Vibrating sample magnetometer
Encyclopedia
A vibrating sample magnetometer or VSM is a scientific instrument that measures magnetic properties, invented in 1955 by Simon Foner at Lincoln Laboratory MIT. The paper about his work was published shortly afterward in 1959 A sample is placed inside a uniform magnetic field
to magnetize the sample. The sample is then physically vibrated sinusoidally, typically through the use of a piezoelectric material. Commercial systems use linear actuators of some form, and historically the development of these systems was done using modified audio speakers, though this approach was dropped due to the interference through the in-phase magnetic noise produced, as the magnetic flux
through a nearby pickup coil varies sinusoidally. The induced voltage
in the pickup coil is proportional to the sample's magnetic moment
, but does not depend on the strength of the applied magnetic field. In a typical setup, the induced voltage is measured through the use of a lock-in amplifier
using the piezoelectric signal as its reference signal. By measuring in the field of an external electromagnet, it is possible to obtain the hysteresis curve of a material.
Magnetic field
A magnetic field is a mathematical description of the magnetic influence of electric currents and magnetic materials. The magnetic field at any given point is specified by both a direction and a magnitude ; as such it is a vector field.Technically, a magnetic field is a pseudo vector;...
to magnetize the sample. The sample is then physically vibrated sinusoidally, typically through the use of a piezoelectric material. Commercial systems use linear actuators of some form, and historically the development of these systems was done using modified audio speakers, though this approach was dropped due to the interference through the in-phase magnetic noise produced, as the magnetic flux
Magnetic flux
Magnetic flux , is a measure of the amount of magnetic B field passing through a given surface . The SI unit of magnetic flux is the weber...
through a nearby pickup coil varies sinusoidally. The induced voltage
Faraday's law of induction
Faraday's law of induction dates from the 1830s, and is a basic law of electromagnetism relating to the operating principles of transformers, inductors, and many types of electrical motors and generators...
in the pickup coil is proportional to the sample's magnetic moment
Magnetic moment
The magnetic moment of a magnet is a quantity that determines the force that the magnet can exert on electric currents and the torque that a magnetic field will exert on it...
, but does not depend on the strength of the applied magnetic field. In a typical setup, the induced voltage is measured through the use of a lock-in amplifier
Lock-in amplifier
A lock-in amplifier is a type of amplifier that can extract a signal with a known carrier wave from an extremely noisy environment . It is essentially a homodyne with an extremely low pass filter...
using the piezoelectric signal as its reference signal. By measuring in the field of an external electromagnet, it is possible to obtain the hysteresis curve of a material.