colloidal chemistry approaches (ambient and high-temperature) to harness nanoscale size and shape-guiding mechanisms that afford various kinds of functional nanocrystals (single-phase, core@shell, anisotropic, hybrid particles) with tunable response (semiconducting, metallic, magnetic etc). Multidimensional nanostructures, such as cluster-like nanoarchitectures or periodic nanoparticle superlattices could also be realized by exploiting our know-how on directed assembly methods in liquid media.

Applications:

The aim is to provide a user-oriented platform for cost-efficient, easily scaled-up fabrication of novel inorganic nanoparticles, as well as their complete understanding that facilitates their use in diverse and interdisciplinary applications, from data storage and electronics to catalysis and biomedical imaging/therapy.

Basic Tools:

Projects benefit from controlled requirements for nanocrystal growth under anaerobic conditions met by the offered tools (e.g. Schlenk techniques, including digital temperature control growth conditions, Ar-circulating glove-boxes) that are combined with an armory of in-house characterization methods (structural, optical, electrical, dielectric, magnetic etc.).

• Chemical hoods equipped with vacuum-inert gas lines (Schlenk type), Glove-boxes, Centrifuges, Digital temperature controlled heating mantles, Magnetic stirrer hot plates, Incubators, Analytical balances
• Conventional and CCD-assisted stereoscopes, KBr hydraulic press, Glass-blowing propane torch
• Single and two-zone programmable furnaces (up to 1600°C) for vacuum or gas-flow reactions, High-vacuum line with portable programmable furnace for CVT (cf. sublimation & degassing), Thermogravimetric analysis

In everyday life generating and measuring temperature is straightforward, but in the quantum world, which reflects the behaviour of atoms, controlling the temperature is extremely more challenging. At very cold temperatures (cf. -269°C or near zero on the Kelvin temperature scale), as atoms are frozen, we can 'see' unique phenomena that would otherwise be masked by the thermal motion of atoms. As, complex materials are more likely to uncover their quantum properties at cold sample environments, low temperature refrigeration is an essential requirement.

Applications:

A tailored-made, small-scale facility that supplies liquid helium (He) for the needs of our variable-temperature physical property measurement equipment. Reaching temperatures of a few degrees Kelvin that is super cold with respect to ambient, employs artificial means, resting on a pumped helium system, built around a digitally controlled pulsed tube cryorefrigerator. With this technology, warm helium gas comes in contact with the Cold Head, where its thermal energy is absorbed into the 4 K (-269°C) heat exchanger. The process reduces the He-gas temperature, increasing its density, dropping it lower inside a condensing chamber; until it contacts the 4 K surface, where it condenses.The facility recycles the valuable helium gas that boils off from the liquid He dewars of the SQUID magentometer and the magento-electric workstation cryostat operating in our Lab.

Specifications:

The CRYOMECH PT410 re-liquefier is designed to recondense the boil off from liquid helium dewar/cryostats. As the boil off rates may vary depending on the type of temperature-dependent experiments being carried out, we have developed a peripheral medium-pressure vessel assembly, where the excess He gas is stored for future use. This gas is prone to contamination from impurities, like O₂ and N₂ species, which can reduce the efficiency of the re-liquefier. To this extent a custom-made, digitally-controlled He-gas purification system has been engineered to remove the impurities from the He-gas stream by means of chemical adsorption techniques. All in all, the facility is designed to return the liquid helium to the original dewar/cryostat, establishing a closed He loop, with an average liquefication rate of about 10 lt/day.

A preparative solid state chemistry laboratory is set up, where various synthetic techniques including sol-gel and redox precipitation processes, in addition to conventional solid-state high-temperature methods, are been implemented.

The materials straddle to a portfolio of transition metal oxides, mixed-metal chalcogenides, and all the way to hybrid perovksites.

In addition, intermetallic compounds can be grown with an arc-melting furnace (>2000 ^oC) equipped with a water-cooled copper hearth. The system is easily purged (vacuum & Ar-gas) allowing specimens of metal ingots to be rapidly formed with good purity.

Basic Tools/ Methods:

• Glove-boxes for Manipulation of Air- and Moisture- Sensitive Compounds.
• High Vacuum (P<10^-4 mbar) or Noble Gas Flow Schlenk-type Lines, for Low-to-Medium Temperature Solid-State (<1100 ^oC) Chemistry Syntheses.
• High-Temperature Programmable Electric Furnaces (<1600 ^oC) for Solid-State Reactions.
• Chemical Vapor Transport Reactions (<1000 ^oC)
• Intercalation Reactions ("Soft Syntheses" at 40-80 ^oC).
• Solvo-/ Hydro- thermal Reactions (Teflon-lined Autoclaves: 23 mL, 250 ^oC, 1800 psi).
• Thermal Evaporator (Thick Film Growth: ~100 μm ).

Where necessary samples are flame-sealed in evacuated glass or silica ampules and annealed at the required temperatures.