Table of contents

The surface resistance R_s of superconducting materials can be obtained by measuring the quality factor of an elliptical cavity excited in a transverse magnetic mode (TM₀₁₀). The value obtained has however to be taken as averaged over the whole surface. A more convenient way to obtain R_s, especially of materials which are not yet technologically ready for cavity production, is to measure small samples instead. These can be easily manufactured at low cost, duplicated and placed in film deposition and surface analytical tools. A commonly used design for a device to measure R_s consists of a cylindrical cavity excited in a transverse electric (TE₁₁₀) mode with the sample under test serving as one replaceable endplate. Such a cavity has two drawbacks. For reasonably small samples the resonant frequency will be larger than frequencies of interest concerning SRF application and it requires a reference sample of known R_s. In this article we review several devices which have been designed to overcome these limitations, reaching sub-nΩ resolution in some cases. Some of these devices also comprise a parameter space in frequency and temperature which is inaccessible to standard cavity tests, making them ideal tools to test theoretical surface resistance models.

Recent progress in two-dimensional superconductors with atomic-scale thickness is reviewed mainly from the experimental point of view. The superconducting systems treated here involve a variety of materials and forms: elemental metal ultrathin films and atomic layers on semiconductor surfaces; interfaces and superlattices of heterostructures made of cuprates, perovskite oxides, and rare-earth metal heavy-fermion compounds; interfaces of electric-double-layer transistors; graphene and atomic sheets of transition metal dichalcogenide; iron selenide and organic conductors on oxide and metal surfaces, respectively. Unique phenomena arising from the ultimate two dimensionality of the system and the physics behind them are discussed.

The purpose of this review is to focus from an experimental point-of-view on the new physical properties of some of the thinnest superconducting films that can be fabricated and studied in situ nowadays with state-of-the-art methods. An important characteristic of the films we address is that the underlying electronic system forms a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG). Up to now there are only few of these systems. Such true 2D superconductors can be divided into two classes: surface-confined or interface-confined films. Because the second types of films are burried below the surface, they are not accessible to purely surface-sensitive techniques like angular-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) or scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS). As a consequence the bandstructure characteristics of the 2DEG cannot be probed nor the local superconducting properties. On the other hand, in situ prepared surface-confined films are nowadays accessible not only to ARPES and STS but also to electrical transport measurements. As a consequence surface-confined systems represent at present the best archetypes on which can be summarized the new properties emerging in ultimately thin superconducting films hosting a 2DEG, probed by both macroscopic and microscopic measurement techniques. The model system we will widely refer to consists of a single atomic plane of a conventional superconductor, like for example lead (Pb), grown on top of a semiconducting substrate, like Si(111). In the introductory part 1 we first introduce the topic and give historical insights into this field. Then in the section 2, we introduce useful concepts worked out in studies of so-called 'granular' and 'homogeneous' superconducting thin films that will be necessary to understand the role of non-magnetic disorder on 2DEG superconductors. In this section, we also briefly review the superconducting properties of crystalline Pb/Si(111) ultrathin films grown under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions in order to illustrate their specific properties related to quantum-size effects. In the next section 3 we review the growth methods and structural properties of the presented 2DEG surface-confined superconductors. In section 4, we review the electronic structure and Fermi surface properties as measured by macroscopic ARPES and confront them to ab initio DFT calculations based on the characterized atomic structures of the monolayers. The following section 5 reviews the macroscopic properties inferred from in situ electrical transport measurements methods, including attempts to study the Berezinsky–Kosterlitz–Thouless 2D regime. In the last section 6, we summarize the emerging local spectroscopic properties measured by STS. These latter demonstrate variations of the local superconducting properties at a scale much shorter than the superconducting coherence length due to a combined effect of non-magnetic disorder and two-dimensionality. Further peculiar local spectroscopic effects are presented giving evidence for the presence of a mixed singlet-triplet superconducting order parameter induced by the presence of a strong Rashba spin–orbit coupling term at the surface. These local signatures will be discussed along with ARPES and transport measurements in parallel high magnetic field on closely related systems. Finally, we present in anisotropic Pb and In monolayers the peculiar role played by atomic steps on vortex properties, leading to the observation by STS of mixed Abrikosov–Josephson vortices in agreement with in situ macroscopic transport measurements. From the overview of all recent experimental and theoretical results it appears that these surface 2D superconductors, such as one monolayer of Pb on Si(111), are ideal templates to engineer and realize topological superconductivity.

We report on the development of nearly quantum limited SQUIDs with miniature pickup loop dimensions. The implemented high quality and low capacitance cross-type Nb/AlO_x/Nb Josephson junctions offer large I_CR_N-products and therefore enable an exceptional low noise level of the SQUIDs. Devices with loop dimensions of 1 μm exhibit white flux noise levels as low as 45 nΦ₀ Hz^−1/2 corresponding to an energy resolution ε of about 1 h at 4.2 K, with h being Planck's constant. Moreover, the large usable voltage swings of the devices of about 300 μV allow highly sensitive and easy single-stage operation while exploring nearly the intrinsic noise of the SQUIDs, beneficial e.g. for sensor arrays in SQUID microscopy.

Conductor on Round Core (CORC^®) technology has achieved a long sought-after benchmark by enabling the production of round, multifilament, (RE)Ba₂Ca₃O_7−x coated conductors with practical current densities for use in magnets and power applications. Recent progress, including the demonstration of engineering current density beyond 300 Amm⁻² at 4.2 K and 20 T, indicates that CORC^® cables are a viable conductor for next generation high field magnets. Tapes with 30 μm substrate thickness and tape widths down to 2 mm have improved the capabilities of CORC^® technology by allowing the production of CORC^® wires as thin as 3 mm in diameter with the potential to enhance the engineering current density further. An important benefit of the thin CORC^® wires is their improved flexibility compared to thicker (7–8 mm diameter) CORC^® cables. Critical current measurements were carried out on tapes extracted from CORC^® wires made using 2 and 3 mm wide tape after bending the wires to various diameters from 10 to 3.5 cm. These thin wires are highly flexible and retain close to 90% of their original critical current even after bending to a diameter of 3.5 cm. A small 5-turn solenoid was constructed and measured as a function of applied magnetic field, exhibiting an engineering current density of 233 Amm⁻² at 4.2 K and 10 T. CORC^® wires thus form an attractive solution for applications between 4.2 and 77 K, including high-field magnets that require high current densities with small bending diameters, benefiting from a ready-to-use form (similar to NbTi and contrary to Nb₃Sn wires) that does not require additional processing following coil construction.

Nanoscale superconducting quantum interference devices (nanoSQUIDs) most commonly use Dayem bridges as Josephson elements to reduce the loop size and achieve high spin sensitivity. Except at temperatures close to the critical temperature T_c, the electrical characteristics of these bridges exhibit undesirable thermal hysteresis which complicates device operation. This makes proper thermal analysis an essential design consideration for optimising nanoSQUID performance at ultralow temperatures. However the existing theoretical models for this hysteresis were developed for micron-scale devices operating close to liquid helium temperatures, and are not fully applicable to a new generation of much smaller devices operating at significantly lower temperatures. We have therefore developed a new analytic heat model which enables a more accurate prediction of the thermal behaviour in such circumstances. We demonstrate that this model is in good agreement with experimental results measured down to 100 mK and discuss its validity for different nanoSQUID geometries.

IV-characteristics of stacks of two inductively interacting long Josephson junctions with the homogeneous and inhomogeneous distributions of critical currents were investigated numerically. It was assumed that the inhomogeneous linear distribution of critical currents along the junction was created by heating of one end of the stack. Even zero-field steps were found in the IV-curve of the stack with the homogeneous distribution of critical currents, whereas odd zero-field steps appeared in the IV-curve of the stack with the heated end. Due to the inductive interaction between junctions in a stack of two junctions, each of the zero-field steps splits into two steps which correspond to frequencies of collective excitations in the system. Strong coherent emission was found at the step which corresponds to the frequency of in-phase oscillations.

In order to plan the integration of superconducting fault current limiters (SFCLs) in power systems, accurate models of SFCLs must be made available in commercial power system transient simulators. In this context, we developed such a model for the EMTP-RV software package, a power system transient simulator widely used by power utilities. The model can be used with any resistive-type SFCL (rSFCL) made of high temperature superconductor (HTS) tapes, which are discretized in 'electro-thermal elements'. Those elements consist solely of electric circuit components, and are used to represent portions of tape of various sizes and dimensions (a 'multi-scale' approach). Both the electrical and thermal behaviors of the tape are modeled, including interfacial effects, nonlinear properties of materials and heat transfer to the surrounding environment. Such a multi-scale model can simulate accurately both the local quench dynamics of HTS tapes (microscopic scale) and the global impact of the rSFCL on the power system (macroscopic/system scale). In this paper, the model is used to compute phenomena such as propagation velocity of a hot spot and heat diffusion through the thickness of the tape. Results were verified by comparing EMTP-RV results with finite element simulations. In addition to the development of the multi-scale model itself, which is the major contribution of this paper, the use of the model allowed us to determine the conditions of validity of the commonly used 'homogenization' of the thermal properties across the tape thickness. Indeed, when the current flowing into the rSFCL is slightly above its critical current I_c (and up to $2{I}_{{\rm{c}}}$), very important errors in the power waveforms arise, leading to potentially wrong decisions of protection systems. Homogenized thermal models should thus be used with great care in practice.

The second-generation high temperature superconductor (2G HTS) wire is the most promising conductor for high-field magnets such as accelerator dipoles and compact fusion devices. The key element of the wire is a thin Y₁Ba₂Cu₃O₇ (YBCO) layer deposited on a flexible metal substrate. The substrate, which becomes incorporated in the 2G conductor, reduces the electrical and mechanical performance of the wire. This is a process that exfoliates the YBCO layer from the substrate while retaining the critical current density of the superconductor. Ten-centimeter long coupons of exfoliated YBCO layers were manufactured, and detailed structural, electrical, and mechanical characterization were reported. After exfoliation, the YBCO layer was supported by a 75 μm thick stainless steel foil, which makes for a compact, mechanically stronger, and inexpensive conductor. The critical current density of the filaments was measured at both 77 K and 4.2 K. The exfoliated YBCO retained 90% of the original critical current. Similarly, tests in an external magnetic field at 4.2 K confirmed that the pinning strength of the YBCO layer was also retained following exfoliation.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a powerful medical diagnostic tool, is the largest commercial application of superconductivity. The superconducting magnet is the largest and most expensive component of an MRI system. The magnet configuration is determined by competing requirements including optimized functional performance, patient comfort, ease of siting in a hospital environment, minimum acquisition and lifecycle cost including service. In this paper, we analyze conductor requirements for commercial MRI magnets beyond traditional NbTi conductors, while avoiding links to a particular magnet configuration or design decisions. Potential conductor candidates include MgB₂, ReBCO and BSCCO options. The analysis shows that no MRI-ready non-NbTi conductor is commercially available at the moment. For some conductors, MRI specifications will be difficult to achieve in principle. For others, cost is a key barrier. In some cases, the prospects for developing an MRI-ready conductor are more favorable, but significant developments are still needed. The key needs include the development of, or significant improvements in: (a) conductors specifically designed for MRI applications, with form-fit-and-function readily integratable into the present MRI magnet technology with minimum modifications. Preferably, similar conductors should be available from multiple vendors; (b) conductors with improved quench characteristics, i.e. the ability to carry significant current without damage while in the resistive state; (c) insulation which is compatible with manufacturing and refrigeration technologies; (d) dramatic increases in production and long-length quality control, including large-volume conductor manufacturing technology. In-situ MgB₂ is, perhaps, the closest to meeting commercial and technical requirements to become suitable for commercial MRI. Conductor technology is an important, but not the only, issue in introduction of HTS/MgB₂ conductor into commercial MRI magnets. These new conductors, even when they meet the above requirements, will likely require numerous modifications and developments in the associated magnet technology.

We have fabricated YBa₂Cu₃O${}_{7-\delta }$ (YBCO) nano superconducting quantum interference devices (nanoSQUIDs), realized in Dayem bridge configuration, on films with thickness down to 10 nm. The devices, which have not been protected by a Au capping layer during the nanopatterning, show modulations of the critical current as a function of the externally applied magnetic field from 300 mK up to the critical temperature of the nanobridges. The absence of the Au shunting layer and the enhancement of the sheet resistance in ultrathin films lead to very large voltage modulations and transfer functions, which make these nanoSQUIDs highly sensitive devices. Indeed, by using bare YBCO nanostructures, we have revealed an upper limit for the intrinsic white flux noise level ${S}_{{\rm{\Phi }},{\rm{w}}}^{1/2}\lt 450$${\rm{n}}{{\rm{\Phi }}}_{0}\,{\mathrm{Hz}}^{-1/2}$.

An increasing number of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems using high temperature superconductors (HTS) magnets have been designed and constructed, with detailed results of their performance now available. Features of REBCO and BSCCO conductors are described as they pertain to use in high homogeneity magnets, with emphasis placed on the practical use of these conductors in magnets. Methods of coil winding are discussed, in particular the differences between pancake and layer winding techniques. Design considerations for HTS magnets are presented in light of the difficulties presented by quench in these magnets, but also in terms of the features of HTS magnets afforded by their high operating temperatures, namely robust cryogen free operation and the potential to use unshielded gradient coils. Drawing on two example MRI systems, namely a 3 T BSCCO brain imaging magnet developed in Japan and a 1.5 T REBCO orthopaedic imaging system developed in New Zealand, the report details real-world stability and homogeneity of HTS-MRI systems, in particular with regards to the screening current effects observed in these systems. It is concluded that, apart from conductor cost, there are currently no technical obstacles to use of HTS-MRI systems.

High temperature superconducting bulks or stacks of coated conductors (CCs) can be magnetized to become trapped field magnets (TFMs). The magnetic fields of such TFMs can break the limitation of conventional magnets (<2 T), so they show potential for improving the performance of many electrical applications that use permanent magnets like rotating machines. Towards practical or commercial use of TFMs, effective in situ magnetization is one of the key issues. The pulsed field magnetization (PFM) is among the most promising magnetization methods in virtue of its compactness, mobility and low cost. However, due to the heat generation during the magnetization, the trapped field and flux acquired by PFM usually cannot achieve the full potential of a sample (acquired by the field cooling or zero field cooling method). The multi-pulse technique was found to effectively improve the trapped field by PFM in practice. In this work, a systematic study on the PFM with successive pulses is presented. A 2D electromagnetic-thermal coupled model with comprehensive temperature dependent parameters is used to simulate a stack of CCs magnetized by successive magnetic pulses. An overall picture is built to show how the trapped field and flux evolve with different pulse sequences and the evolution patterns are analyzed. Based on the discussion, an operable magnetization strategy of PFM with successive pulses is suggested to provide more trapped field and flux. Finally, experimental results of a stack of CCs magnetized by typical pulse sequences are presented for demonstration.

We present two magnetometry-based methods suitable for assessing gradients in the critical temperature and hence the composition of multifilamentary superconductors: AC magnetometry and scanning Hall probe microscopy. The novelty of the former technique lies in the iterative evaluation procedure we developed, whereas the strength of the latter is the direct visualization of the temperature dependent penetration of a magnetic field into the superconductor. Using the example of a PIT Nb₃Sn wire, we demonstrate the application of these techniques, and compare the respective results to each other and to EDX measurements of the Sn distribution within the sub-elements of the wire.

A stand-alone App¹ has been developed, focused on obtaining information about relevant engineering properties of magnetic levitation systems. Our modelling toolkit provides real time simulations of 2D magneto-mechanical quantities for superconductor (SC)/permanent magnet structures. The source code is open and may be customised for a variety of configurations. Ultimately, it relies on the variational statement of the critical state model for the superconducting component and has been verified against experimental data for YBaCuO/NdFeB assemblies. On a quantitative basis, the values of the arising forces, induced superconducting currents, as well as a plot of the magnetic field lines are displayed upon selection of an arbitrary trajectory of the magnet in the vicinity of the SC. The stability issues related to the cooling process, as well as the maximum attainable forces for a given material and geometry are immediately observed. Due to the complexity of the problem, a strategy based on cluster computing, database compression, and real-time post-processing on the device has been implemented.

Non-perturbative measurements of low-intensity charged particle beams are particularly challenging to beam diagnostics due to the low amplitude of the induced electromagnetic fields. In the low-energy antiproton decelerator (AD) and the future extra low energy antiproton rings at CERN, an absolute measurement of the beam intensity is essential to monitor the operation efficiency. Superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) based cryogenic current comparators (CCC) have been used for measuring slow charged beams in the nA range, showing a very good current resolution. But these were unable to measure fast bunched beams, due to the slew-rate limitation of SQUID devices and presented a strong susceptibility to external perturbations. Here, we present a CCC system developed for the AD machine, which was optimised in terms of its current resolution, system stability, ability to cope with short bunched beams, and immunity to mechanical vibrations. This paper presents the monitor design and the first results from measurements with a low energy antiproton beam obtained in the AD in 2015. These are the first CCC beam current measurements ever performed in a synchrotron machine with both coasting and short bunched beams. It is shown that the system is able to stably measure the AD beam throughout the entire cycle, with a current resolution of $30\,\mathrm{nA}$.

Two types of Rutherford cables made of two strand layers of commercial MgB₂ wires manufactured by Hyper Tech Research, Inc. have been made. Flat rectangular cables consisting of 12 single-core MgB₂/Nb/Cu10Ni, or 6-filaments MgB₂/Nb/Cu strands, both of diameter 390 mewm, were assembled using a back-twist cabling machine with transposition length of 20 mm. In order to analyze impact of the cable compaction on critical currents, cables were two-axially rolled, each by a single step reduction of 3.5%−29.7% to thickness range of 0.775−0.62 mm. It was found that by increasing the packing factor (PF) of cable above 0.79, the critical current begins to increase. It is improved nearly two times up to the PF limit 0.89. Compaction over the PF limit introduced cable degradation and decrease of critical current. Bending tests applied to cables showed that critical current degradation starts below the bending diameter 120 mm for 6-filaments Cu sheath and 70 mm for single-core Cu10Ni sheath cable. Tensile tests showed similar irreversible strain values for the both types of cables. Rutherford cables assembled of single-core strands are promising for low field (2.7−4 T) applications where low bending diameters are required.

Rare earth–barium–copper oxide bulk superconductors fabricated in large or complicated geometries are required for a variety of engineering applications. Initiating crystal growth from multiple seeds reduces the time taken to melt-process individual samples and can reduce the problem of poor crystal texture away from the seed. Grain boundaries between regions of independent crystal growth can reduce significantly the flow of current due to crystallographic misalignment and the agglomeration of impurity phases. Enhanced supercurrent flow at such boundaries has been achieved by minimising the depth of the boundary between A growth sectors generated during the melt growth process by reducing second phase agglomerations and by a new technique for initiating crystal growth that minimises the misalignment between different growth regions. The trapped magnetic fields measured for the resulting samples exhibit a single trapped field peak indicating they are equivalent to conventional single grains.

Ba_0.67K_0.33BiO_3+δ single crystal with T_c ∼ 26.4 K has been prepared by the molten salt electrochemical method. We observed a four-fold symmetry in the angular dependence of ab-plane resistance R (θ) at H = 0.5 T and T = 25.5 K for the first time. The data can be scaled by R = [R₁sin²(θ + 45°) + R₂cos²(θ + 45°) − R(90°)]|sin2θ| + R(90°). Although dip structure appears in R(θ) when the angles between the magnetic field direction and c-axis are 0°, 90°, 180° and 270°, respectively, the maximal position of resistance tilted away θ = 45° and θ = 135°, namely the angle difference between two peaks is 79° or 101°. This result indicates the superconducting Ba_0.67K_0.33BiO_3+δ single crystal is probably an orthorhombic structure with distorted Bi−O octahedron. We consider that the angular dependence of resistivity comes from the superconducting energy gap with ${{{d}}_{{x}}}^{2}{{}_{-{y}}}^{2}$ pairing symmetry. The flux pinning energy for θ = 90° is higher than that for θ = 135° proves the existence of the anisotropic vortex pinning effect. The field dependence of flux pinning energy displays a power law, U ∝ H^−α. The irreversibility line was also discussed.

We report the effect of Sr-doping in the BiS₂-based superconductor ${\mathrm{Eu}}_{3-x}$Sr_xBi₂S₄F₄. Eu₃Bi₂S₄F₄ is a self-doped compound with a mixed Eu valence state. By the partial substitution of Sr for Eu, T_c gradually decreases and superconductivity disappears above 0.3 K when $x\gt 1.0$. Magnetic-susceptibility and specific-heat measurements reveal that Sr substitution leads to a decrease in both Eu²⁺ and Eu³⁺ populations. The decreased Eu³⁺ population, and the corresponding lower charge carrier density, may be the main origin for the suppression of superconductivity. In addition, we find a significant increase in the Sommerfeld coefficient ${\gamma }_{0}$ upon Sr doping, which may be due to the Kondo effect between the magnetic moments (associated to Eu²⁺ ions) and the conducting electrons. This work implies that the Kondo effect could compete with superconductivity in Eu₃Bi₂S₄F₄.

We studied the grain boundaries within mechanically formed polycrystalline Ba${}_{0.6}$K${}_{0.4}$Fe₂As₂ micro-bridges. By tunneling current across grain boundaries, current–voltage characteristics (IVCs) demonstrated the typical Josephson weak links behavior in micro-bridges. Shapiro steps were observed for the junctions under the microwave radiation at 10 GHz. The temperature dependence of the critical current I_c was observed as a shoulder, corresponding to a multi-gap symmetry but not a single-gap s-wave or d-wave.

We analysed the flux-flow region of isofield magnetoresistivity data obtained on three crystals of ${\mathrm{BaFe}}_{2-x}$ Ni_xAs₂ with T_c ∼ 20 K for three different geometries relative to the angle formed between the applied magnetic field and the c-axis of the crystals. The field dependent activation energy, U₀, was obtained from the thermal assisted flux-flow (TAFF) and modified vortex-glass models, which were compared with the values of U₀ obtained from flux-creep available in the literature. We observed that the U₀ obtained from the TAFF model show deviations among the different crystals, while the correspondent glass lines obtained from the vortex-glass model are virtually coincident. It is shown that the data is well explained by the modified vortex-glass model, allowing extract of values of T_g, the glass transition temperature, and ${T}^{* }$, a temperature which scales with the mean field critical temperature ${T}_{{\rm{c}}}(H)$. The resulting glass lines obey the anisotropic Ginzburg–Landau theory and are well fitted by a theory developed in the literature by considering the effect of disorder.

We report modeling and simulation results for a Ka band high-temperature superconducting (HTS) monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) Josephson junction mixer. A Verilog-A model of a Josephson junction is established and imported into the system simulator to realize a full HTS MMIC circuit simulation containing the HTS passive circuit models. Impedance matching optimization between the junction and passive devices is investigated. Junction DC I–V characteristics, current and local oscillator bias conditions and mixing performance are simulated and compared with the experimental results. Good agreement is obtained between the simulation and measurement results.

A systematic study of irreversible magnetization was performed in bulk niobium after different surface treatments. Starting with smooth surfaces and abrading them, a strong increase of the critical current is observed up to an apparent limiting value. An impressive change of the critical current is also observed in the surface superconductivity (SSC) state, reaching values of the same order of magnitude as in the mixed state. We explain also the observation of strong SSC for magnetic fields perpendicular to large facets in terms of nucleation of superconductivity along bumps of a corrugated surface.

YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ coated conductors (CCs) have achieved high critical current densities (J_c) that can be further increased through the introduction of additional defects using particle irradiation. However, these gains are accompanied by increases in the flux creep rate, a manifestation of competition between the different types of defects. Here, we study this competition to better understand how to design pinning landscapes that simultaneously increase J_c and reduce creep. CCs grown by metal organic deposition show non-monotonic changes in the temperature-dependent creep rate, S(T). Notably, in low fields, there is a conspicuous dip to low S as the temperature (T) increases from ∼20 to ∼65 K. Oxygen-, proton-, and Au-irradiation substantially increase S in this temperature range. Focusing on an oxygen-irradiated CC, we investigate the contribution of different types of irradiation-induced defects to the flux creep rate. Specifically, we study S(T) as we tune the relative density of point defects to larger defects by annealing both an as-grown and an irradiated CC in O₂ at temperatures T_A = 250 °C–600 °C. We observe a steady decrease in S(T > 20 K) with increasing T_A, unveiling the role of pre-existing nanoparticle precipitates in creating the dip in S(T) and point defects and clusters in increasing S at intermediate temperatures.

We report the effect of permanent magnet (PM) collars on the flux-creep rate of magnetized bulk HTS. The creep rates of single-grain, cylindrical samples are measured with attached collars activated to various fields, B_PM, in the range 0 ≤ B_PM ≤ B_PM,max, where B_PM,max is the fully saturated field of the PM. As B_PM varies, the creep rate of the HTS is found to maintain its well-known form—a constant fractional loss λ, of original residual field, per decade of time. However, the magnitude of λ decreases as B_PM increases. The decrease in λ is found to be linearly dependent on increasing B_PM. The collar field for which flux-creep extrapolates to zero is found to be comparable to the maximum trappable field of the HTS bulk, B_T,max. The properties of the dependence of λ on the HTS peak field, B_T,max, the PM field, B_PM, and the creep rate λ₀ with B_PM = 0 permit the reduced creep rate in these experiments to be predicted by a universal equation.

Instead of ordinal pure Ag, Ag-based Sn binary alloys (up to 7.5 at%Sn) with higher mechanical strength are used for the sheath material of ex situ powder-in-tube (PIT)-processed (Ba,K)Fe₂As₂(Ba-122) tapes. We found that the use of the Ag-Sn alloy enhances the densification and texturing of the Ba-122 core, resulting in higher transport, J_c. Moreover, the optimum heat treatment temperature for a high J_c can be lowered by around 100 °C due to the higher packing density of the Ba-122 core prior to the final heat treatment. We also found that the smoothness of the interface between the sheath and Ba-122 core is significantly improved by using the Ag-Sn binary alloy sheaths. These results show that the Ag-Sn alloy is promising as a sheath material in PIT-processed Ba-122 superconducting wires.

In this work we investigated the electrical properties of rapidly quenched amorphous Bi_xSb${}_{100-x}$ alloys in the temperature range of 1.2 K to 345 K. The resistance reveals that for a broad range of different compositions, including that for the topological insulator (TI), a superconducting state in the amorphous phase is present. After crystallization and annealing at an intermediate temperature, we found that in pure Bi and Bi_xSb${}_{100-x}$ alloys with composition corresponding to the TI, the superconductivity persists, but the transition shifts to a lower temperature. The highest superconducting transition temperature ${T}_{{\rm{C}}0}$ was found for pure Bi and those TI's, with a shift to low temperatures when the Sb content is increased. After annealing at a maximum temperature of T = 345 K, the samples are non-superconducting within the experimental range and the behavior changes from semiconducting-like for pure Bi, to metallic-like for pure Sb. Transition temperature ${T}_{{\rm{C}}0}$ of the amorphous Bi_xSb${}_{100-x}$ alloys have been calculated in the BCS–Eliashberg–McMillan framework, modified for binary alloys. The results can explain the experimental results and show that amorphous Bi_xSb${}_{100-x}$ exhibits a strong to intermediate electron–phonon coupling.

The concept of a novel approach to make a compact SMES unit composed of a stack of Si wafers using a well-established MEMS process was proposed. The concept was backed up by pilot estimations for energy storage capacity and mechanical strength to endure electromagnetic stress. The estimated volume density of the storable energy is comparable to that of rechargeable batteries and the mechanical strength of Si wafer endures the electromagnetic stress imposed on it. These estimations support the feasibility of this novel concept, although there needs to be more detailed design of the system for its practical realization. Furthermore, there are a lot of challenges to overcome. The first step of the experimental proof of this new concept was successfully performed through several repeated test fabrications. In one of these test fabrications, the theoretically estimated upper limit value of the energy storage corresponding to a pilot design of a spiral superconducting NbN coil in the spiral trench formed on a Si wafer 10.15 cm in diameter was attained.

A series of superconducting insert coils (ICs) made of different materials has been tested since 2000 at JAEA Naka in the bore of the central solenoid model coil at fields up to 13 T and currents up to several tens of kA, fully representative of the ITER operating conditions. Here we focus on the 2015 test of the presently last IC of the series, the central solenoid (CS) insert coil, which was aimed at confirming the performance and properties of the Nb₃Sn conductor, manufactured in Japan and used to wind the ITER CS modules in the US. As typical for these large scale applications, the cooldown (CD) from ambient to supercritical He temperature may take a long time, of the order of several weeks, so that it should be useful, also in the perspective of future IC tests, to optimize it. To that purpose, a comprehensive CD model implemented in the 4C code is developed and presented in this paper. The model is validated against the experimental data of an actual CD scenario, showing a very good agreement between simulation and measurements, from 300 to 4.5 K. The maximum temperature difference across the coil, which can only be roughly estimated from the measurements, is then extracted from the results of the simulation and shown to be much larger than the maximum value of 50 K, prescribed on the basis of the allowable thermal stress on the materials. An optimized CD scenario is finally designed using the model for the initial phase of the CD between 300 and 80 K, which allows reducing the needed time by ∼20%, while still satisfying the major constraints. Recommendations are also given for a better location/choice of the thermometers to be used for the monitoring of the maximum temperature difference across the coil.

The superconducting transition width (∆T_c) characteristics of REBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ (REBCO and RE = Gd, Y) superconductor tapes with Zr content of 25 mol% with high lift factor (ratio of critical current density (J_c) at 30 K, 3 T (B||c) to the J_c at 77 K, 0 T) has been determined. In this work, heavily doped (Gd, Y)Ba₂Cu₃O_7−δ superconductor tapes with 25 mol% Zr addition were fabricated by metal organic chemical vapor deposition using a reel-to reel process. The optimal chemical composition range of (Gd, Y)Ba₂Cu₃O_7−δ superconductor tapes with Zr content of 25 mol% to achieve critical current densities above 3.5 MA cm⁻² at 77 K in zero applied magnetic field has been determined. A superconducting transition width (∆T_c) as narrow as 0.4 K and an onset critical transition temperature (T_c-onset) as high as 92 K were obtained in the 25 mol% Zr-added (Gd, Y)BaCuO superconductor tapes. Based on the mapped compositional phase diagram of the ∆T_c and lift factor, ∆T_c in the range of 0.7–0.9 K is observed in 25 mol% Zr-added (Gd, Y)BaCuO superconductor tapes with a high lift factor.

A major limitation to the widespread application of Y–Ba–Cu–O (YBCO) bulk superconductors is the relative complexity and low yield of the top seeded melt growth (TSMG) process, by which these materials are commonly fabricated. It has been demonstrated in previous work on the recycling of samples in which the primary growth had failed, that the provision of an additional liquid-rich phase to replenish liquid lost during the failed growth process leads to the reliable growth of relatively high quality recycled samples. In this paper we describe the adaptation of the liquid phase enrichment technique to the primary TSMG fabrication process. We further describe the observed differences between the microstructure and superconducting properties of samples grown with additional liquid-rich phase and control samples grown using a conventional TSMG process. We observe that the introduction of the additional liquid-rich phase leads to the formation of a higher concentration of Y species at the growth front, which leads, in turn, to a more uniform composition at the growth front. Importantly, the increased uniformity at the growth front leads directly to an increased homogeneity in the distribution of the Y-211 inclusions in the superconducting Y-123 phase matrix and to a more uniform Y-123 phase itself. Overall, the provision of an additional liquid-rich phase improves significantly both the reliability of grain growth through the sample thickness and the magnitude and homogeneity of the superconducting properties of these samples compared to those fabricated by a conventional TSMG process.

The issue concerning the nature and the role of microstructural inhomogeneities in iron chalcogenide superconducting crystals of FeTe_0.65Se_0.35 and their correlation with transport properties of this system was addressed. The presented data demonstrate that chemical disorder originating from the kinetics of the crystal growth process significantly influences the superconducting properties of an Fe–Te–Se system. Transport measurements of the transition temperature and critical current density performed for microscopic bridges allow us to deduce the local properties of a superconductor with microstructural inhomogeneities, and significant differences were noted. The variances observed in the local properties were explained as a consequence of weak superconducting links existing in the studied crystals. The results confirm that the inhomogeneous spatial distribution of ions and small hexagonal symmetry nanoscale regions with nanoscale phase separation also seem to enhance the superconductivity in this system with respect to the values of the critical current density. Magnetic measurements performed in order to determine, in an alternative way, the values of the critical current density, as well as to find the relaxation rate and to check the scaling of the pinning force, confirm the conclusions drawn from the transport measurements.