Topology optimization of magnetic source distributions for diamagnetic and superconducting levitation

Topology optimization is used to obtain a magnetic source distribution providing levitation of a diamagnetic body or type I superconductor with maximized thrust force. We show that this technique identifies non-trivial source distributions and may be useful to design devices based on non-contact magnetic suspension and other magnetic devices, such as micro-magneto-mechanical devices, high field magnets etc. Diamagnetic and superconducting suspensions are often used in physical experiments and thus we believe this approach will be interesting to physics community as it may generate non-trivial and often unexpected topologies and may be useful to create new experiments and devices.