Fine uniform filament superconductors

Abstract

A multifilamentary superconductor composite having a high fill factor is formed from a plurality of stacked monofilament precursor elements, each of which includes a low density superconductor precursor monofilament. The precursor elements all have substantially the same dimensions and characteristics, and are stacked in a rectilinear configuration and consolidated to provide a multifilamentary precursor composite. The composite is thereafter thermomechanically processed to provide a superconductor composite in which each monofilament is less than about 50 microns thick.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A mulitfilamentary superconductor including a plurality of superconductor monofilaments each of which has in transverse cross-section a width that is at least five (5) times the thickness thereof, the thickness of each of said superconductor monofilaments being less than about 50 microns, said superconductor having a Je of not less than 12,000 A/cm 2  at 77K, 0T; 
 said multifilamentary superconductor formed by processing a multifilamentary high temperature superconductor precursor composite comprising a plurality of precursor elements arranged in horizontal or vertical alignment with each other, each of the elements including an HTS (high temperature superconductor) precursor monofilament, each of the monofilaments having a density in the range of about 30% to about 70% theoretical density, the superconductor precursor composite including fine grain metal components surrounding each of the monofilamentary HTS precursors, and said elements being consolidated.    
     
     
         2 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of  claim 46  wherein said thickness is not more than about 40 microns.  
     
     
         3 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of  claim 46  wherein said superconductor has a fill factor greater than about 30%.  
     
     
         4 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of  claim 48  wherein said fill factor is greater than about 40%.  
     
     
         5 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of  claim 46  wherein the thickness of each of said superconductor monofilaments is less than about 10 microns.  
     
     
         6 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  50  wherein the thickness of each of said superconductor monofilaments is in the range of about 2 to 7 microns.  
     
     
         7 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  51  wherein the thickness of each of said superconductor monofilaments is about 5 microns.  
     
     
         8 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of  claim 46  wherein the height of said superconductor, measured in the same direction as the thicknesses of the superconductor monofilament, is less than 60% of a corresponding height of said multifilamentary superconductor precursor composite.  
     
     
         9 . The multifilamentary superconductor of claim  53  wherein the height of said superconductor is in the range of 5% to 60% of said corresponding height.  
     
     
         10 . A multifilamentary superconductor including a plurality of superconductor monofilaments each of which has in transverse cross-section a width that is at least five (5) times the thickness thereof, the thickness of each of said superconductor monofilaments being less than about 50 microns, said superconductor having a Je of not less than 12,000 A/cm 2  at 77K, 0T; 
 said multifilamentary superconductor formed by processing a multifilamentary high temperature superconductor precursor composite comprising a plurality of precursor elements arranged in horizontal or vertical alignment with each other, each of the elements including an HTS (high temperature superconductor) precursor monofilament surrounded by fine grain metal components, each of the monofilaments having in transverse cross section a width that is greater than the thickness thereof and the thickness thereof being not more than about  50  microns.    
     
     
         11 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  55  wherein said thickness is not more than about 40 microns.  
     
     
         12 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  55  wherein said superconductor has a fill factor greater than about 30%.  
     
     
         13 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  57  wherein said fill factor is greater than about 40.  
     
     
         14 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  55  wherein the thickness of each of said superconductor monofilaments is less than about 10 microns.  
     
     
         15 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  59  wherein the thickness of each of said superconductor monofilaments is in the range of about 2 to 7 microns.  
     
     
         16 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  60  wherein the thickness of each of said superconductor monofilaments is about 5 microns.  
     
     
         17 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  55  wherein the height of said superconductor, measured in the same direction as the thicknesses of the superconductor monofilament, is less than 60% of a corresponding height of said multifilamentary superconductor precursor composite.  
     
     
         18 . The multifilamentary superconductor of claim  62  wherein the height of said superconductor is in the range of 5% to 60% of said corresponding height.  
     
     
         19 . A multifilamentary superconductor having a Je of not less than 12,000 A/cm 2  at 77K, 0T; 
 the multifilamentary superconductor formed by processing a multifilamentary high temperature superconductor precursor composite comprising a plurality of precursor elements arranged in horizontal or vertical alignment with each other, each of the elements including an HTS (high temperature superconductor) precursor monofilament, each of the monofilaments having a density in the range of about 30% to about 70% theoretical density, the superconductor precursor composite including fine grain metal components surrounding each of the monofilamentary HTS precursors, and said elements being consolidated.    
     
     
         20 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  64  wherein said thickness is not more than about 40 microns.  
     
     
         21 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  64  wherein said superconductor has a fill factor greater than about 30%.  
     
     
         22 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  66  wherein said fill factor is greater than about 40%.  
     
     
         23 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  64  wherein the thickness of each of said superconductor monofilaments is less than about 10 microns.  
     
     
         24 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  68  wherein the thickness of each of said superconductor monofilaments is in the range of about 2 to 7 microns.  
     
     
         25 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  69  wherein the thickness of each of said superconductor monofilaments is about 5 microns.  
     
     
         26 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  64  wherein the height of said superconductor, measured in the same direction as the thicknesses of the superconductor monofilament, is less than 60% of a corresponding height of said multifilamentary superconductor precursor composite.  
     
     
         27 . The multifilamentary superconductor of claim  71  wherein the height of said superconductor is in the range of 5% to 60% of said corresponding height.  
     
     
         28 . A multifilamentary superconductor having a Je of not less than 12,000 A/cm 2  at 77K, 0 T; 
 the multifilamentary superconductor formed by processing a multifilamentary high temperature superconductor precursor composite comprising a plurality of precursor elements arranged in horizontal or vertical alignment with each other, each of the elements including an HTS (high temperature superconductor) precursor monofilament surrounded by fine grain metal components, each of the monofilaments having in transverse cross section a width that is greater than the thickness thereof and the thickness thereof being not more than about 50 microns.    
     
     
         29 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  73  wherein said thickness is not more than about 40 microns.  
     
     
         30 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  73  wherein said superconductor has a fill factor greater than about 30%.  
     
     
         31 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  75  wherein said fill factor is greater than about 40%.  
     
     
         32 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  73  wherein the thickness of each of said superconductor monofilaments is less than about 10 microns.  
     
     
         33 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  77  wherein the thickness of each of said superconductor monofilaments is in the range of about 2 to 7 microns.  
     
     
         34 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  78  wherein the thickness of each of said superconductor monofilaments is about 5 microns.  
     
     
         35 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  73  wherein the height of said superconductor, measured in the same direction as the thicknesses of the superconductor monofilament, is less than 60% of a corresponding height of said multifilamentary superconductor precursor composite.  
     
     
         36 . The multifilamentary superconductor of claim  80  wherein the height of said superconductor is in the range of 5% to 60% of said corresponding height.  
     
     
         37 . A mulitfilamentary superconductor including a plurality of superconductor monofilaments each of which has in transverse cross-section a width that is at least five (5) times the thickness thereof, the thickness of each of said superconductor monofilaments being less than about 50 microns, said superconductor having a Je of not less than 12,000 A/cm 2  at 77K, 0T.  
     
     
         38 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  82  wherein said thickness is not more than about 40 microns.  
     
     
         39 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  82  wherein said superconductor has a fill factor greater than about 30%.  
     
     
         40 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  84  wherein said fill factor is greater than about 40%.  
     
     
         41 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  82  wherein the thickness of each of said superconductor monofilaments is less than about 10 microns.  
     
     
         42 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  86  wherein the thickness of each of said superconductor monofilaments is in the range of about 2 to 7 microns.  
     
     
         43 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  82  wherein the thickness of each of said superconductor monofilaments is about 5 microns.  
     
     
         44 . The mulitfilamentary superconductor of claim  82  wherein the height of said superconductor, measured in the same direction as the thicknesses of the superconductor monofilament, is less than 60% of a corresponding height of said multifilamentary superconductor precursor composite.  
     
     
         45 . The multifilamentary superconductor of claim  89  wherein the height of said superconductor is in the range of 5% to 60% of said corresponding height.