Magnetic Properties Of Materials

Magnetic Properties Of Materials

Edited By Vishal kumar | Updated on Jul 02, 2025 05:53 PM IST

The magnetic properties of materials play a crucial role in various aspects of our daily lives, and they often go unnoticed. From the refrigerator magnets that hold up family photos to the powerful electromagnets in MRI machines, understanding these properties is fundamental. Materials can be classified based on their magnetic behaviour into diamagnetic, paramagnetic, ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic, and ferrimagnetic types. Each type has unique characteristics that determine its interaction with magnetic fields. For instance, the ferromagnetic properties of iron make it indispensable in constructing electric motors and transformers. Similarly, the paramagnetic nature of certain materials finds applications in electronic devices and medical diagnostics. By studying the magnetic properties of materials, we can develop more efficient technologies and enhance our understanding of the physical world around us.

This Story also Contains
  1. What is a Diamagnetic Substances?
  2. What are Paramagnetic Substances?
  3. What are Ferromagnetic Substances?
  4. Solved Examples Based on Magnetic Properties of Materials
  5. Summary
Magnetic Properties Of Materials
Magnetic Properties Of Materials

Depending on the magnetic properties, the magnetic materials are classified as

  • Diamagnetic substance
  • Paramagnetic substance
  • Ferromagnetic substance

What is a Diamagnetic Substances?

A diamagnetic substance is a material that exhibits a weak repulsion from a magnetic field. Diamagnetic substances are found in many everyday materials, and their properties are utilized in various applications, such as magnetic levitation experiments and certain types of magnetic shielding. The substance is feebly magnetized in a direction opposite to that of the magnetizing field in which those are placed bismuth, copper, lead, silicon, etc are diamagnetic substances.

Magnetization(M) vs. the Magnetic Intensity (H) Curve

The Magnetization (M) versus Magnetic Intensity (H) curve, also known as the magnetization curve or hysteresis loop, depicts the relationship between the magnetization of a material and the applied magnetic field intensity. This relationship is fundamental in understanding the magnetic properties of different materials. Here's a brief explanation of the key features of this curve:

Magnetic moment (m) for diamagnetic substances is Very low or nearly 0.

The cause of magnetism for Diamagnetic substances is the Orbital motion of electrons.

Diamagnetic substances are those which have a tendency to move from the stronger to the weaker part of the external magnetic field.

The magnetic field lines are expelled by these substances.

Behavior in a non-uniform magnetic field In diamagnetic substance

I.e These are repelled in an external magnetic field.

What are Paramagnetic Substances?

Paramagnetic substances are materials that exhibit a weak attraction to an external magnetic field and do not retain any magnetization once the external field is removed. Paramagnetic substances are an important class of materials in both fundamental research and practical applications, providing insights into the behaviour of electrons and the interactions between magnetic fields and matter. Paramagnetic substances are those which get weakly magnetized when placed in an external magnetic field.

Magnetization(M) vs. the Magnetic Intensity (H) Curve

They have a tendency to move from a region of a weak magnetic field to a strong magnetic field.

i.e., they get weakly attracted to a magnet.

Cause of magnetism-Spin motion of electrons

The magnetic moment (m) for Paramagnetic substances is Very low.

Behavior in a non-uniform magnetic field In Paramagnetic substance

i.e. These are feebly attracted in an external magnetic field.

What are Ferromagnetic Substances?

Ferromagnetic substances are materials that exhibit strong attraction to magnetic fields and can retain their magnetization even after the external magnetic field is removed. Ferromagnetic substances are essential in many technological applications, from everyday household items like refrigerator magnets to advanced scientific instruments and industrial machinery. Their ability to maintain strong, stable magnetization makes them invaluable in numerous fields.

The substance is strongly magnetized in the direction of the magnetizing field in which they are placed.

Iron, cobalt, nickel, gadolinium, and a number of alloys are ferromagnetic in nature.

Magnetization(M) vs. the Magnetic Intensity (H) Curve

The cause of magnetism is the Formation of domains.

Magnetic moment (m) for ferromagnetic substances is Very high.

They have a strong tendency to move from a region of weak magnetic field to a strong magnetic field.

Magnetic field lines tend to crowd into a ferromagnetic substance.

Ferromagnetic

Behavior in a non-uniform magnetic field In ferromagnetic substance

I.e These are strongly attracted in an external magnetic field

Curie Temperature or Curie Point

The Curie temperature, or Curie point, is a critical temperature for ferromagnetic materials, above which they lose their permanent magnetic properties and become paramagnetic

It is the temperature above which increasing the temperature the susceptibility of ferromagnetic materials decreases.

i.e At a temperature above the Curie Point, a ferromagnetic becomes an ordinary Paramagnetic

It is denoted by Tc.

Curie-Weiss curve

From the above curve, we can say that (For $\mathrm{T}>\mathrm{T}_{\mathrm{c}}$ ) $\chi_{\mathrm{m}} \propto \frac{1}{\mathrm{~T}-\mathrm{T}_{\mathrm{c}} \text { or }} \chi_{\mathrm{m}}=\frac{\mathrm{C}}{\mathrm{T}-\mathrm{T}_{\mathrm{c}}}$ where C is some constant.

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Solved Examples Based on Magnetic Properties of Materials

Example 1: Which of the following statements is correct?

A. Electric monopoles do not exist whereas magnetic monopoles exist.

B. Magnetic field lines due to a solenoid at its end and outside cannot be completely straight and confined.

C. Magnetic field lines are completely confined within a toroid.

D. Magnetic field lines inside a bar magnet are not parallel.

E. x =-1 is the condition for a perfect diamagnetic material, where x is its magnetic susceptibility.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below

1) B and D only

2) A and B only

3) C and E only

4) B and C only

Solution:

Statement (C) is correct because the magnetic field outside the toroid is zero and they form closed loops inside the toroid itself.

Statement (E) is correct because we know that super-conductors are materials inside which the net magnetic field is always zero and they are perfectly diamagnetic.

For superconductors.
$
\begin{aligned}
& \mu_r=1+\chi \\
& \chi=-1 \\
& \mu_r=0
\end{aligned}
$

Hence, the answer is the option (3).

Example 2: Given below are two statements

Statement I: Susceptibilities of paramagnetic and ferromagnetic substances increase with a decrease in temperature.

Statement-II: Diamagnetic is a result of orbital motions of electrons developing magnetic moments opposite given below.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below

1) Both Statement - I and Statement - II are true.

2) Both Statement - I and Statement - II are false.

3) Statement - I is true but Statement - II is false.

4) Statement - I is false but Statement - II is true.

Solution:

For paramagnetic substances,

$\chi \propto \frac{1}{\mathrm{~T}}$

For ferromagnetic substances,

$\chi \propto \frac{1}{\mathrm{~T}-\mathrm{T}_{\mathrm{c}}}$

$\mathrm{T_{c}\rightarrow }$ curie temperature

Statement I is false but Statement II is true.

Hence, the answer is the option (4).

Example 3: The susceptibility of a paramagnetic material is 99. The permeability of the material in $\mathrm{Wb} / \mathrm{A}-\mathrm{m}$, is :

( Permeability of free space $\mu_0=4 \pi \times 10^{-7} \mathrm{~Wb} / \mathrm{A}-\mathrm{m}$ )

1) $4 \pi \times 10^{-7}$
2) $4 \pi \times 10^{-4}$
3) $4 \pi \times 10^{-5}$
4) $4 \pi \times 10^{-6}$

Solution:

$\begin{aligned} \mu_{\mathrm{r}} & =1+\lambda \quad \lambda \rightarrow \text { susceptibility } \\ \frac{\mu}{\mu_0} & =1+99 \quad \mu_{\mathrm{r}} \rightarrow \text { relatine permeability } \\ \mu & =100 \times \mu_{\mathrm{o}}=100 \times 4 \pi \times 10^7 \\ & =4 \pi \times 10^{-5}\end{aligned}$

Hence, the answer is the option (3).

Example 4: The space inside a straight current-carrying solenoid is filled with a magnetic material having magnetic susceptibility equal to $1.2 \times 10^{-5}$. What is the fractional increase in the magnetic field inside the solenoid with respect to air as a medium inside the solenoid?

1) $1.2 \times 10^{-5}$
2) $1.2 \times 10^{-3}$
3) $1.8 \times 10^{-3}$
4) $2.4 \times 10^{-5}$

Solution:

$
\begin{aligned}
& \vec{B}_1=\mu_0 \eta i[\text { without materiel }] \\
& \vec{B}_2=\mu n i[\text { with material }] \\
& \text { and } \mu=\mu_0(1+\lambda) \\
& \lambda \rightarrow \text { susceptibility }
\end{aligned}
$

So fractional increase
$
1.2 \times 10^{-5}
$

Hence, the answer is the option (1).

Example 5: Statement I: The ferromagnetic property depends on temperature. At high temperatures, ferromagnet becomes paramagnet.

Statement II: At high temperatures, the domain wall area of a ferromagnetic substance increases.
In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below :

1) Statement I is true but Statement II is false.

2) Both Statement I and Statement II are true.

3) Both Statement I and Statement II are false.

4) Statement I is false but Statement II is true.

Solution:

As temperature increases, domains disintegrate so ferromagnetism decreases and above curie temperature it becomes paramagnet.
Also, at high temperatures, the domain area of ferromagnetic substances decreases.
Hence, the answer is the option (1).

Summary

Magnetic materials are classified into diamagnetic, paramagnetic, and ferromagnetic substances, each with unique interactions with magnetic fields. Diamagnetic substances exhibit weak repulsion, paramagnetic substances show weak attraction, and ferromagnetic substances have strong attraction and retain magnetization. Understanding these properties aids in developing technologies like MRI machines and transformers, and helps solve problems in magnetic applications, such as predicting material behavior and designing efficient devices.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What causes ferromagnetism?
Ferromagnetism is caused by the strong alignment of unpaired electron spins in certain materials, creating magnetic domains. These domains can be easily aligned by an external magnetic field, resulting in strong magnetic properties that persist even after the field is removed. This alignment is due to a quantum mechanical effect called exchange interaction.
2. What is magnetic hysteresis?
Magnetic hysteresis is the tendency of a magnetic material to retain its magnetization even after the external magnetic field is removed. It results in a lag between changes in the applied magnetic field and the material's magnetization. This property is represented by a hysteresis loop and is important in applications like magnetic storage devices.
3. How does temperature affect magnetic properties?
Temperature significantly affects magnetic properties. As temperature increases, thermal energy causes more random motion of atoms, disrupting the alignment of magnetic moments. This leads to a decrease in magnetization. At a critical temperature called the Curie point, ferromagnetic materials lose their magnetic properties and become paramagnetic.
4. What is the difference between soft and hard magnetic materials?
Soft magnetic materials are easily magnetized and demagnetized, with a narrow hysteresis loop. They're used in applications requiring rapid changes in magnetization, like transformer cores. Hard magnetic materials have a wide hysteresis loop, are difficult to demagnetize, and maintain their magnetism strongly. They're used to make permanent magnets.
5. What are magnetic materials?
Magnetic materials are substances that can be magnetized or attracted by a magnetic field. They contain atoms with unpaired electrons in their outer shells, which align their magnetic moments in response to an external magnetic field. Common examples include iron, nickel, and cobalt.
6. How do diamagnetic materials differ from paramagnetic materials?
Diamagnetic materials weakly repel magnetic fields and have a slight negative magnetic susceptibility. They don't have unpaired electrons. Paramagnetic materials are weakly attracted to magnetic fields and have a small positive magnetic susceptibility due to unpaired electrons. However, both lose their magnetic properties when the external field is removed.
7. What is magnetic susceptibility?
Magnetic susceptibility is a measure of how much a material will become magnetized in response to an applied magnetic field. It's defined as the ratio of magnetization to the applied field strength. Diamagnetic materials have negative susceptibility, paramagnetic materials have small positive susceptibility, and ferromagnetic materials have large positive susceptibility.
8. What is superparamagnetism?
Superparamagnetism occurs in very small ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic nanoparticles. When these particles are small enough, thermal energy can randomly flip their magnetic moment. As a result, the material behaves like a paramagnet but with a much larger magnetic moment. This phenomenon is important in magnetic data storage and biomedical applications.
9. How do antiferromagnetic materials behave?
Antiferromagnetic materials have magnetic moments that align in opposite directions, canceling each other out. This results in no net magnetic moment in the absence of an external field. However, they can exhibit weak magnetism when a strong field is applied. Examples include chromium and manganese oxide.
10. How does crystal structure influence magnetic properties?
Crystal structure greatly influences magnetic properties by determining the arrangement of atoms and their magnetic moments. It affects magnetic anisotropy, exchange interactions, and domain formation. For example, body-centered cubic iron is ferromagnetic, while face-centered cubic iron is not, despite being the same element.
11. What is magnetic permeability and how does it vary in different materials?
Magnetic permeability is a measure of how easily a material can be magnetized in response to an external magnetic field. It's the ratio of magnetic flux density to the magnetizing force. Diamagnetic materials have permeability slightly less than 1, paramagnetic materials slightly more than 1, and ferromagnetic materials much greater than 1. Permeability can also vary with field strength, especially in ferromagnetic materials.
12. How do magnetic properties change across the periodic table?
Magnetic properties vary systematically across the periodic table. Transition metals often exhibit strong magnetism due to unpaired d-electrons. Rare earth elements show strong magnetism from f-electrons. Elements with filled shells are typically diamagnetic. The strength and type of magnetism depend on the electronic configuration, which changes across periods and down groups in the periodic table.
13. How do magnetic properties change in extreme conditions like high pressure or low temperature?
Extreme conditions can significantly alter magnetic properties. High pressure can change interatomic distances, affecting exchange interactions and potentially inducing phase transitions that alter magnetic behavior. Low temperatures generally enhance magnetic ordering by reducing thermal disruptions, leading to stronger magnetization and sharper magnetic transitions. Some materials become superconducting at very low temperatures, expelling magnetic fields (Meissner effect).
14. What is magnetic circular dichroism and how is it used to study materials?
Magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) is the differential absorption of left and right circularly polarized light by a material in a magnetic field. It's sensitive to the magnetic properties of materials and can provide information about electronic structure, magnetic ordering, and spin states. MCD is particularly useful for studying thin films, nanostructures, and biological systems containing metal centers.
15. What is the role of orbital angular momentum in magnetism?
While spin angular momentum is often the primary contributor to magnetism, orbital angular momentum also plays a significant role, especially in certain materials like rare earth elements. The orbital contribution can lead to strong magnetic anisotropy and is crucial in determining the total magnetic moment of atoms. Understanding orbital effects is important for designing materials with specific magnetic properties.
16. How do nanostructured magnetic materials differ from bulk materials?
Nanostructured magnetic materials often exhibit different properties from their bulk counterparts due to increased surface-to-volume ratio and quantum confinement effects. They may have single-domain particles, altered Curie temperatures, and different coercivities. These unique properties make them useful in applications like high-density data storage and medical imaging.
17. What is spin glass behavior in magnetic materials?
Spin glass behavior occurs in certain disordered magnetic systems where there is competition between different magnetic interactions. This leads to frustration and a complex energy landscape with many possible spin configurations. Spin glasses exhibit slow relaxation, memory effects, and a freezing transition. They are important in studying complex systems and disorder in magnetism.
18. What is magnetic damping and how does it affect material behavior?
Magnetic damping refers to the dissipation of energy during magnetization processes. It's caused by various mechanisms like eddy currents, spin-lattice relaxation, and domain wall motion. Damping affects how quickly a material can change its magnetization and influences properties like magnetic resonance linewidth. Understanding and controlling damping is crucial in applications like high-speed magnetic switches and spintronic devices.
19. How do multiferroic materials combine magnetic and electric properties?
Multiferroic materials exhibit both ferromagnetic (or antiferromagnetic) and ferroelectric properties in the same phase. This allows for coupling between magnetic and electric fields, where magnetization can be controlled by electric fields and vice versa. This unique property opens up possibilities for novel memory devices and sensors. However, materials with strong multiferroic coupling at room temperature are rare and are an active area of research.
20. What are skyrmions and how do they relate to magnetic properties?
Skyrmions are nanoscale, topologically protected magnetic structures where spins arrange in a vortex-like pattern. They can be thought of as 2D magnetic "particles" that can be moved and manipulated. Skyrmions arise from the interplay of various magnetic interactions and are stable against perturbations. They're of great interest for potential applications in high-density, low-power magnetic memory and logic devices.
21. What is the magnetoelectric effect?
The magnetoelectric effect is the phenomenon where applying a magnetic field induces an electric polarization in a material, or conversely, where an electric field induces magnetization. This effect is typically weak but can be significant in certain materials, especially some multiferroics. It offers the potential for electrical control of magnetism and magnetic control of electricity, which could lead to novel types of sensors and memory devices.
22. What is magnetic frustration and how does it affect material properties?
Magnetic frustration occurs when the geometry of a crystal lattice or competing interactions prevent the simultaneous minimization of all magnetic interactions. This can lead to highly degenerate ground states, exotic magnetic phases, and unusual low-temperature behaviors. Frustrated systems often show interesting properties like spin liquids or spin ice states, and they're important for understanding complex magnetic systems and quantum magnetism.
23. What is magnetic anisotropy?
Magnetic anisotropy refers to the directional dependence of a material's magnetic properties. It means that the material is easier to magnetize along certain crystallographic directions than others. This property is crucial in determining the coercivity and shape of the hysteresis loop of magnetic materials.
24. How do domain walls contribute to magnetization?
Domain walls are the boundaries between different magnetic domains in a ferromagnetic material. During magnetization, these walls move, allowing domains aligned with the external field to grow at the expense of misaligned domains. This movement of domain walls is a key mechanism in the magnetization process and contributes to magnetic hysteresis.
25. What is the Barkhausen effect?
The Barkhausen effect is the phenomenon of sudden, discontinuous changes in the magnetization of a ferromagnetic material as the magnetic field is changed smoothly. It's caused by the abrupt motion of magnetic domain walls as they overcome imperfections or defects in the crystal structure. This effect produces detectable noise in the magnetization curve.
26. How does magnetic saturation occur?
Magnetic saturation occurs when increasing the external magnetic field no longer increases the magnetization of a material. At this point, all magnetic domains are aligned with the field, and further increase in field strength doesn't produce additional magnetization. The material has reached its maximum possible magnetization.
27. What is the exchange interaction in magnetic materials?
The exchange interaction is a quantum mechanical effect that causes the alignment of spins in ferromagnetic materials. It's a strong, short-range force between neighboring atoms that favors parallel alignment of their magnetic moments. This interaction is responsible for the spontaneous magnetization in ferromagnets below the Curie temperature.
28. What is the role of impurities in magnetic materials?
Impurities can significantly alter the magnetic properties of materials. They can act as pinning sites for domain walls, affecting the ease of magnetization and demagnetization. Some impurities can enhance magnetic properties (like carbon in steel), while others can degrade them. Controlling impurities is crucial in engineering magnetic materials for specific applications.
29. How does magnetostriction work?
Magnetostriction is the change in shape or dimensions of a material when it's magnetized. It's caused by the reorientation of magnetic domains, which can lead to physical deformation. Some materials expand when magnetized (positive magnetostriction), while others contract (negative magnetostriction). This effect is used in sensors and actuators.
30. What is the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic magnetic properties?
Intrinsic magnetic properties are inherent to the material and depend on its atomic and electronic structure. Examples include saturation magnetization and Curie temperature. Extrinsic properties depend on the material's microstructure, processing, and external conditions. Examples include coercivity and remanence. Both types of properties are important in designing magnetic materials for specific applications.
31. How do ferrimagnetic materials differ from ferromagnetic materials?
Ferrimagnetic materials, like ferrites, have antiparallel alignment of magnetic moments like antiferromagnets, but the opposing moments are unequal, resulting in a net magnetic moment. This is different from ferromagnets, where moments align parallel. Ferrimagnets often have lower saturation magnetization than ferromagnets but can have higher electrical resistivity, making them useful in high-frequency applications.
32. What is magnetic annealing?
Magnetic annealing is a heat treatment process performed in the presence of a magnetic field to enhance the magnetic properties of a material. It involves heating the material above its Curie temperature and then cooling it slowly in a magnetic field. This process can induce magnetic anisotropy, improve domain alignment, and enhance overall magnetic performance.
33. How do magnetic domains form in materials?
Magnetic domains form in ferromagnetic materials to minimize the overall magnetostatic energy. Within each domain, magnetic moments are aligned, but different domains may have different orientations. The formation of domains is a balance between exchange energy (favoring alignment) and magnetostatic energy (favoring flux closure). Domain size and shape depend on material properties and external conditions.
34. What is the magnetocaloric effect?
The magnetocaloric effect is the change in temperature of a magnetic material when exposed to a changing magnetic field. When the field is applied, the material heats up; when removed, it cools down. This effect is strongest near the Curie temperature and is the basis for magnetic refrigeration, a potentially more efficient and environmentally friendly cooling technology.
35. How do rare earth magnets differ from traditional magnets?
Rare earth magnets, made from alloys of rare earth elements like neodymium or samarium with transition metals, are much stronger than traditional ferrite or alnico magnets. They have higher magnetic anisotropy, coercivity, and energy product. This allows for smaller, more powerful magnets, crucial in modern electronics and green technologies like wind turbines and electric vehicles.
36. How does magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) utilize magnetic properties of materials?
MRI uses the magnetic properties of hydrogen atoms in water molecules in the body. In a strong magnetic field, these atoms align their spins. Radio frequency pulses then excite these aligned spins, and as they relax, they emit signals that are detected to form images. Different tissues have different relaxation times, allowing for contrast in the images. Contrast agents with specific magnetic properties can enhance this effect.
37. What is the relationship between electricity and magnetism in materials?
Electricity and magnetism are fundamentally interconnected, as described by Maxwell's equations. Moving electric charges create magnetic fields, and changing magnetic fields induce electric currents. In materials, this relationship is manifested in phenomena like the Hall effect (where a magnetic field creates a transverse voltage in a current-carrying conductor) and in the behavior of electromagnets.
38. How do magnetic properties change at the nanoscale?
At the nanoscale, magnetic properties can change dramatically due to increased surface effects and quantum confinement. Nanoparticles may become single-domain, exhibit superparamagnetism, or have altered Curie temperatures. Surface anisotropy becomes more significant, and exchange interactions can be modified. These changes enable new applications in fields like biomedicine and data storage.
39. How do magnetic properties contribute to Earth's magnetic field?
Earth's magnetic field is primarily generated by the movement of molten iron in the planet's outer core, creating a self-sustaining dynamo. The magnetic properties of materials in Earth's crust, particularly ferromagnetic minerals, contribute to local variations in the field and can record its past directions, allowing for paleomagnetism studies. Understanding these properties is crucial for geophysics and navigation.
40. What is the difference between hard and soft ferrites?
Hard ferrites, like barium and strontium ferrites, have high coercivity and are used as permanent magnets. They retain their magnetism strongly and are difficult to demagnetize. Soft ferrites, typically made with manganese and zinc or nickel and zinc, have low coercivity and high permeability. They're easily magnetized and demagnetized, making them ideal for transformers and electromagnetic interference suppression.
41. How do magnetic properties contribute to the behavior of superconductors?
Superconductors exhibit perfect diamagnetism below their critical temperature (Meissner effect), expelling magnetic fields. In type II superconductors, magnetic fields can penetrate in quantized vortices above a lower critical field. The interplay between superconductivity and magnetism is complex, with some materials showing coexistence of these seemingly incompatible states. Understanding this relationship is crucial for high-temperature superconductor research.
42. How do magnetic properties influence spintronics?
Spintronics utilizes the spin of electrons in addition to their charge. Magnetic materials are crucial in spintronics as they can generate, manipulate, and detect spin-polarized currents. Properties like magnetic anisotropy, domain wall motion, and spin-dependent scattering are fundamental to spintronic devices. Understanding and controlling these properties is key to developing technologies like magnetic random access memory (MRAM) and spin-based logic circuits.
43. How do magnetic properties change in two-dimensional materials?
In two-dimensional materials like graphene or transition metal dichalcogenides, magnetic properties can be dramatically different from their bulk counterparts. The reduced dimensionality can lead to enhanced magnetic moments, different types of magnetic ordering, and unique magneto-optical effects. Some 2D materials that are non-magnetic in bulk form can become magnetic when reduced to a single layer, offering new possibilities for atomically thin magnetic devices.
44. How do magnetic properties contribute to the functionality of magnetic shape memory alloys?
Magnetic shape memory alloys combine the properties of shape memory materials with ferromagnetism. In these materials, the application of a magnetic field can induce

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