Oxford Instruments, a leading provider of high technology tools and systems for industry and research, has entered into a collaboration agreement with the High Field Laboratory (HLD) at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V. (HZDR), Germany, to develop high temperature superconducting (HTS) insert coils for high field magnet systems greater than 25 Tesla.
The collaboration brings these two leading players in high field magnets together. HLD is a member of the European Magnetic Field Laboratory (EMFL) and one of the world-leading high field user facilities; Oxford Instruments is a world leader in the design and supply of both superconducting materials, and high magnetic field and cryogenic environments. The collaboration will cover the design, engineering and testing of HTS test coils using the Bi-2212 HTS round wire supplied by Oxford Superconducting Technology (OST, Carteret, NJ, USA). The Bi-2212 test coils will be integrated into the HLD 19 Tesla large bore magnet with a large magnet bore of 150 mm. This 19 T, 150 mm magnet, operating at 4.2 K, using low temperature superconducting (LTS) materials only, was specifically developed and commissioned by Oxford Instruments in February 2015 to accommodate HTS insert coils targeting high magnet fields of over 25 Tesla, in addition to a wide range of sample configurations for a variety of experiments.
Uniquely, this agreement will allow Oxford Instruments and the High Field Laboratory at Dresden to develop the Bi-2212 HTS technology components required to enable the next generation of research tools needed to probe matter at high fields, and to facilitate materials research and discovery of new materials using all-superconducting magnets. A high field in an all-superconducting magnet will be a major step forward in the high field user capability at international user facilities for experiments in high magnetic fields. Realising these new magnets will remove the infrastructure requirements and costs associated with the typical resistive magnets used to generate magnetic fields greater than 25 Tesla today.
This project will essentially contribute to the development of a new class of high field magnets of great capability for the international science community. All-superconducting magnets for the field range 25 Tesla and beyond will allow for intensifying research on complex matter and stimulate exciting developments in solid-state physics and related disciplines.
Prof. Joachim Wosnitza, Director of the HLD.
We are excited about this alliance between the two organisations working together to develop the next generation of high field magnets, essential for new discoveries in materials and nanotechnology applications. This further confirms Oxford Instruments’ commitment to develop state-of-the-art high field superconducting magnet and cryogenic environments, which will benefit researchers in physical as well as life sciences for years to come.
Dr Ziad Melhem, Alliances Manager at Oxford Instruments’ NanoScience division.
Dr Yibing Huang, HTS Program Manager at Oxford Superconducting Technology (OST) mentioned, “Bi-2212 wire is a high temperature superconductor which has unique characteristics that allow it to be made into a round conductor, along with many other advantages for ultra-high field magnet application. The conductor performance has advanced significantly in recent years through the strong collaboration among US national laboratories and industry. It is very satisfying to see this transition from demonstration material to device application.”