Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 1, 2026
07:47
Assessing the Influence of Personality on Sensitivity to Magnetic Fields in Zebrafish
Published on: March 18, 2019
7.1K
Circumventing Magnetostatic Reciprocity: A Diode for Magnetic Fields.
J Prat-Camps1,2,3, P Maurer1,2, G Kirchmair1,4
1Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
Physical Review Letters
|December 6, 2018
Summary
Moving conductive materials break magnetostatic reciprocity, enabling a magnetic field diode. This asymmetry in magnetic coupling opens new avenues for artificial magnetic spin systems and coupled element technologies.
Area of Science:
- Electromagnetism
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Lorentz reciprocity defines a symmetric relationship between electromagnetic fields and their sources.
- Magnetostatic reciprocity, analogous to electrostatics, has been assumed to be symmetric.
- Existing understanding assumes symmetric magnetostatic interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if magnetostatic reciprocity can be circumvented.
- To demonstrate the realization of a magnetic field diode.
- To explore asymmetric magnetic couplings using moving conductive materials.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical analysis of electromagnetic fields and sources.
- Experimental measurement of magnetic coupling between coils near a moving conductor.
- Utilizing a linear and isotropic electrically conductive material in constant motion.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated violation of the magnetostatic reciprocity principle.
- Observed extremely asymmetric magnetic coupling between coils.
- Successfully realized a diode effect for magnetic fields.
Conclusions:
- Moving conductive materials can break magnetostatic reciprocity.
- Asymmetric mutual inductances can be engineered for magnetic elements.
- Potential for novel applications in magnetically coupled systems and artificial magnetic spin systems.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Magnetic Fields
7.3K
A moving charge or a current creates a magnetic field in the surrounding space, in addition to its electric field. The magnetic field exerts a force on any other moving charge or current that is present in the field. Like an electric field, the magnetic field is also a vector field. At any position, the direction of the magnetic field is defined as the direction in which the north pole of a compass needle points.
A magnetic field is defined by the force that a charged particle experiences...
A magnetic field is defined by the force that a charged particle experiences...
7.3K
01:18Magnetic Field of a Solenoid
5.9K
A solenoid is a conducting wire coated with an insulating material, wound tightly in the form of a helical coil. The magnetic field due to a solenoid is the vector sum of the magnetic fields due to its individual turns. Therefore, for an ideal solenoid, the magnetic field within the solenoid is directly proportional to the number of turns per unit length and the current. Conversely, the magnetic field outside the solenoid is zero.
Consider a solenoid with 100 turns wrapped around a cylinder of...
Consider a solenoid with 100 turns wrapped around a cylinder of...
5.9K
01:19Magnetic Field Lines
5.8K
The representation of magnetic fields by magnetic field lines is very useful in visualizing the strength and direction of the magnetic field. Each of the magnetic field lines forms a closed loop. The field lines emerge from the north pole (N), loop around to the south pole (S), and continue through the bar magnet back to the north pole.
Magnetic field lines follow several hard-and-fast rules:
Magnetic field lines follow several hard-and-fast rules:
5.8K
01:24Energy In A Magnetic Field
2.7K
If a magnetic field is sustained, there must be a current in a closed circuit or loop, implying some energy has been spent in creating the field. If this energy is not dissipated via the circuit's resistance, it is stored in the field.
Take an ideal inductor with zero resistance. Although it's practically impossible, assume that the coil's resistance is so small that it is practically negligible. The loss of the field's energy to dissipate thermal energy (or heat) is thus...
Take an ideal inductor with zero resistance. Although it's practically impossible, assume that the coil's resistance is so small that it is practically negligible. The loss of the field's energy to dissipate thermal energy (or heat) is thus...
2.7K
01:28Magnetostatic Boundary Conditions
1.7K
An electric field suffers a discontinuity at a surface charge. Similarly, a magnetic field is discontinuous at a surface current. The perpendicular component of a magnetic field is continuous across the interface of two magnetic mediums. In contrast, its parallel component, perpendicular to the current, is discontinuous by the amount equal to the product of the vacuum permeability and the surface current. Like the scalar potential in electrostatics, the vector potential is also continuous...
1.7K
01:16Magnetic Field Of A Current Loop
6.3K
Consider a circular loop with a radius a, that carries a current I. The magnetic field due to the current at an arbitrary point P along the axis of the loop can be calculated using the Biot-Savart law.
6.3K