A method for manufacturing a superconductor is described. A metal assembly precursor can be formed within a hollow copper support element. Forming the metal assembly precursor within a hollow copper support element by positioning a plurality of conductor elements about a core including Sn to provide a first plurality of inner interstitial spaces between the plurality of conductor elements between the core and conductor elements and a second plurality of outer interstitial spaces between the hollow copper support element and the core, the plurality of conductor elements including unreacted Nb. The metal assembly precursor can be reduced via cold drawing to produce a reduced metal assembly. The reduced metal assembly can be reaction heat treated so that the unreacted Nb undergoes a phase transformation to a reacted superconductor.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, provided is a method for manufacturing a superconductor including magnesium diboride, the method including: a first mixture preparation step of preparing a first mixture including a boron powder and a liquid chlorinated hydrocarbon compound; a second mixture preparation step of preparing a second mixture including the first mixture and a magnesium powder; a molded body manufacturing step of manufacturing a molded body by pressurizing the second mixture; and a sintering step of sintering the molded body to manufacture a superconductor including magnesium diboride.

Superconductors and processes that form superconductors as composites of electrically polarizable ferroelectric materials and electrically conductive materials. The materials are chosen such that the binding energy of charge carriers within the materials exceeds the repulsive energy of the carriers and the energy carried by thermal vibrations (phonons) within the materials.

Provided are a Sn—Ti alloy powder for a superconducting wire, the Sn—Ti alloy powder making it possible to improve superconducting characteristics by minimizing the size of Sn—Ti particles dispersed in a Sn-based alloy, a method for preparing the same, and a method for manufacturing a superconducting wire using the same, wherein a Sn—Ti alloy is melted to produce a Sn—Ti intermetallic compound having an average particle size of 3 μm or less, and a content of Ti in the entire alloy is 0.5 wt % to 3 wt %, and the method of preparing the Sn—Ti alloy powder for a superconducting wire includes: a Sn—Ti alloy melting step of melting a Sn—Ti alloy or a Sn—Ti alloy processed material; and a Sn—Ti alloy powder formation step of spraying and solidifying a molten Sn—Ti alloy through a nozzle in an inert gas atmosphere.

A subelement (1) for an Nb.sub.3Sn-containing superconductor wire includes an Sn-containing core (2), an inner matrix (5) which includes Cu and surrounds the Sn-containing core (2), a region (7) of mutually abutting Nb-containing rod elements (8, 30), which surrounds the inner matrix (5), where the Nb-containing rod elements (8, 30) are each configured with an Nb-containing core filament (9; 31) and a Cu-containing filament casing (10), an outer matrix (6) which includes Cu and surrounds the region (7) of Nb-containing rod elements (8, 30). The Sn-containing core (2) has a core tube (3) into which an Sn-containing powder (4) has been introduced, the Sn-containing powder (4) being in a compacted state. This provides a subelement for an Nb.sub.3Sn-containing superconductor wire which cost-effectively yields an improved superconducting current carrying capacity.

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 feature assemblies of clad composite filaments and/or stabilized composite filaments embedded within a wire matrix. The wires may include one or more stabilizing elements for improved mechanical properties.

The method is for manufacturing a high temperature multi-filamentary superconducting tape wire having an oxide superconducting layer formed on a tape-shaped metal substrate with an intermediate layer therebetween and a metal stabilizing layer formed on the oxide superconducting layer, wherein one or more lengthwise slits are formed in the oxide superconducting layer and the intermediate layer and no slits are formed in the metal substrate and the stabilizing layer. The method includes: a step for preparing a high temperature superconducting wire material having an oxide superconducting layer formed on a tape-shape metal substrate with an intermediate layer therebetween and a stabilizing layer formed on the oxide superconducting layer; and a step for applying a load to the high temperature superconducting wire material to form slits. The method enables simple manufacturing of a high temperature superconducting wire material having a finer superconducting layer without sacrificing superconducting performance and mechanical strength.

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

A method of fabricating a device, wherein the device comprises a plurality of lengths of material and at least one junction joining two or more of the lengths of material. In a masking phase, a mask is formed on an underlying layer of the device. The mask comprises a plurality of trenches exposing the underlying layer, each trench corresponding to one of the lengths of material. A respective section of two or more of the trenches either (a) narrow down, or (b) are separated by a discontinuity, at a position corresponding to the at least one junction. In a selective area growth phase, material is grown in the set of trenches to form the lengths of material on the underlying layer. The two or more lengths of material are joined at the at least one junction.