Magnetic Attractions - From levitation train and ferrofluids to research in magnetism and spin-electronics

"Scientific research in magnetism and spin-electronics has a strong impact on modern technologies. We will show you:
(1) the prototype of a magnetic levitation train (MagLev), showing how it can travel suspended at few centimeters from the track and consuming a limited amount of energy. Today a MagLev can reach speeds as high as 600 km/h;
(2) the demonstration of ferrofluids, colloidal liquids made of ferro/ferri-magnetic nanoparticles with amazing properties and applications in electroncis, mechanical and aerospace engineering (semi-active dampers), loudspeakers as well as biomedical research and diagnostics (e.g. for immunomagnetic separation or as magnetic markers);
(3) the concept of spintronics and the working principle of a hard drive based on information storage in small magnetic domains and read-out through magnetoresistive sensors, which can be also employed for early diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases.
Our lab (http://www.omnics.it/home/) is active in this research field from magnetism to superconductivity, from spintronics to magnonics, including their various applications also in the diagnostic field or for quantum computation. Moreover, our lab represents the Italian node of the European Infrastructure of Magnetism, ISABEL-EMFL and is part of the IRIS infrastructure on applied superconductivity."