Superconductor Flux Concentration via Meissner Effect
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies face challenges in spatially concentrating magnetic fields, which is crucial for various applications including quantum computing and magnetic resonance imaging, as magnetic fields cannot be readily concentrated to small mode volumes like electric fields can.
Innovation Solution
The use of a superconductor element within an enclosure to create a gap between its edge and the enclosure's wall, enhancing the magnetic flux density by exploiting the Meissner effect, and the design of conductive elements with specific gaps to focus and increase magnetic fields in specific areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If conventional approaches are used to generate magnetic fields, then the magnetic field can be produced, but the magnetic field cannot be concentrated to small mode volumes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating regions of high magnetic field concentration at specific locations within the enclosure, particularly at gaps between superconductor elements and enclosure walls. The magnetic flux density is enhanced locally at these gap regions while other areas maintain lower field densities, enabling spatial concentration of magnetic fields to small effective volumes without requiring the entire enclosure to generate high fields.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimensional approach by utilizing the gap dimension between the superconductor element edges and enclosure walls. By optimizing the gap width and positioning, the invention creates three-dimensional magnetic flux concentration pathways that allow field lines to be squeezed into smaller effective volumes, transitioning from conventional two-dimensional field distribution to three-dimensional controlled concentration.
2Ease of manufacture
If superconductor elements are positioned close to enclosure walls to increase magnetic flux density, then magnetic field concentration improves, but the gap becomes too small for practical implementation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by systematically optimizing the gap width between superconductor elements and enclosure walls to achieve practical values. By adjusting this critical dimension parameter, the invention balances magnetic flux density enhancement with manufacturability, finding optimal gap widths that provide sufficient field concentration while remaining feasible for fabrication and assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic positioning capabilities that allow the superconductor elements to be adjusted relative to the enclosure walls. This dynamic approach enables optimization of the gap width based on specific application requirements, allowing the system to achieve desired magnetic flux density enhancement while maintaining practical gap dimensions for different operating conditions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively increases magnetic flux density in targeted areas, enabling the creation of high magnetic fields for applications such as NMR, MRI, and quantum computing, with potential for enhanced sensitivity and resolution in magnetic field sensing and generation.
Implementation Method 1
The use of a superconductor element within an enclosure to create a gap between its edge and the enclosure's wall, enhancing the magnetic flux density by exploiting the Meissner effect
Data Source
AI summary
Using the Meissner effect in superconductors, demonstrated here is the capability to create an arbitrarily high magnetic flux density (also sometimes referred to as “flux squeezing”). This technique has immediate applications for numerous technologies. For example, it allows the generation of very large magnetic fields (e.g., exceeding 1 Tesla) for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the generation of controlled magnetic fields for advanced superconducting quantum computing devices, and/or the like. The magnetic field concentration/increased flux density approaches can be applied to both static magnetic fields (i.e., direct current (DC) magnetic fields) and time-varying magnetic fields (i.e., alternating current (AC) magnetic fields) up to microwave frequencies.