ERIC Number: EJ985439
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012-Jul
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0143-0807
EISSN: N/A
Demonstration Experiments for Solid-State Physics Using a Table-Top Mechanical Stirling Refrigerator
Osorio, M. R.; Morales, A. Palacio; Rodrigo, J. G.; Suderow, H.; Vieira, S.
European Journal of Physics, v33 n4 p757-770 Jul 2012
Liquid-free cryogenic devices are acquiring importance in basic science and engineering. But they can also lead to improvements in teaching low temperature and solid-state physics to graduate students and specialists. Most of the devices are relatively expensive, but small-sized equipment is slowly becoming available. Here, we have designed several simple experiments which can be performed using a small Stirling refrigerator. We discuss the measurement of the critical current and temperature of a bulk YBa[subscript 2]Cu[subscript 3]O[subscript 7 - [delta]] (YBCO) sample, the observation of the levitation of a magnet over a YBCO disc when cooled below the critical temperature and the observation of a phase transition using ac calorimetry. The equipment can be easily handled by students and also used to teach the principles of liquid-free cooling. (Contains 10 figures and 8 footnotes.)
Descriptors: Climate, Physics, Observation, Graduate Students, Science Instruction, College Science, Science Experiments, Magnets, Scientific Principles, Motion, Thermodynamics, Science Laboratories
Institute of Physics Publishing. The Public Ledger Building Suite 929, 150 South Independence Mall West, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 215-627-0880; Fax: 215-627-0879; e-mail: info@ioppubusa.com; Web site: http://www.iop.org/EJ/journal/EJP
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A