Patent ID: 6067001
Filing Date: 2000-05-23
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
A method for making an electromagnet, the method comprising the steps of:a) defining a mesh of candidate current elements and candidate current nodes, wherein the mesh has K candidate current elements;b) defining a plurality of target points and a desired magnetic field for each target point;c) defining a power expression proportional to the total power dissipation in all the candidate current elements, wherein the power expression is proportional to the expression: ##EQU15## where L.sub.k is a known length of the k.sup.th candidate current element and i.sub.k is an unknown current in the k.sup.th candidate current element;d) defining for each target point a magnetic field constraint for the maximum allowable magnetic field deviation from the desired magnetic field;e) defining a constraint based on Kirchoff's current law, wherein the net current at each node is constrained to be zero;f) establishing a calculation equivalent to a L.sup.1 -norm minimization calculation wherein the power expression is minimized subject to the magnetic field constraint and subject to the Kirchoff's current law constraint;g) solving the calculation of step (f) such that the currents i.sub.k for each candidate current element are determined;h) constructing at least one magnet conductor for carrying current at a location corresponding to the result of step (f).