Vibrating-sample magnetometry

What is vibrating sample magnetometry used for?

VSM is used to determine the magnetic properties of ferromagnetic, ferrimagnetic, anti-ferromagnetic, diamagnetic and paramagnetic materials. It tests the strength of the field they produce, and how susceptible they are to an external magnetic field. This is useful in researching and developing new magnetic materials, which are used in electronics, batteries, electricity generation, and supply.

How does the vibrating sample magnetometer work?

During a VSM measurement, the sample is held inside an external magnetic field, causing its magnetization to align with the field. The sample is then moved up and down at a set frequency. This vibration causes movement of the material's magnetic dipole which in turn creates an electric field. This creates a current in a set of pickup coils, which can be measured, providing information on the magnetic properties of the sample.

SQUID-VSM

In superconducting quantum interference vibrating sample magnetometry (SQUID-VSM) additional apparatus is used to record the magnetic field changes with even higher accuracy. The higher sensitivity of SQUID magnetometry, combined with faster results of VSM, allows for significantly more data to be gathered in a short timeframe.

Advantages and limitations of vibrating-sample magnetometry

VSM offers high accuracy and can typically be used to record even small changes in the magnetic field of a sample. It tends to produce results faster than other standard forms of magnetometry, including SQUID. However, the nature of the vibration means that it cannot be used on fragile samples that would be damaged in the process.