Quick start guide

This short document gives a quick overview of how to get going quickly with your Razorbill Instruments Cryogenic strain cell. It designed to give you all the information you need to get going with a CS1X0 or FC100 cell, without overwhelming the reader with too much additional information.

Quick start guide - PPMS probes

This quick start guide is designs for users who purchased a pre-modified quantum design PPMS probe from Razorbill. These users will be able to get going more quickly as most of the probe, cryostat and wiring are completely compatible.

PPMS Kit Installation Guide

This document provides step-by-step instructions as to how a PPMS kit can be used to convert an existing Quantum Design multifunction probe (MFP) to be used with a Razorbill Instrument CS100 or FC100 stress/strain cell.

Connector installation guide

This set of instructions aids in installing miniature coax (MMCX) connectors on flexible ultra-miniature coaxial cable. This may be required if a user is installing their cryostat wiring or replacing a faulty connector.

Product safety sheet

This product safety sheet is relevant to all the Razorbill Instruments stress and strain devices. Please read it carefully before the devices are used for the first time in order to avoid personal injury or irreparable damage to the devices.

Product Datasheets

Accessory Datasheets

The instruction manual for the RP100, Razorbill Instruments power supply. Two channel 4-quadrant, (±200V sink-source, bipolar) power supply to drive CS1X0, CS2X0T, FC100 or UC200 series stress or strain cells.

The instruction manual for the MP240 a high-isolation coaxial switch (multiplexer). This is designed to allow the reading the outputs from multiple capacitors, particularly the two sensors in the UC200, using a single capacitance bridge.

This guide is for users of Quantum Design multifunction probes that have been converted for use with Razorbill Instruments products. It is relevant both for customers who have converted their own multifunction probes with a conversion kit supplied by Razorbill Instruments and by customers who purchased a complete pre-modified probe.

This datasheet is for users of the wiring platform WP100. These are PCBs that conveniently place a contact close to a mounted sample for electrical transport or magnetic susceptibility measurements. Please note that 1x WP100 is supplied with each FC100 device and 2x are included with each PPMS probe modification kit.

Application Notes

This application note describes how Razorbill Instruments stress and strain cells respond to temperature changes. It includes details of the thermal expansion of piezoelectric stacks, and the mechanism by which the cells prevent that thermal expansion from affecting the sample. It also describes the remaining effects which are not compensated, the thermal expansion of the rest of the cell. Implications for the sample are described, along with some suggestions of how to mount samples with large thermal expansions. Finally this application note also includes a few notes about other thermal effects such as changes in thermal conductivity of the cell.

Razorbill Instruments stress and strain cells require relatively high voltages to operate, and integrate capacitance sensors for feedback. This means that the cryostat needs suitably insulated wires for the drive, and coax cables for the readout. But many cryostats do not include this type of wiring, so the researcher may have to install it. There are two other Application Notes AP002 and AP003 which cover drive electronics and capacitance measurement, and have information about types of wire and cable. This Application Note describes thermal conductivity and heat load, which applies to any type of cable.

Note that Razorbill Instruments also sell wiring and feedthrough kits for Quantum Design PPMS cryostats, which can provide a quicker and easier option than starting from scratch.

This document describes a practical procedure for mounting samples for the application of stress and strain at cryogenic temperature.

The Razorbill instruments stress and strain cells are versatile tools for applying uniaxial stress and strain at low-temperature. Because scientific experiments are necessarily involve doing procedures that have not been done before, many materials and or probes will require the development of new mounting procedures or the use of the cell in even more unconventional ways. Consequently, this application note should be considered only a starting off point for how samples may be mounted and not a complete account.

This application note describes how to get the best out of your capacitive force & displacement sensors that are integrated into the stress and strain cells.

Razorbill instruments stress and strain cells use capacitors to provide a feedback signal of the force or displacement your sample is subject to. This app note covers the expected performance of the capacitors, and how to design your experiments get the best possible performance from them.

This application note describes the feedback sensors in Razorbill Instruments stress and strain cells. Some cells measure displacement, some measure force, and some measure both. In general, both is best, and if only on can be used then force is superior to displacement. But this is not the case for every experiment.

This note describes in detail exactly what each type of sensor measures and how that relates to the properties of the sample.

Dimensioned drawings and 3D models

These dimensioned drawings and CAD models will enable you to determine your preferred way to mount the cell in your cryostat.

To download the .STEP files, please right-click on the the download link and select "save link as..." then select where you want to save the file, specifying a .step filetype.

These dimensioned drawings and CAD models will enable you to determine your preferred way to mount the cell in your cryostat.

To download the .STEP files, please right-click on the the download link and select "save link as..." then select where you want to save the file, specifying a .step filetype.

These dimensioned drawings and CAD models will enable you to determine your preferred way to mount the cell in your cryostat.

To download the .STEP files, please right-click on the the download link and select "save link as..." then select where you want to save the file, specifying a .step filetype.

These dimensioned drawings will enable you to see exactly what a completed PPMS multifunction probe will look like.

Software and drivers