ProboStat is intended to be used from room temperature to 1600ºC (but has on occasion been used for below zero ºC measurements). External furnace is used to achieve higher temperatures, but ProboStat also allows use of internal heaters.
On normal ProboStat up to three thermocouples can be used simultaneously (more on special requests). The ProboStat can use either K- or S-type thermocouples and this needs to be desided when ordered.
Typically one thermocouple is used for general general temperature reading and/or control, while the two others can be used for Sebeck coefficient measurements. It is also possible to place small thermistor, PT100 or PT1000 inside ProboStat and read the resistance using 2, 3 or 4-wires.
Omega software can measure voltages from thermocouples as well as resistances from thermistors and convert them to temperatures using built-in functions or user defined functions.
Check our temperature indicator as well as Omega temp pages.
Electrical characterization below freezing point
Figure 5.29 (from Shiyang Chengs masters thesis) presents the a.c. conductivity (10 kHz) of GCO versus inverse temperature in H2O-wetted and D2O-wetted oxygen as a function of reciprocal temperature from room temperature to -60°C.
For these measurements the ProboStat was turned upside down and the 'hot-zone' region was submerged in liquid Nitrogen. Such setup is not officially supported by NORECS, but shows well that skilled user can measure at low temperatures without complications and push towards the cryogenic region.
