Thermomagnetische

Thermomagnetische, or thermomagnetic, phenomena describe the interaction between thermal and magnetic properties of materials. They encompass how magnetization depends on temperature, as well as effects where temperature gradients, magnetic fields, and electrical currents influence each other. These phenomena are studied to understand how heat and magnetic order influence one another across a range of materials and device geometries.

Key effects include the Nernst effect, where a conductor with a magnetic field and a longitudinal temperature gradient generates a transverse electric field. The Ettingshausen effect describes how a current in a magnetic field can produce a transverse temperature gradient. The magnetocaloric effect refers to heating or cooling produced by changing the magnetic field, due to changes in magnetic entropy; this effect is central to efforts in magnetic refrigeration and energy-efficient cooling technologies. Collectively, these phenomena underpin spin caloritronics, a field that investigates the coupling between spin, charge, and heat transport at microscopic and macroscopic scales.

Materials exhibiting thermomagnetische behavior include ferromagnets, ferrimagnets, and certain paramagnets, with pronounced effects near magnetic phase transitions such as the Curie temperature. Magnetocaloric materials, including gadolinium-based compounds and related alloys, are frequently studied for refrigeration applications, while thin films and nanostructures are examined for sensors and energy harvesting.

Applications of thermomagnetische effects span magnetic refrigeration, thermal sensing, and thermal management in microelectronics, as well as fundamental research into spin-dependent transport. Ongoing work seeks to enhance material performance, understand underlying mechanisms, and integrate thermomagnetic phenomena into practical devices.