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Glite Dictionary
antiferromagnet

antiferromagnet

1 9.9
A material whose nearby atoms act like tiny magnets that point in opposite directions, so it has no net magnetism
  • noun
  • /ˌæntɪˈfɛrəmæɡnɪt/
  • Specialized
: antiferromagneto
  • The scientist studied the properties of the antiferromagnet under extreme temperatures.

Examples

  • An antiferromagnet exhibits unique magnetic properties.

  • Unlike a ferromagnet, an antiferromagnet does not retain magnetization when the external field is removed.

  • Chromium is a well-known example of an antiferromagnet in condensed matter physics.

  • Iron oxide is a common antiferromagnet used in research.

  • In an antiferromagnet, the magnetic moments of adjacent atoms align oppositely, canceling each other out and resulting in no net magnetization.

  • Researchers study antiferromagnets to better understand their behavior at different temperatures and develop new technologies.

  • When cooled to low temperatures, antiferromagnets lose their net magnetization but retain unique magnetic properties.

Surface Forms

antiferromagnet singular
antiferromagnets plural

Morphology

antiferromagnet = ferromagnet (opaque) = anti + ferro + magnet

The structure is clear as 'anti-' + 'ferromagnet', but the specialized physics meaning is not readily inferable for an average B1 learner.

Etymology

Antiferromagnet breaks into anti- meaning 'opposite', ferro- meaning 'iron', and magnet meaning 'magnet'. So an antiferromagnet is a material where tiny magnets in the atoms point in opposite directions and cancel out, leaving no overall magnetism.