High current variable temperature electrical characterization system for superconducting wires and tapes with...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Condensed Matter Physics
• Electrical Engineering

Background:

• Industrially produced coated conductors (CCs) are crucial for advanced technologies.
• Accurate characterization of their superconducting properties, especially critical current (Ic), is essential for performance optimization.
• Existing measurement systems may have limitations in temperature range, magnetic field strength, or angular resolution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a state-of-the-art electrical transport measurement system for coated conductors (CCs).
• To enable precise measurement of critical current (Ic) under diverse temperature and magnetic field conditions.
• To facilitate the study of anisotropic Ic and vortex pinning mechanisms in superconducting tapes.

Main Methods:

• Development of a high-current (up to 1000 A) electrical transport measurement system.
• Integration into a He-gas flow cryostat for temperatures from 1.8 K to 200 K.
• Utilizing a split-coil magnet (up to 6 T) with continuous sample rotation (0.5° resolution) for anisotropic measurements.

Main Results:

• The system successfully characterizes coated conductors (CCs) at temperatures below 77 K.
• Reliable critical current (Ic) data was obtained across a wide range of temperatures and magnetic fields.
• The setup allows for detailed study of vortex pinning and anisotropic Ic behavior.

Conclusions:

• The developed measurement system is a valuable tool for assessing the performance of coated conductors (CCs).
• It supports the engineering of superconducting layer microstructures and optimization of tape architectures.
• Enables improved magnet design and other applications requiring high-performance superconducting materials.