INTERLABORATORY COMPARISON ON HIGH-TEMPERATURE SUPERCONDUCTOR CRITICAL-CURRENT MEASUREMENTS

An extensive interlaboratory comparison was conducted on high temperat ure superconductor (HTS) critical-current measurements. This study was part of an international cooperative effort through the Versailles Pr oject on Advanced Materials and Standards (VAMAS). The study involved six U.S, laboratories that are recognized leaders in the field of HTS. This paper includes the complete results from this comparison of crit ical-current measurements on Ag-sheathed Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10-x (2223) tape s. The effects of sample characteristics, specimen mounting, measureme nt technique, and specimen damage were studied. The future development of standard HTS measurement method is also discussed. Most of the evo lution of this emerging technology has occurred in improvement of the performance of the conductors. The successful completion of this inter laboratory comparison is an important milestone in the evolution of HT S technology and marks a level of maturity that the technology has rea ched.