Materials Science in High Magnetic Fields

Abstract

The recent rapid growth in the emerging areas of magnetic and magnet-related materials research and applications has led to worldwide recognition of the increased importance of research and technology using high magnetic fields. New high-field magnet facilities and major upgrades of existing facilities are being planned and implemented by a number of countries, among them Japan, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain, Poland, Australia, and the United States. Over the next ten years, these developments will advance the state of the art in magnet-related materials science and technologies by a significant quantum jump. Support by many of the national agencies and a strong corporate commitment to stimulate rapid growth in the development of capabilities at higher magnetic fields and in related technologies results in part from an awareness of the impact these technologies will have in developing the new emerging industrial technologies of the 21st century.The Francis Bitter National Magnet Laboratory (FBNML) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has been one of the pre-eminent facilities in developing and advancing science and technology in high magnetic fields. The new U.S. National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL) at Florida State University, at the University of Florida, and at Los Alamos National Laboratory builds on the success of existing facilities. NHMFL will provide the necessary environment to develop the next generation of high magnetic fields: 30–50-tesla continuous fields, 60-tesla quasi-continuous fields, and pulsed fields from 60–1,000 tesla. The ability to develop broad user capabilities at these extreme fields is crucial for the advancement of the frontiers of science and of magnet-related industries.