Superconductivity in technology

Abstract

Physics, especially high energy physics and solid state physics waa the first area in which superconducting magnets were used. The field requirements of large bubble chambers can only be met economically by superconducting magnets, and the control of beams of particles by multipole magnetic fields ma be done more effectively with superconducting field windings. Many solid state phenomena have to be investigated in high magnetic fields, for which superconducting magnets offer many advantages, and are in common use today. Their industrial applications in magnetic separation and also for levitated trains are promising. In the long run, the most extensive application of superconductivity will probably be in energy technology. Superconducting power transmission cables, magnets for energy conversion in superconducting electrical machines, MHD-generators and fusion reactors and magnets for energy storage are being investigated. Magnets for fusion reactors will have particularly large physical dimensions, which means that much development effort is still needed, for there is no economic alternative-these, the magnets for fusion reactors, have got to be superconducting. Superconducting surfaces in radio frequency cavities can give Q-vadues up to a factor of 10⁶ higher than those of conventional resonators. Particle accelerators are the important application. And for telecommunication, simple coaxial superconducting radio frequency cables seem promising. The tunnel effect in superconducting junctions is now being developed commercially for sensitive magnetometers and may soon possibly feature in the memory cells of computer devices. Hence superconductivity can play an important role in the technological world, solving physical and technological problems and showing economic advantages as compared with possible conventional techniques, bearing also in mind the importance of reliability and safety.