Methods of splicing 2G rebco high temperature superconductors using partial micro-melting diffusion pressurized splicing by direct face-to-face contact of high temperature superconducting layers and recovering superconductivity by oxygenation annealing

A method of splicing second generation Rare-Earth Barium Copper Oxide high temperature superconductor coated conductors (2G ReBCO HTS CCs) and superconductivity recovery through oxygenation annealing of 2G ReBCO HTS CCs, the method comprising:

• (a) preparing, as splicing targets, two strands of 2G HTS CCs each including a ReBCO (ReBa2Cu3O7-x, where Re is a rare-earth material, and 0≦x≦0.6) high temperature superconducting layer;
• (b) forming holes in a splicing portion of each of the 2G ReBCO HTS CCs;
• (c) etching each of the 2G ReBCO HTS CCs to expose a surface of the ReBCO high temperature superconducting layer in the splicing portion of the 2G ReBCO HTS CCs;
• (d) arranging the 2G ReBCO HTS CCs such that the exposed surfaces of the ReBCO high temperature superconducting layers directly abut each other, or such that the exposed surface of each of the ReBCO high temperature superconducting layers directly abuts an exposed surface of a ReBCO high temperature superconducting layer of a third 2G ReBCO HTS CCs;
• (e) loading the 2G ReBCO HTS CCs into a splicing furnace, with the exposed surfaces of the ReBCO high temperature superconducting layers directly abutting each other, followed by maintaining the furnace in a vacuum;
• (f) increasing an inner temperature of the furnace for micro-melting of the exposed surfaces of the ReBCO high temperature superconducting layers, inter-diffusion of ReBCO atoms, and splicing the ReBCO layers of the 2G ReBCO HTS CCs;
• (g) annealing the 2G ReBCO HTS CCs under oxygen atmosphere to supply oxygen to the ReBCO high temperature superconducting layers in each of the 2G ReBCO HTS CCs;
• (h) coating the spliced zone of the 2G ReBCO HTS CCs with silver (Ag) so as to prevent quenching by bypassing over-current at the spliced zone between the 2G ReBCO HTS CCs;
• and
• (i) reinforcing the spliced and silver (Ag)-coated zone of the 2G ReBCO HTS CCs with a solder or an epoxy.