Supervisor: Laura Gozzelino
The ability to shield an external magnetic field or to act as a magnetic lens or as a permanent magnet is the basis of superconducting bulk applications that have attracted remarkable interest in the last few years (J. Durrell et al., Supercond. Sci. Technol. 31 (2018) 103501). Indeed, in this field the technology based on the use of bulk superconductors with medium-high transition temperature has made enormous progress, joining the optimization of the material growth techniques with calculation techniques able to study the magnetization processes of such materials and predict the performance of future devices. Under this perspective, superconductors can be the ideal game-changer for the energetic transition and a new generation of electrical propulsors.
In addition, a further improvement in the performances of these devices is expected by combining superconducting and ferromagnetic materials in the device geometry.
Our group has been working in this research field for some years and proposes a PhD project focused on the study of the magnetic behavior of bulk superconductors such as superconducting cuprates and MgB2 .
This study will deal with:
- experimental characterizations (mainly focusing on local and non-local magnetic measurements)
- numerical simulations to reproduce and assist in the interpretation of experimental results, and guide the design and fabrication of prototype of passive magnetic shields, permanent magnets, magnetic lenses.
Furthermore, the magnetization processes of superconducting-ferromagnet hybrid systems will also be analyzed in order to achieve a better control of both magnetic shielding and magnetic flux trapping/concentration processes.