Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Ronald De Rocher

Alexander Zhukovsky

John E Williams

A superconducting joint includes a niobium-tin superconducting composite member, a niobium-tin superconducting wire diffusion bonded to the superconducting composite, a spacer diffusion bonded to the superconducting wire, a support diffusion bonded to the spacer and a superconducting member in electrical contact with the superconducting composite. According to the method of the invention, a wire comprising unreacted niobium and tin is machined to form a tapered end having a first tapered surface exposing the wire interior and an opposing surface. A complementary spacer having the taper substantially similar to that of the wire is assembled with the wire so that the tapered wire and the tapered spacer in surface contact with one another such that the spacer occupies the area of the wire removed by machining and the exposed tapered surface remains still exposed. The wire/spacer assembly are positioned between a support plate and a composite member comprising unreacted niobium and tin such that the spacer is in surface contact with the support plate and the wire is in surface contact with the composite member thereby forming an assembled joint. Transverse pressure is applied to the assembled joint and the assembled joint is heated to form a superconducting phase and to diffusion bond the component elements of the assembled joint to one another. Lastly, a superconducting member is brought into electrical contact with an exposed face of the superconducting composite member.

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Gloucester, MA, United States of America

Ronald De Rocher