Method reshapes a single magnetic source into precisely tailored fields
Physicists at two European universities have introduced a method called magnetic omniconversion that reshapes the field from one source into many desired configurations with mathematical exactness. Reported in Science Advances, the approach could make it easier to produce tailored fields for devices such as MRI scanners, particle accelerators, atomic clocks, and quantum computers. It removes earlier limits on how precisely an existing magnetic field can be converted into another.
Researchers from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and Chalmers University of Technology collaborated on the work. Their approach, magnetic omniconversion, uses materials that either draw in or push away magnetic flux—ferromagnets and superconductors—arranged in calculated geometries to redirect a source field into a chosen form. The study appears in Science Advances.
In a prototype, a superconducting aluminum tube and cast-iron parts reshaped a simple coil’s uneven field into one that was nearly uniform. Measurements were taken below 1 kelvin. The authors say the technique could serve MRI, accelerator, atomic-clock, and quantum-computing needs.
If validated and scaled, this method may simplify how engineers design magnetic environments, potentially reducing custom coil and magnet development for hospitals, research labs, and quantum hardware makers. Patients could benefit indirectly if MRI systems become easier to optimize, while accelerator and clock researchers might gain more flexible tools. The impact likely depends on manufacturing feasibility, cost, and integration with existing systems; near-term effects may remain confined to specialized laboratories.