Design and construction of a precision AC calorimeter for repeated use down to liquid helium temperatures necessitates both careful use of precision construction techniques and attention to durability under thermal shocks. The purpose of this talk is to describe the design, construction, and preliminary testing of such a device. An AC calorimeter, which involves the continuous application of sinusoidal heat and detection of the induced temperature oscillation, is useful for studying phase transitions of very small amounts of sample material. The initial test of the calorimeter was on roughly 3.3 mg of a high-Tc superconductor about its super conducting transition of 90K. The goal is a detailed study of a magnetic ordering transition in a metaloorganic polymer near 2.5K.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Lefrancois, Joseph Paul

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• 02D334M

Advisor

• Iannacchione, Germano S.

Year

• 2002

Sponsor

• National Science Foundation

Date created

• 2002-01-01

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Physics

Rights statement

• In Copyright