Meissner effect

E8658

The Meissner effect is the phenomenon in which a superconductor expels magnetic fields from its interior when cooled below its critical temperature, leading to perfect diamagnetism.

Jump to: Surface forms Statements Referenced by

Observed surface forms (1)

Surface form Occurrences
Meissner–Ochsenfeld experiment 1

Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf physical phenomenon
superconductivity phenomenon
appliesTo bulk superconducting materials
associatedWith critical magnetic field
penetration depth
type I superconductors
type II superconductors
behaviorInTypeI complete flux expulsion below critical field
behaviorInTypeII partial flux penetration via vortices between Hc1 and Hc2
characterizedBy magnetic flux expulsion
surface screening currents
zero magnetic field in bulk of superconductor
condition material in superconducting state
temperature below critical temperature
contrastsWith flux trapping in type II superconductors
describes expulsion of magnetic field from a superconductor
discoveredBy Robert Ochsenfeld
Walther Meissner
discoveryYear 1933
distinguishes superconductors from ideal perfect conductors
enables stable magnetic levitation of magnets above superconductors
explainedBy London theory of superconductivity
field condensed matter physics
superconductivity
hasConsequence superconductors expel weak magnetic fields from interior
implies magnetic susceptibility of −1 in SI units for ideal bulk superconductor
superconductors are not just perfect conductors
limitedBy critical magnetic field strength
mathematicalDescription exponential decay of magnetic field over penetration depth
namedAfter Walther Meissner
notObservedIn normal metals
observedIn high-temperature superconductors
low-temperature superconductors
occursIn superconductors
occursWhen external magnetic field is applied before or during transition to superconducting state
relatedConcept Abrikosov vortices
Ginzburg–Landau theory of superconductivity
surface form: Ginzburg–Landau theory

London penetration depth
diamagnetism
perfect conductivity
relatedTo BCS theory of superconductivity
surface form: BCS theory

London equations
flux pinning
magnetic levitation
requires cooling below critical temperature
result perfect diamagnetism
usedIn demonstrations of quantum levitation
magnetic shielding applications

Referenced by (8)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Walther Meissner discovered Meissner effect
type-I superconductors exhibit Meissner effect
London equations inspiredBy Meissner effect
this entity surface form: Meissner–Ochsenfeld experiment
BCS theory of superconductivity predicts Meissner effect
Abrikosov vortices relatedTo Meissner effect
London penetration depth relatedTo Meissner effect
Cooper pair resultsIn Meissner effect