High resolution magnetostriction measurements in pulsed magnetic fields using fiber Bragg gratings

We report on a new high resolution apparatus for measuring magnetostriction suitable for use at cryogenic temperatures in pulsed high magnetic fields which we have developed at the Hochfeld-Magnetlabor Dresden. Optical fiber strain gauges based on fiber Bragg gratings are used to measure the strain in small (approximately 1 mm) samples. We describe the implementation of a fast measurement system capable of resolving strains in the order of 10(-7) with a full bandwidth of 47 kHz, and demonstrate its use on single crystal samples of GdSb and GdSi.