Method for using divider rods for separating superconducting regions in fine filament internal tin wire
AssigneeOxford Superconducting Technology
InventorsSeung Hong, Jeff Parrell, Youzhu Zhang, Michael Field
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Abstract
A method for decreasing the effective magnetic filament sizes for high current internal tin Nb3Sn superconductors. During processing composite rods preferably comprised of copper clad Ta rods of approximately the same dimensions as the hexes in the designed filament billet stack are used as dividers in the subelement. Along with the Ta rods, Ta strips are strategically situated against the Nb or Nb alloy barrier tube which surrounds the subelement. The use of Ta as a spacer instead of copper prevents any reasonable likelihood of bridging of the superconducting phases formed after final reaction.
Claims13
A method for producing a multifilament Nb3Sn superconducting wire comprising the steps of:
- a) packing a plurality of Nb or Nb alloy rods within a copper containing matrix to form a packed subelement for said superconducting wire;
- b) packing divider rods amongst the Nb or Nb alloy rods in the copper containing matrix along with Ta divider strips to thereby divide said subelement into regions bounded by said divider rods and strips;
- said divider strips further being positioned within a Nb or Nb alloy diffusion barrier which surrounds said subelement as to prevent the Nb or Nb alloy barrier from reacting during a subsequent diffusion step for forming said Nb3Sn;
- c) providing sources of Sn within said subelement;
- d) assembling a plurality of said subelements within a further copper containing matrix;
- e) reducing said assemblage of step(d) to wire form;
- and
- f) diffusing the said Sn into the Nb or Nb alloy rods to form Nb3Sn regions separated by said divider rods and strips.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.