On the calibration of vibrating sample magnetometers with the help of nickel reference samples

The temperature dependence and the influence of the sample shape on the field dependence of the magnetization of nickel samples are investigated with a vibrating sample magnetometer. Three different Ni materials have a temperature coefficient of 5×10^-4/K. The field dependence can be described by a sum of a term proportional to the field H and a second one proportional to H^-2. The relative deviations between experimental and fitted magnetization values in the field range 0.5 T⩽μ₀ H⩽8 T are less than 10 ^-3 and show no systematic change wit the field. Only the nonlinear term shows a strong dependence on the sample shape and is important for fields μ₀ H⩽2 T