superparamagneticadj.
/ˌsuːpəparəmaɡˈnɛtɪk/, /ˌsjuːpəparəmaɡˈnɛtɪk/, U.S. /ˌsupərˌpɛrəmæɡˈnɛdɪk/ Physics.
Exhibiting superparamagnetism. Also: characteristic of or relating to superparamagnetism.
ΚΠ
1955 C. P. Bean in Jrnl. Appl. Physics 26 1382/1 The particles, however act as paramagnetic particles of very large moment, and they will be designated ‘super-paramagnetic’ particles.
1970 Science 30 Jan. 698/3 A thermomagnetic curve..with a shape more similar to that expected from a paramagnetic or superparamagnetic component.
1980 S. J. Gould Panda's Thumb (1982) xxx. 309 If the particles were a bit smaller..they would be ‘superparamagnetic’.
2008 Proc. National Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 105 698/2 They exhibited superparamagnetic behavior showing no significant hysteresis.
Compounds
superparamagnetic limit n. Computing a lower limit on the size of a bit on a magnetic storage medium (and hence an upper limit on the data density of that medium) arising from superparamagnetic effects.
ΚΠ
1989 IEEE Trans. Magn. 25 4376/1 A more subtle effect of thermal instability can, however, be seen even at sizes substantially larger than the superparamagnetic limit.
1998 InfoWorld 23 Feb. 34/2 Increase area densities of disk drives to four times the current ‘superparamagnetic limit’ of 10Gb per square inch.
2006 Pittsburgh (Pa.) Post-Gaz. (Nexis) 18 Jan. The ‘superparamagnetic limit’ is what industry insiders call it—the digital brick wall where a disk drive can fit no more tiny bits of data onto its surface.
Derivatives
ˌsuperparamagˈnetically adv.
ΚΠ
1956 C. P. Bean & I. S. Jacobs in Jrnl. Appl. Physics 27 1449/2 There exists a simple relation expressing the condition that a particle behave super-paramagnetically.
2010 Jrnl. Alloys & Compounds 499 134/1 Different temperature dependences for ferromagnetically and superparamagnetically coupled grains.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, June 2012; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1955