3 DECADES OF SUPERCONDUCTING MAGNET DEVELOPMENT

Superconducting Magnet Technology was born in the early 1960's after t he discovery by Kunzler of the high field properties of new supercondu ctors, (NbSn)-Sn-3 and Nb Zr. The technology advanced vigorously, main ly under the strong incentive of High Energy and Plasma Physics, and s pread out to many areas of Physics and of practical applications. The paper retraces some of the adventurous developments leading to the pre sent state-of-the-art, The new era of high T-c superconductors is stil l in the expectant stage for such applications.