Magnetic shielding properties of tubular bulk superconductors subjected to stray magnetic fields

Superconducting materials act as efficient magnetic shields thanks to their intrinsic magnetic properties. The vast majority of studies on superconducting shields has been conducted in homogeneous magnetic field configurations. Only few works have been done concerning inhomogeneous magnetic field configurations while those are representative of practical situations. Moreover, those configurations are non-trivial given the magnetic hysteretic behaviour of type-II superconductors.
In the present work, we aim at investigating and understanding the magnetic response of a superconducting hollow cylinder made of Bi-2223 subjected to the magnetic stray field of various magnetic sources. Thanks to a bespoke 3D mapping system and a three-axis Hall probe, we measure the magnetic flux density distribution in the vicinity of the cylinder when the latter is subjected to those stray fields. All experiments are carried out in liquid nitrogen.
Our experimental data allow us to apprehend the magnetic field penetration inside the superconductor in inhomogeneous field configurations and to compare those to results obtained with homogeneous fields. Then we compare our results to a finite element model of an infinite tube subjected to an inhomogeneous magnetic field in order to gather information on the magnetic field penetration and the current density distribution inside the superconductor.