Electric currents in REBaCuO superconducting tapes

Magnetic induction and current transport techniques were employed to test the electromagnetic performance of 22 samples of superconducting REBaCuO tapes of several manufacturers with the aim to select the best candidates for wiring new generation superconducting magnets for fusion reactors. An extraordinary shape of pinning force density as a function of magnetic field was observed in 'advanced pinning, AP' SuperPower tapes. The induced currents enabled us to classify the tapes and show the best ones, at low temperatures and high magnetic fields on the one hand and at high temperatures and low magnetic fields on the other hand. Transport current experiments confirmed the results. Moreover, they provided information on current anisotropy, which appeared to be specific for each tape type. The present results formed a basis for the ongoing study of neutron irradiation impact on the tapes' properties. The first experiment showed that neutron irradiation by the fluence of 2.1 E22 m−2 either enhances, reduces, or has no effect on the tape's properties, according to the tape pinning structure.