Sensitive method for determining thermal conductivity of pure metals at low temperatures

✍ Scribed by D Fonteyn; G Pitsi

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1989
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 345 KB
• Volume: 29
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0011-2275
• DOI: 10.1016/0011-2275(89)90011-8

✦ Synopsis

Measurements of the thermal conductivity of pure metal samples at low temperatures pose special problems because of the high conductivity. A new sensitive method is described. This technique consists of using a calibrated AuFe-NbTi thermocouple as a differential thermometer in conjunction with a SQUID. Special attention is paid to the calibration of the primary thermometer. A sensitivity of 1/tK is reached for measuring temperature differences. The advantages of this new technique are shown by a thermal conductivity experiment of a very pure copper single crystal using thermal gradients ~<1 mK.