A method of forming a kilometer(s)-length high temperature superconductor tape by feeding a textured tape from roll-to-roll through a reactor chamber, flowing high temperature superconductor precursors from an elongated precursor showerhead positioned in the chamber the elongation in a direction along the tape; flowing gas from first and second elongated gas curtain shower heads on either side of the precursor showerhead; and illuminating the upper surface of the tape with illumination from sources on opposing sides of the reactor, the illumination sources positioned so as to allow illumination to pass under a respective one of the curtain shower heads and under the precursor showerhead to the upper surface of the tape.

An example method for connectorizing a superconducting cable is described herein. The method can include depositing an oxide layer on a surface of a superconducting cable, electroplating a metal layer on the surface of the superconducting cable, and soldering a connector to the metal layer coated on the surface of the superconducting cable. The oxide layer allows the metal layer to adhere to the surface of the superconducting cable.

An example method for connectorizing a superconducting cable is described herein. The method can include depositing an oxide layer on a surface of a superconducting cable, electroplating a metal layer on the surface of the superconducting cable, and soldering a connector to the metal layer coated on the surface of the superconducting cable. The oxide layer allows the metal layer to adhere to the surface of the superconducting cable.

An oxide superconducting wire includes: a laminate which is formed by laminating a tape-shaped base, an intermediate layer, and an oxide superconducting layer; a first protective layer which is formed of Ag or an Ag alloy and is laminated on a main surface of the oxide superconducting layer of the laminate; a second protective layer which is formed of Cu or a Cu alloy, is laminated on a main surface of the first protective layer by performing film formation one or more times, and has a thickness of 0.3 μm to 10 μm; and a stabilization layer which is bonded to a main surface of the second protective layer with a solder layer interposed therebetween, wherein the second protective layer is formed to have a thickness of equal to or less than 2.1 μm per film formation.

An oxide superconducting wire includes: a laminate which is formed by laminating a tape-shaped base, an intermediate layer, and an oxide superconducting layer; a first protective layer which is formed of Ag or an Ag alloy and is laminated on a main surface of the oxide superconducting layer of the laminate; a second protective layer which is formed of Cu or a Cu alloy, is laminated on a main surface of the first protective layer by performing film formation one or more times, and has a thickness of 0.3 μm to 10 μm; and a stabilization layer which is bonded to a main surface of the second protective layer with a solder layer interposed therebetween, wherein the second protective layer is formed to have a thickness of equal to or less than 2.1 μm per film formation.

In various embodiments, superconducting wires incorporate diffusion barriers composed of Ta alloys that resist internal diffusion and provide superior mechanical strength to the wires.

In various embodiments, superconducting wires incorporate diffusion barriers composed of Ta alloys that resist internal diffusion and provide superior mechanical strength to the wires.

The present invention relates to a precursor (1) for production of a high-temperature superconductor (HTS) in ribbon form, comprising a metallic substrate (10) in ribbon form having a first ribbon side (11) and a second ribbon side (12), wherein, on the first ribbon side (11), (a) the substrate (10) has a defined texture as template for crystallographically aligned growth of a buffer layer or an HTS layer and (b) an exposed surface of the substrate (10) is present or one or more layers (20,30) are present that are selected from the group consisting of: buffer precursor layer, pyrolyzed buffer precursor layer, buffer layer, HTS precursor layer, pyrolyzed HTS buffer precursor layer and pyrolyzed and further consolidated HTS buffer precursor layer, and, on the second ribbon side (12), at least one ceramic barrier layer (40) that protects the substrate (10) against oxidation or a precursor which is converted to such a layer during the HTS crystallization annealing or the pyrolysis is present, wherein, when one or more layers (20, 30) are present on the first ribbon side (11), the ceramic barrier layer (40) or the precursor thereof has a different chemical composition and/or a different texture than the layer (20) arranged on the first ribbon side (11) and directly adjoining the substrate (10). In this precursor, the barrier layer (40) is a layer that delays or prevents ingress of oxygen to the second ribbon side (12) and is composed of conductive ceramic material or a precursor which is converted to such a precursor during the HTS crystallization annealing or the pyrolysis, and the ceramic material is an electrically conductive metal oxide or an electrically conductive mixture of metal oxides, wherein the conductive metal oxide or one or more metal oxides in the conductive mixture is/are preferably metal oxide(s) doped with an extraneous metal.

A superconducting oxide thin film includes a superconducting layer formed on a supporting material. The superconducting layer includes an RE-based superconductor as a main component, and the RE-based superconductor includes a CuO chain that has a Cu vacancy portion.

A superconducting oxide thin film includes a superconducting layer formed on a supporting material. The superconducting layer includes an RE-based superconductor as a main component, and the RE-based superconductor includes a CuO chain that has a Cu vacancy portion.