Facilities overview

While our group runs our own instruments (STOE IPDS II, PANalytical X'Pert, Seebeck instument, induction furnace, arc-melter, glove-box), we have access to the outstanding facilities operated by the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Brockhouse Institute for Materials Research (BIMR) and Canadian Center for Electron Microscopy (CCEM).

X-ray structural characterization

Single crystal analysis

STOE IPDS II diffractometer
Image plate technology and state-of-the-art software guarantees highest data quality and accuracy for inorganic structures, twins, superstructures and modulated structures.

Bruker Apex II diffractometer
APEX II is one of the most sensitive and fastest CCD detector. Liquid nitrogen cryostat from Oxford Cryosystems allows to reach temperatures down to 80K.

Powder analysis

PANalytical X'Pert Pro MPD
with a linear X'Celerator detector and high-temperature attachment till 2300C
The instrument performs rapid (in a manner of minites) collection of powder XRD data suitable for Rietveld refinement. The monochromated Cu radiation yeilds outstanding resolution.
A Co source is also available. It is suitable for highly fluorescent samples, such as Gd- or Fe-containing ones.

Physical properties measurements

Magnetic properties

Quantum Design MPMS SQUID Magnetometer
This instrument can measure d.c. magnetic susceptibility and magnetic moments on samples as small as a few mg over a temperature range from 2K to 700K in applied fields from a few Oe to 60,000 Oe.

Electrical transport, a.c. susceptibility and heat capacity

Oxford Instrumet MagLab EXA System is suitable for measurement of electrical transport (resistivity and Hall effect), a.c. susceptibility and heat capacity between 1.5K and 400K in magnetic fields up to 9T.

Quantum Design PPMS is designed to perform a variety of automated measurements over wide range of temperatures and in different magnetic fields: resistivity, heat capacity, thermal conductivity, etc.

Thermopower

Seebeck coefficient can be measured on a fully automated, home-built apparatus. The system utilizes a closed cycle refrigerator (30-400K range). An important feature is the ability to reverse the thermal gradient which eliminates d.c. offset errors. Recently, we have added an electrical resistivity probe to this instrument.

Sample preparation

Synthesis of bulk samples

• Arc-melting
• Sintering at high temperatures in silica, Nb or Ta tubes
• Sintering at high temperatures under different atmospheres
• Induction furnace (temperature range up to 2000C)
• Hot pressing in vacuum or argon

Single crystal growth

The BIMR houses one of the most extensive sets of crystal growth infrastructure in North America. These growth facilities include:

• 2 Floating Zone Optical Image Furnaces
• DC Tri-Arc Crystal Growth Station
• Computer-Assisted Czochralski Furnace
• Directional Solidification/Bridgeman Furnaces
• Two-zone furnace for gas-transport reactions
• Flux Growth Laboratory