Superconducting Accelerator Magnets

TL;DR

This paper provides an overview of superconducting magnet technology for accelerators, covering materials, design, fabrication, and challenges, with examples from PSI and CERN.

Contribution

It offers a comprehensive introduction to superconducting accelerator magnets, highlighting recent developments and practical challenges in the field.

Findings

Superconducting magnets enable higher performance than copper magnets.

Flux pinning and quench behavior are critical challenges addressed in design.

Examples from PSI and CERN illustrate real-world applications.

Abstract

This course introduces key aspects of superconducting magnet technology in accelerators: basic principles, superconducting materials (NbTi, Nb$_3$Sn, ReBCO), wire and cable architectures, and fabrication methods. Compared to copper or permanent magnets, superconducting systems require cryogenics and complex protection schemes but enable superior performance. Core challenges - like flux pinning, magnetization effects, quench behavior, mechanical forces interception, power tests and magnetic measurements - are addressed through examples of magnets from PSI and CERN.