Contract for the Supply and Installation of a Squid Magnetometer with Versatile Measurement Options to the University of Birmingham

Descriptions

The University of Birmingham invites tenders for supply and installation of a , Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) magnetometer with a versatile , range of measurement options. The SQUID system and its measurement options will form , the Midlands Mag Lab, a state of the art magnetometry facility created with the support , of an EPSRC Strategic Equipment award. It will facilitate advanced magnetic materials , characterisation by academic and industry users in the Midlands region and beyond. The , equipment will be used to deliver new understanding of fundamental magnetic materials , properties, as well as developing new technologies that exploit the magnetic properties , of solids in the areas of quantum materials and technologies, energy materials and , sustainable materials and recycling. The broad user base and diverse range of materials , to be characterised with the equipment means that the equipment interface must be , user friendly and reliable., General characteristics, A SQUID magnetometry instrument that can be utilised for high-sensitivity and high throughput DC magnetometry measurements of polycrystalline, single-crystal and thin film magnetic materials. The instrument can also be utilised in AC magnetometry , measurement mode. It is compatible with the range of measurement options as specified , in Sections ii - vii below., Specification, i. The magnetometer should, 1) Be a SQUID-based magnetometer,, 2) Have a magnetic moment sensitivity of at least 10-8 emu at low fields and , at least 10-7 emu at the maximum field (see ii),, 3) Measure a maximum magnetic moment up to 10 emu,, 4) Enable measurement of samples of at least 5 mm in diameter,, 5) Enable automated sample environment and measurement controls, with , capability for programmable measurement sequences,, 6) Operate through a stand-alone software with a user-friendly interface,, 7) Be a wet system that consumes less than 5 L of liquid helium per day with a , hold time longer than 10 days., ii. The magnetic field environment of the magnetometer should, 8) Be produced by a superconducting solenoid,, 9) Have a field range of at least -7 T to + 7 T,, 10) Have a field homogeneity better than 100 ppm over a typical scan length,, 11) Have a maximum field charging rate greater than 500 Oe/s,, 12) Have a remanent field no greater than 5 Oe when set to zero field after , applying the maximum field., iii. The temperature environment of the magnetometer should13) Enable continuous operation at any temperature from below 2 K up to 400 , K using a liquid helium based wet cryostat,, 14) Have a temperature stability of 0.5% or better over the entire , measurement range,, 15) Cool from room temperature to base in under 30 minutes., iv. A low-temperature option should, 16) Be a 3He fridge,, 17) Have a base temperature of less than 0.5 K,, 18) Have a temperature stability of at least 1 %,, 19) Cool from room temperature to base in under 3 hours,, 20) Have a base temperature hold time greater than 24 hours,, 21) Have a recondensation time of less than 30 mins,, 22) Be fully compatible with the software and operation of the SQUID , magnetometer., v. A high-temperature option should, 23) Enable continuous temperature operation at all temperatures between , 300 K and 1000 K,, 24) Be fully compatible with the software and operation of the SQUID , magnetometer., vi. A low-field option should, 25) Cancel the residual magnetic field of the superconducting solenoid magnet , to within 0.05 G of zero field,, 26) Have a field resolution better than 0.002 G for applied fields in the range , of 20 G,, 27) Be fully compatible with the software and operation of the SQUID , magnetometer., vii. An AC magnetometry measurement mode should, 28) Have a response that is flat to within 5 % over the range 0.1 Hz - 1 kHz,, 29) Have an amplitude of 0.1 - 10 Oe, , 30) Have a magnetic moment sensitivity of at least 5 X 10-8 emu and accuracy , better than 1 %,, 31) Have a phase angle accuracy of at least 0.5,, 32) Be fully compatible with the software and operation of the SQUID , magnetometer, as well as the low- and high-temperature sample , environments., viii. A high-pressure option should, 33) Generate a maximum pressure of at least 1 GPa,, 34) Generate minimal magnetic background to the measurement signal,, 35) Enable measurement of samples with a diameter greater than 2 mm., ix. A sample rotation option should, 36) Enable 360 sample rotation in 0.1 increments, 37) Enable automated control of sample orientation using a stepper motor for , sample rotation., x. An electric transport option should, 38) Enable AC/DC resistance measurements, , 39) Supply a continuous current between 10 nA and 100 mA,, 40) Have a frequency range of at least 0.1 Hz to 100 Hz,, 41) Enable application of a magnetic field in parallel and perpendicular to the , bias direction,, 42) Enable 2 and 4 wire measurements,, 43) Enable magnetic measurements to be carried out with the same probe , while applying a voltage.