Professional Documents
Culture Documents
com
Abstract
Among dierent papers devoted to superconducting levitation of a permanent magnet over a superconductor using the method of
images, there is a discrepancy of a factor of two when estimating the lift force. This is not a minor matter but an interesting fundamental
question that contributes to understanding the physical phenomena of imaging on a superconductor surface. We solve it, make clear
the physical behavior underlying it, and suggest the reinterpretation of some previous experiments.
2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
PACS: 02.70.Bf; 03.50.De; 41.20.q; 41.20.Gz; 74.25.Ld; 74.60.Ec
Keywords: Meissner eect; Method of images; Magnetic levitation; Superconductor levitation
1. Introduction
It has long been known that a repulsive force arises
between a magnetic eld (generated for instance by a permanent magnet) and a superconductor [1]. This force is
due to the repulsion of the magnetic eld from the superconductor, i.e. the Meissner eect. In 1953 there was a rst
attempt to make a superconducting bearing [2] using this
force and a rst engine that used a superconducting bearing
was made in 1958 by Buchhold [3] and Schoch [4]. After the
discovery of high critical temperature superconductors [5]
the Meissner repulsive force has become a popular demonstration of superconducting properties [6].
The usual approach to the description of the dynamics
of a permanent magnet or magnetic dipole at +z over a
semi-innite superconductor is the use of the method of
images in which the superconductor expels the magnetic
eld as if there were another mirror magnetic dipole at
0921-4534/$ - see front matter 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.physc.2007.09.011
1 3nn m m
4p
r3
142
5
4p
jx xr j
jx xr j3
#
3x xi mx xi
m
5
3
jx xi j
jx xi j
when using [1] for the magnetic eld H1 generated by dipole m1.
When applied to the force exerted by the mirror dipole
on the real dipole m at z and oriented with a h angle with
the z axis one obtains a vertical lift force described by:
Fz
3l0 m2 1 cos2 h
4p
2z4
when using (1) for the magnetic eld H1 generated by dipole m1.
Therefore, in the case of the dipole m located over a
semi-innite superconductor at a vertical distance of z
and oriented at an angle h with respect to the z axis, the
potential energy between real and image dipoles may be
written as:
V
Fig. 1. Dipole m at z over a superconducting surface and its corresponding image dipole m* at z.
l0 m2 1 cos2 h
3
4p
2z
Fz 2
3l0 m2 1 cos2 h
4p
2z4
1
q2
4pe0 2z2
10
1 q2
4pe0 2z
11
From this the force exerted on the real charge q can be obtained as minus the derivative of U with respect to z
obtaining
F z 2
1
q2
4pe0 2z2
12
143
1 q2
4pe0 4z
13
which is just half the value used in (11) for the potential energy in the reinforced model.
Giaro argues that the link between real and image
charges (dipoles) which makes one to be just the symmetric
144
work and that is the reason why his work represents only
half of the true potential energy.
Fe 2 Fd
6. Conclusion
14
In the case of the magnetic dipole levitating over a superconductor this force, Fe, is just the weight of the magnet
or Mg, where M is its mass and g is the gravitational
acceleration.
Simultaneously, the upper bars (joined to 1) have a compression T given by
T
jFd j
2 sin u
15
16