Diamond anvil cells (DAC): in our lab diamond anvil cells are used to generate extreme pressure. Several designs of diamond anvil cells are utilized for various applications in different sample environments including CuBe Diacell for low-temperature magnetization and transport, Diacell@ChicagoDAC for application in PPMS, symmetric type for X-ray powder diffraction, miniature panoramic cell for nuclear resonant scattering (synchrotron Mössbauer spectroscopy and nuclear resonant inelastic X-ray scattering) at high-pressure and low-temperature conditions, and BX-90 cell paired with diamond anvils of Boehler-Almax design for single crystal X-ray diffraction and scattering.
Cryostats: two cryogen-free cryostats are used in the high pressure labs, one recirculating gas cooler coupled with Supertran (ST)-100 from Janis and a Cryomech cryocooler (shared with Dr. Y. Vohra). Both cryostats are compatible with the CuBe DACs.
EDM micro-driller (shared): the electric discharge machine driller is for drilling small holes in metallic gaskets used in diamond anvil cell experiments.
Designer diamond anvils: we use designer diamond anvils fabricated by Dr. Y. Vohra’s lab at UAB Physics to conduct transport measurements. These anvils have electrical probes fabricated and encapsulated in the diamond anvil, making it relatively straightforward to perform electrical resistivity experiments. Read more about UAB diamond micro-fabrication facility.
Uniaxial strain cell: our lab has two types of piezoelectric-based uniaxial strain cells, CS-200 for transmission/diffraction mode and CS130 compact cell from Razorbill Instruments. These cells are compatible with cryogenic environment and suitable for electric transport and synchrotron X-ray scattering and spectroscopy applications.
Microscopes: several stereo microscopes are available for diamond anvil cell work and sample loading.
We are frequent users at Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory. A number of experimental techniques are used to study material crystal structure, electronic, and magnetic state under high pressure and ambient/low temperature at several beamlines.
MBraun Glovebox to achieve inert atmosphere and protect samples from water and oxygen (sub-ppm level).
PPMS-DynaCool: capable of reaching low temperature down to 1.8 K, external magnetic field up to 9 T. Combining our compatible diamond anvil cells, combined sample environments of temperature, magnetic field, and external pressure can be achieved to study material properties under extreme conditions.
