Absolute specific heat measurements of a microgram Pb crystal using ac nanocalorimetry

Heat capacity measurements using the ac steady state method are often considered difficult to provide absolute accuracy. By adjusting the working frequency to maintain a constant phase and using the phase information to obtain the heat capacity, we have found that it is possible to achieve good absolute accuracy. Here we present a thermodynamic study of a ∼ 2.6 μg Pb superconducting crystal to demonstrate the newly opened capabilities. The sample is measured using a differential membrane-based calorimeter. The custom-made calorimetric cell is a pile of thin film Ti heater, insulation layer and Ge1−xAux thermometer fabricated in the center of two Si3N4 membranes. It has a background heat capacity < 100 nJ/K at 300 K, decreasing to 9 pJ/K at 1 K. The sample is characterized at temperatures down to 0.5 K. The zero field transition at Tc = 7.21 K has a width ≈ 20 mK and displays no upturn in C. From the heat capacity jump at Tc and the extrapolated Sommerfeld term we find ΔC/γTc = 2.68. The latent heat curve obtained from the zero field heat capacity measurement, and the deviations of the thermodynamic critical field from the empirical expression Hc = Hc (0) [1 − (T/Tc)2] are discussed. Both analyses give results in good agreement with literature.