Theoretical and experimental evaluation on a counterintuitive diamagnetically stabilized levitation setup with permanent magnets

We report a novel counterintuitive vertical levitation structure involving permanent magnets and at least one stabilizing diamagnetic piece. The setup consists of two permanent NdFeB magnets in a vertical inline configuration. A strong lifter magnet attracts a smaller magnet and compensates its weight. Stability at the equilibrium point is ensured by a diamagnetic pyrolytic graphite plate placed either above or below the levitated magnet. Compared to the classical vertical diamagnetic levitation cases, the magnetic moments of the magnets are antiparallel. Accepted tolerances during the magnetizing process lead to a visible anomaly of the levitated magnet equilibrium point position that apparently defies symmetry. First experiments and calculation results are presented. The proposed setup could find application as a highly sensitive tilt meter or in sensing magnetization angle errors.