Apparatus for the rapid measurement of electrical transport properties for both "needle-like" and bulk materials

Described in this article is an apparatus in which thermopower and resistivity can be measured almost simultaneously from 10 to 300 K in a closed cycle refrigerator system. A distinction of this system is that the samples are mounted on integrated circuit (IC) chips for rapid introduction of the sample into the measurement apparatus. One advantage of this system is that the sample is mounted on the IC chip and then all the electrical contacts to the sample can be checked prior to insertion into the sample measurement apparatus. This system is applicable for measurement of either bulk samples (approximately 2x2x8 mm(3)) or "needle-like" samples (approximately 0.1x0.05x2-3 mm(3)). (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.