Lateral force on a magnet placed above a planar YBa2Cu3Ox superconductor

Abstract
The lateral force interaction between a permanent bar magnet and a large slab of high Tc superconductor has been investigated at 77 K, under conditions of a constant vertical separation of 2 mm. The restoring force as a function of lateral displacement rises very steeply, and reaches 90% of its saturation value, 5.1 mN, after 1.8 mm. The profile of the force‐displacement curve is in qualitative agreement with the existing theory. A significant quantitative discrepancy is interpreted as due to a theoretical penetration depth exceeding the sample thickness. The lateral magnetic stiffness or spring constant, is found to be independent of displacement away from lateral equilibrium.