Rare earth barium copper oxide magnet coils and methods

1. A coil for a superconducting magnet consisting of:

a rare earth barium copper oxide (REBCO) superconducting tape; and

a thin resistive layer of copper oxide, Cr, Ni, or Ni—P substantially coated onto the REBCO superconducting tape,

wherein the coated REBCO superconducting tape is wound into a coil.

2. The coil of claim 1 , wherein the thin resistive layer is about 1 μm thick.

3. The coil of claim 1 , wherein the coated REBCO superconducting tape has a turn-to-turn contact resistivity (R c ) that is at least 10 times higher than that of a REBCO superconducting tape without a thin resistive layer of copper oxide, Cr, Ni, or Ni—P.

4. The coil of claim 1 , wherein the coated REBCO superconducting tape has a turn-to-turn contact resistivity (R c ) that is at least 100 times higher than that of a REBCO superconducting tape without a thin resistive layer of copper oxide, Cr, Ni, or Ni—P.

5. The coil of claim 1 , wherein the coated REBCO superconducting tape has a turn-to-turn contact resistivity (R c ) that is at least 1,000 times higher than that of a REBCO superconducting tape without a thin resistive layer of copper oxide, Cr, Ni, or Ni—P.

6. The coil of claim 1 , wherein the thin resistive layer comprises copper oxide.

7. The coil of claim 1 , wherein the thin resistive layer of copper oxide, Cr, Ni, or Ni—P is substantially coated onto the REBCO superconducting tape by a plating process or by a physical vapor deposition process.

8. A coil for a superconducting magnet consisting of:

at least two REBCO superconducting tapes; and

a stainless steel tape interlayer disposed between the at least two REBCO superconducting tapes,

wherein the stainless steel tape comprises a plating layer of nickel or copper, and

wherein the at least two REBCO superconducting tapes together with the stainless steel tape interlayer are wound into a coil.

9. The coil of claim 8 , wherein the stainless steel tape is 50 μm thick.

10. The coil of claim 8 , wherein the plating layer is 1 μm thick.

11. The coil of claim 8 , wherein the two REBCO superconducting tapes with the interlayer have a turn-to-turn contact resistivity (R c ) that is at least 10 times higher than that of REBCO superconducting tapes without a stainless steel tape interlayer.

12. The coil of claim 8 , wherein the two REBCO superconducting tapes with the interlayer have a turn-to-turn contact resistivity (R c ) that is at least 100 times higher than that of REBCO superconducting tapes without a stainless steel tape interlayer.

13. The coil of claim 8 , wherein the two REBCO superconducting tapes with the interlayer have a turn-to-turn contact resistivity (R c ) that is at least 10 times lower than that of REBCO superconducting tapes without nickel or copper plating on a stainless steel tape interlayer.

14. The coil of claim 8 , wherein the two REBCO superconducting tapes with the interlayer have a turn-to-turn contact resistivity (R c ) that is at least 100 times lower than that of a REBCO superconducting tapes without nickel or copper plating on a stainless steel tape interlayer.

15. A method of making a coil for a superconducting magnet, the method consisting of:

providing a REBCO superconducting tape;

forming a thin resistive layer of copper oxide, Cr, Ni, or Ni—P substantially coating the REBCO superconducting tape; and then

winding the coated REBCO tape into a coil.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the thin resistive layer is formed on the REBCO superconducting tape by a plating process or by a physical vapor deposition process.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the thin resistive layer is formed on the REBCO superconducting tape by a plating process in which the REBCO superconducting tape is contacted with an electrolyte solution selected from an Ebonol C solution, a Caswell nickel solution, a Caswell nickel-phosphorous solution, a Cr 2 O 3 and H 2 SO 4 aqueous solution, and a CuSO 4 aqueous solution.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the thin resistive layer of copper oxide, Cr, Ni, or Ni—P is about 1 μm thick.

19. A method of making a coil for a superconducting magnet, the method consisting of:

plating a stainless steel tape with nickel or copper to form a plated stainless steel tape;

positioning the plated stainless steel tape between two REBCO superconducting tapes; and

winding the two REBCO superconducting tapes and the stainless steel tape into a coil with no additional insulation disposed between the two REBCO superconducting tapes or between a REBCO superconducting tape and the plated stainless steel tape.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein plating the stainless steel tape comprises an electroplating process.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the stainless steel tape is about 50 μm thick.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the nickel or copper plating is about 1 μm thick.

23. A superconducting magnet comprising two or more of the coils according to claim 1 .

24. A superconducting magnet comprising two or more of the coils according to claim 8 .

25. A coil for a superconducting magnet consisting of:

a rare earth barium copper oxide (REBCO) superconducting tape;

a thin resistive layer of copper oxide, Cr, Ni, or Ni—P substantially coated onto the REBCO superconducting tape; and

a stainless steel layer attached to the REBCO superconducting tape,

wherein the coated REBCO superconducting tape is wound into a coil.

26. The coil of claim 25 , wherein the coated REBCO superconducting tape has a turn-to-turn contact resistivity (R c ) that is at least 10 times higher than that of a REBCO superconducting tape without a thin resistive layer of copper oxide, Cr, Ni, or Ni—P.