Recent results developed at SiMMaS

Levitation of superconducting objects

In the rising field of magnetomechanics, we have developed a general theoretical framework to obtain analytical formulations for a superconducting ring levitating in an anti-Helmholtz quadrupole field and a dipole field for both zero-field and field cooling. Unlike what is commonly observed in bulk superconductors, lateral and rotational stabilities are not granted for this idealised geometry. We, therefore, discuss the requirements for simple superconducting structures to achieve stability in all degrees of freedom.

In addition, we have studied other geometries, such as ellipsoids, cylinders and cuboids and obtained the vibrational and librational frequencies of such levitated objects when trapped in an anti-Helmholtz (quadrupolar) field.

A part of this research is done within the SuperMeQ project.

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Magnetic traps for levitation

We have studied the magnetic fields generated by a large superconducting plane with a hole in the presence of a dipole, as well as the currents induced in the superconducting plate. Everything is evaluated analytically, and allows us to find the existing simple relation between the net current encircling the hole, the magnetic flux threading the hole and the magnitude of the magnetic dipole that generated the changing magnetic field when moving it along the axis of the hole.

Sketch (2D and 3D views) of the studied system. The plane is considered wide (size L ≫ R), and an ideal superconductor.

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