Nb3Al AND Nb3(Al,Ge) SUPERCONDUCTING TAPES BY LASER BEAM ANNEALING

Nb₃Al AND Nb₃(Al,Ge) tapes with excellent superconducting properties have been fabricated using high energy density laser beam irradiation, irradiations were carried out continuously on Nb-25at%AI and Nb-20at%Al -5at%Ge tapes prepared by powder metallurgical processing. With the high power density and short irradiation time, the tape could be heated and cooled much faster than a tape heat treated by conventional methods. The results were fine structure and large critical current density J_c values at high magnetic fields. J_c at 23 Tesla was over 10⁴ A/cm². This value was much greater than that obtained from a commercial Nb₃Sn superconductor. New continuous irradiation systems have been developed for scale-up development. Nb₃Al tapes 10 m in length were successfully fabricated. There was some scatter in J_c along the tape length. Small coil tests in magnetic fields indicated that the tape had excellent stability against a flux jump and mechanical strain.