Status of high temperature superconductor based magnets and the conductors they depend upon

TL;DR

This paper reviews the current status, challenges, and technological options for high temperature superconductor-based magnets, focusing on Bi-2212 and YBCO conductors for future high-field applications like colliders.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive review of high temperature superconductor conductors, comparing their advantages and disadvantages for high field magnet development from an engineering perspective.

Findings

Bi-2212 and YBCO are promising high field conductors.

Differences in coil manufacturing and quench behavior are analyzed.

System-level interactions influence conductor and magnet development.

Abstract

This paper reviews the status of high temperature superconductors for high field magnets for future devices such as a high energy LHC or a muon collider. Some of the primary challenges faced for the implementation of systems are discussed. Two conductor technologies, Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+x}$ and YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$, have emerged as high field conductor options, but their relative advantages and disadvantages for high field magnets are quite different. These are reviewed from an engineering perspective, including coil manufacturing, electromechanical behaviour and quench behaviour. Lastly, the important roles of "system pull" upon conductor and magnet technology development, and of interactions between the materials and magnet communities for accelerating development, are discussed.