Teaching
| The Department of Physics |
LABORATORY
Sample Preparation
Fritsch Planatery Ball Mill: Mechanical alloying
is a nonequilibrium processing method, originally developed to produce
oxide dispersion strengthened alloys. it can be utilized to process
large quantities of materials at relatively low cost. Mechanical
alloying has been widely used to produce extremely fine microscturctures,
amorphouse alloys, and rare earth permanent magnet materials. Currently,
we are using ball mill technique to produce rare-earth-nonmetal alloys
and granular alloys (metal-(non)metal).
Centorr Arc Melter: Centoor
Arc melter is used for the synthesis of various magnetic binary and ternary
alloys.
Hydrothermal Synthesis: Parr
hydrothermal bomb units with temperature controller is currently used
for the synthesis of oxide nanoparticles and oxide coated core-shell nanoparticles.
Vacuum Chambers: Ultra-high vacuum chambers are equipped with e-beam
evaporators and thermal evaporators for thin film deposition. The
films thickness is monitored using quartz crystal oscillator and the vacuum
environment is monitored using Stanford Research RGA.
High Temperature Furnaces: Two high temperature
furnaces (max temp 2000C) and two tube furnaces (max temp. 1000 C) are
regularly used for calcination. A tube furnace is adiquately equipped
to perform hydrogen reduction and nitridation.
High Temperature Tube Furnace: Sepcially
designed HT tube furnace is used for the reduction and annealing purpose.
Characterization Techniques
Bruker
D8 Advance X-ray Diffractomer (NSF Funded):
The state of the art Bruker XRD system is equipped
with scintillation detector and fast Vantec-1 detector. The system also
has chi, phi, theta, and x-y-z motion. A high temperature (RT-1400 C)
stage is easily mounted on the stage. Powerful software such as Leptos
and Topaz are used for the data analysis and modeling. The system is regularly
used for performing powder diffraction analysis and thin film reflectrometry.
AC
Resistance/Inductance Bridge: The low temperature AC bridge measures
resistance of materials as a function of temperature (10-400 K) and external
magnetic field (500 Oe). The magnetic field is provided by Helmholtz
coils. The resistance is measured using four-probe method using
Linear Research bridge. The bridge is sensitive up to 1 micro Ohm
reading. The sample stage is designed to study giant-magneto resistance
materials in the presence of in-plane magnetic field. The entire
setup is controlled by LabView. The bridge is also used to study susceptibility
and magnetization of magnetic materials using inductance method.
Differential Scanning Calorimeter: Dupont
DSC has a wide temperature range of operation from liquid nitrogen
temperature to 800 degree C. Thus, the equipment enjoys the wide range
of applications from polymer, oxides, to metallic system. The DSC is computer
controlled and has data analysis software.
Magneto-resistance Measurement: Magneto-resistance
measurement device is a home build device. The device is capable of measuring
magneto-resistance as a function of magnetic field (maximum 2000 Oe) and
rotational angle of the sample. The resistance is measured using Keithly
330 source meter in 4-point probe geometry and van der paw geometry. The
system automated using Labview program.
UV-Vis-IR Spectrophotometer: The spectrophotometer
(Ocen Optics) is a table top device with a UV-Vis-IR source, optical fibers,
gas cell, and CCD detector. The system is used to study the optical properties
of composite conducting films.
Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) (NSF Funded) :
The Digital Microscope-Atomic Force Microscope DI 3000 is housed at the
IMC. The microscope is equipped with phase imagining, magnetic imaging,
and liquid cell. Our group mainly uses AFM to characterize magnetic
granular films using MFM mode and structural characterization of polymers
(UHMWPE) in tapping mode.
Hysitron Triboscope: The Hysitron
Triboscope is currently located in the Biomedical Engineering department
at the UoM. The system is capable of performing stati and dynamic nanomechanical
properties of materials. The nanoindentator is mainly used to study nanomechanical
properties of hard coating layers.
Ultrasound Spectroscopy :