Glossary
Permanent magnets - Applications and perspectives

Magnetization

A macroscopic, measurable quantity corresponding to the volume density of magnetic moments in a material.

Demagnetizing field

A magnetic field opposite to the magnetization of a magnetized material, the strength of which depends on the material’s shape, dimensions, and the direction of magnetization.

Coercivity

A property of a magnet that characterizes its resistance to a reversal of its magnetization.

Eddy currents

Electric currents created in a magnetic metallic material as a result of the application of a time-varying magnetic field. These currents generate energy losses.

Curie temperature

The temperature above which a magnet loses its magnetization.

Rare earths

Chemical elements with atomic numbers ranging from 57 to 71, which have similar chemical properties. Neodymium (atomic number 60) and samarium (atomic...