A MULTIPURPOSE MAGNETOMETER FOR MEASURING BASIC MAGNETIC CHARACTERISTICS WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED CAPACITIVE TORQUE SENSOR

An economic and versatile magnetometer for measuring basic magnetic ch aracteristics such as hysteresis loops, magnetic anisotropy and magnet o striction with a single system was built. It is based on the princip le that most magnetic characteristics could be obtained by analyzing t he torque acting on a sample under an appropriate magnetic field. A ca pacitive torque sensor with 0.1 nJ resolution measures such torque. By limiting the duration of electromagnet excitation only to the measuri ng period (about 4 s), temperature rise of the magnet becomes negligib le so that a very compact and economic electromagnet and power supply (10 kg weight 25 mm air gap, 350 W power consumption, and 480 kA/m of generated field) is realized.