Compact AC/DC Susceptometer Using a High-Temperature Superconducting Quantum Interference Device

We developed a compact susceptometer employing a high-temperature superconductor (HTS) superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) that can measure the M-H characteristics and the harmonic components induced in the ac magnetic field response from a sample. In the dc function for measuring M-H characteristics, the sample was vibrated in a dc magnetic field, and the secondary magnetic field generated from the sample was detected by a dc pickup coil. In the ac function for measuring harmonic components, the sample placed in an ac magnetic field, and the ac response was detected by an ac pickup coil. The pickup coil is connected in series with the input coil, which is inductively connected to the HTS-SQUID. A signal from the HTS-SQUID was transmitted to a lock-in amplifier and was analyzed as the intensity and phase of the measured magnetic field. In order to clarify the basic properties of the system, we measured the ac magnetic field response from a sample while varying the relative positions of the sample and the pickup coil, and the M-H characteristics while varying the dc bias magnetic field intensity. Furthermore, by analyzing the harmonic components of the ac/dc magnetic field response, the proposed system can measure magnetic field properties with high sensitivity and at high speed.