Present technology for current leads is insufficient for the demands of High Energy Physics (HEP) applications. Materials and technology are needed for current leads that will operate at temperatures above 77K in the presence of high magnetic field. This project will develop high Jc Hg-Ba-Ca-Cu-O based High Temperature Superconducting (HTS) material suited to high volume production. This material will then be incorporated in current leads for operation at temperatures above 77K and magnetic fields greater than 1 tesla. Phase I will merge two established technologies which independently produce material with properties unsurpassed in their respective fields. A large scale manufacturing process will be selected and its principles will be applied to a laboratory scale process in order to assess the feasibility of producing HTS components with superior properties in high volumes.
Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: HTS current leads that demonstrate high current carrying capacities at temperatures above 77K in high magnetic fields should dramatically reduce operating costs for existing HEP Low Temperature Superconducting magnet systems. Market entry for advanced electric power systems should accelerate, with smaller footprints, reduced costs, and improved performance.
