Method and apparatus for making a superconducting joint
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorVishnu C. Srivastava
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Abstract
A method of forming a superconductive joint between superconductors made of filaments of superconducting material embedded in a matrix material utilizes two baths of molten metals. One of the baths of molten metal is used for etching the matrix material away from the superconducting filaments and is vibrated at an ultrasonic frequency. The other bath is also vibrated at an ultrasonic frequency and is used to mold the etched superconductors into a superconducting joint. Superconducting joints may thereby be made under ordinary atmospheric conditions between superconducting wires having similar and/or different matrix materials.
Claims8
A method of making a joint between superconductors made of filaments of superconducting material embedded in a matrix material including the steps of:
- stripping the matrix material away from ends of the superconductors to be joined;
- providing a heated soldering bath of molten metal, said metal being a superconducting material;
- vibrating the soldering bath at an ultrasonic frequency;
- submerging the stripped ends to be joined of the superconductors into the vibrating soldering bath;
- filling a mold with the superconductive material of the soldering bath in a molten state;
- placing the ends of the superconductors to be joined into the molten superconductive material in the mold;
- and
- cooling the superconductive material in the mold to encase the ends of the superconductors in the solidified superconducting material of the soldering bath.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.