Microcalorimetry In Pulsed Magnetic Fields

High magnetic field measurements of the electronic properties of materials have produced seminal breakthroughs which have transformed science. These advances, such as the quantum Hall effects were made by measuring electrical transport (resistivity, Hall effect etc). Thermodynamic probes have unique capabilities as they can reveal quantum states hidden to other probes but these are rarely attempted at very high fields because of the technical difficulties with performing them. Here we propose to develop a new generation device for measuring specific heat in very high pulsed magnetic fields, and a complementary low-cost device for creating such fields inside a laboratory environment.

The use of pulsed fields would make a step-change in capability for heat-capacity studies of quantum materials, as it would greatly increase the maximum range of magnetic field-space thus allowing previously out of reach transitions to be studied. Importantly, it will also reduce enormously the carbon footprint /cost of the measurement. This new capability will allow us to study the evolution of entropy to unprecedented high fields and thus get new insights into the nature of field-induced states, such as the normal state of high temperature superconductors or quantum critical magnetic transitions.

To give affordable access to magnetic fields above 50T, we will also develop a micro-pulsed magnetic field apparatus. This will enormously increase access to high fields, increasing productivity of researchers and meaning expensive experiments in international facilities will be better prepared. Many break-through, high field discoveries are serendipitous, for example integer and fractional quantum Hall effects and quantum oscillations in high temperature superconductors. So more widespread use of high magnetic field will make such breakthroughs more likely.