Second generation superconducting filaments and cable
A high-temperature superconducting filament and cable, and a method for manufacturing same. The substrate used to grow the superconducting layer is removed, and the exfoliated superconducting layer is coated with a protective layer, and then sliced into narrow strips. The strips are thereafter encapsulated with a conductive metal to provide a high-temperature superconducting filament. The filaments may be bundled together to provide a high-temperature superconducting cable.
1. A method for manufacturing a multi-ply high-temperature superconducting wire from a second generation wire, said second generation wire including a superconducting layer positioned upon a metal substrate, said second generation wire further including a buffer layer positioned between said superconducting layer and said metal substrate, the method comprising the steps of:
a) separating said superconducting layer from said metal substrate to provide an exfoliated superconducting tape, said exfoliated superconducting tape including a superconducting layer in the absence of a buffer layer and a metal substrate;
b) stacking lengths of said exfoliated superconducting tape; and
c) laser slicing said stacked exfoliated superconducting tape into narrow strips to provide said multi-ply high-temperature superconducting wire, said multi-ply high-temperature superconducting wire having multiple superconducting layers.
2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of encapsulating said strips.
3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein said encapsulating step includes the step of encapsulating said strips with an electrically-conductive material.
4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein said encapsulating step includes the step of soldering a metal stabilizer about said strips.
5. The method according to claim 2 , wherein said encapsulating step includes the step of galvanically electroplating a conductive metal about said strips.
6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of bundling a plurality of said multi-ply high-temperature superconducting wires.
7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising the step of twisting said multi-ply high-temperature superconducting wires.
8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of positioning a metal stabilizer layer between adjacent strips.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said separating step includes the step of rapidly heating the substrate with an inductive coil.
10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said separating step includes the step of deforming said second generation wire.
11. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of coating said superconducting layer of said exfoliated superconducting tape with a protective layer prior to said slicing step, and wherein said protective layer is silver, and said protective layer is deposited by magnetron sputtering.