Where Can I Find an Affordable Vibrating Sample Magnetometer Head?

[jmariano]

Dear all,

We are in need of a vibrating sample magnetometer for our lab. but don´t have the money to buy a new one.

We are considering
- buy a secondhand one (still expensive)
- buy the VSM head and adapt to a existing magnet. If you now where to find one, I would be happy to hear from you.
- make our own head. If someone has any good suggestions on how to make a good quality vibrator, besides the obvious loudspeaker, I would appreciate if you share your thoughts.

Nay other suggestions are very much welcome.

Tanks
José Mariano
Physics Dep.
University of Algarve
Portugal

 

[M Quack]

Buying the head and adapting a magnet sounds like a good idea to me. The naked magnet should not be too expensive, but you also need a power supply.

I have seen welding power supplies fitted with some means of current control as cheap power supplies for conventional electromagnets.

Because of the power involved the magnet itself has to be water cooled. If you try this, make sure that the power supply is interlocked to the cooling water flow rate. Otherwise you risk boiling the remaining water and causing serious damage (and potential injury).

BTW, that particular magnet was not used for a VSM, so I cannot tell you if the stability is sufficient for such an application.

 

[jmariano]

Actually, we do have the magnet and the power supply, from an old Bruker EPR. Our problem is with the head. I don´t have any idea were we could by one. Probably we have to make one yourself, but I'm not keen on the idea. Bad mechanics will compromise the performance of the device.