Simple calorimeter for fast adiabatic heat capacity measurements from 15 to 300 K based on closed cycle cryocooler

A simple, cryogen-free and inexpensive experimental setup for fast heat capacity measurements of solids from 15 to 300 K is presented. It consists of a thermally controlled cell, coupled to the cold finger of a Gifford-Mac Mahon cryocooler, containing two cheap Pt thin film resistors as thermometers: one is simultaneously the sample holder, the sample heater and the sample thermometer; the other resistor is used for temperature control. This calorimeter allows adiabatic specific heat measurements in the whole temperature range in less than one hour. The heat capacity results for a 106 mg copper sample match the tabulated values within 2% for T>20 K. This system was used to measure the specific heat of UFe_xAl_12-x with sample masses as low as 26 mg without performance degradation.