Cryogen Support for PVAMU extreme Conditions lab

This award from the Division of Materials Research provides support Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) for acquisition of supplies to operate a 10 milliKelvin Dilution Refrigerator System with integrated Tunnel Diode Oscillator (TDO) capabilities. TDO measurements are a contactless means of measuring sample resistivity. The Refrigerator and TDO will provide the resolution needed for extensive probing of the electronic and magnetic properties of inorganic and organic materials and heavy fermion systems. It will further permit extensive of the electronic properties. In addition, the dilution refrigerator extends the capabilities of standard techniques such as DC electrical transport, magnetization, specific heat and pressure by allowing them to be conducted in an extreme temperature environment. The dilution refrigerator system coupled with the tunnel diode oscillator allows the scientists to extend the phase boundaries of previously studied materials and firmly establish the phase boundaries of new systems. This system is ideal for heavy fermion systems being currently grown by our collaborators from North Carolina A&T University, Los Alamos National Lab and Greece. It will also help the professors at PVAMU to continue existing Junior Physicist Experience Program which allows high school juniors and seniors to gain valuable laboratory skills at a minority serving institution. This program will help increase the number of underrepresented scientists.