Van Duzer Prize Award

Superconducting qubits are sensitive to a variety of loss mechanisms including dielectric loss from interfaces. By changing the physical footprint of the qubit, it is possible to modulate sensitivity to surface loss. Here, we show a systematic study of planar superconducting transmons of differing physical footprints to optimize the qubit design for maximum coherence. We find that qubits with small footprints are limited by surface loss and that qubits with large footprints are limited by other loss mechanisms, which are currently not understood.

Brittle fracture of Nb₃Sn filaments is one mechanism by which the current-carrying capacity of composite Nb₃Sn wires is degraded. However, there are relatively little data in the literature on the intrinsic material fracture properties of Nb₃Sn filaments, because the complex composite structure (matrix, secondary phases, and defects such as voids) acts as an integrated mechanical unit. In this study, we extracted individual Nb₃Sn filaments from a fusion-style Nb₃Sn composite wire and conducted tensile testing to determine the fracture strength distribution of the isolated filaments. The distribution is modeled using a Weibull function. The relative fracture propensity of fully reacted filaments versus those with unreacted Nb cores is compared. The presence of a Nb core reduces, on average, the fracture strength of a filament by 38% and the strain to failure by 29%. Understanding the fracture probability of Nb₃Sn as a function of both stress and volume will allow strand and conductor modeling efforts to more accurately represent the relative contributions of fracture and other effects (such as plasticity) to irreversible current density degradation, and may assist wire manufacturers in assessing the mechanical impact of wire design changes.

A quantum-accurate waveform with an rms output amplitude of 1 V has been synthesized for the first time. This fourfold increase in voltage over previous systems was achieved through developments and improvements in bias electronics, pulse-bias techniques, Josephson junction array circuit fabrication, and packaging. A recently described ac-coupled bipolar pulse-bias technique was used to bias a superconducting integrated circuit with 25 600 junctions, which are equally divided into four series-connected arrays, into the second quantum state. We describe these advancements and present the measured 1 V spectra for 2 Hz and 10 Hz sine waves that remained quantized over a 0.4 mA current range. We also demonstrate a 2 kHz sine wave produced with another bias technique that requires no compensation current and remains quantized at an rms voltage of 128 mV over a 1 mA current range. Increasing the clock frequency to 19 GHz also allowed us to achieve a maximum rms output voltage for a single array of 330 mV.

Numerical modeling of superconductors is widely recognized as a powerful tool for interpreting experimental results, understanding physical mechanisms, and predicting the performance of high-temperature-superconductor (HTS) tapes, wires, and devices. This is particularly true for ac loss calculation since a sufficiently low ac loss value is imperative to make these materials attractive for commercialization. In recent years, a large variety of numerical models, which are based on different techniques and implementations, has been proposed by researchers around the world, with the purpose of being able to estimate ac losses in HTSs quickly and accurately. This paper presents a literature review of the methods for computing ac losses in HTS tapes, wires, and devices. Technical superconductors have a relatively complex geometry (filaments, which might be twisted or transposed, or layers) and consist of different materials. As a result, different loss contributions exist. In this paper, we describe the ways of computing such loss contributions, which include hysteresis losses, eddy-current losses, coupling losses, and losses in ferromagnetic materials. We also provide an estimation of the losses occurring in a variety of power applications.

The significant amount of energy stored in a large high-field superconducting magnet can be sufficient to destroy the coil in the event of an unprotected quench. For magnets based on high-temperature superconductors (HTSs), such as Bi2Sr2CaCu2Ox (Bi2212) and YBa2Cu3O7−x (YBCO), quench protection is particularly challenging due to slow normal zone propagation. A previous computational study showed that the quench behavior of HTS magnets is significantly improved if the turn-to-turn electrical insulation is thermally conducting, enhancing 3-D normal zone propagation. Here, a new doped-titania electrical insulation with high thermal conductivity is evaluated. The thermal conductivity of the insulation is measured at cryogenic temperatures, and its chemical compatibility with Bi2212 round wires is determined. Thin layers of the insulation are deposited onto the surface of Bi2212 and YBCO wires, which are then wound into small coils to study the quench behavior. Results show that the critical current and homogeneity of Bi2212 coils are improved relative to coils reacted with mullite insulation. Relative to similar coils with conventional insulation (mullite for Bi2212 and Kapton for YBCO), the turn-to-turn quench propagation is increased by a factor of 2.8 in Bi2212 coils at 4.2 K and self-field and by a factor of 2.5 in YBCO coils at 4.2 K and 5 T. These results indicate that doped-titania insulation may significantly improve Bi2212 and YBCO coils. Increased normal zone propagation velocity enhances quench detection and quench protection, and the thinness of the insulation relative to the most common alternatives increases the magnet winding pack current density and reduces the coil specific heat.

The uniaxial pressure dependence of the critical temperature causes a reversible effect of strain on the critical current density and the flux pinning strength in many high-temperature superconductors. Recent experiments on patterned coated conductor bridges have shown that the anisotropic nature of the pressure dependence of the critical temperature of rare earth (RE)-Ba2Cu3O7−δ (REBCO) has a major impact on the performance of coated conductors under strain. The strain effect on the critical current density is most prominent when the strain is along the [100] and [010] directions of the superconducting film, whereas it almost completely disappears when the strain is along [110]. In this paper, we investigate the correlation between the uniaxialpressure dependence of the critical temperature and the reversible strain effect on flux pinning in REBCO coated conductors. We show that axial strain has a large effect on the irreversibility field and the pinning force in coated conductors when the [100] and [010] directions of the superconducting film are aligned along the conductor axis. The magnitude of the strain effect in these conductors largely depends on the angle at which the magnetic field is applied. On the other hand, the critical temperature is not expected to change with the axial strain in coated conductors when the [110] direction is aligned along the conductor axis. Indeed, the irreversibility field and the magnetic field dependence of the pinning force of these conductors are almost independent of the axial strain for all angles at which the magnetic field is applied. The minor strain dependence of the critical current measured in these conductors could be caused by the average in-plane grain misalignment of between 6◦ and 8◦, which causes a slight variation in the strain alignment with the axes of the superconducting film. The results confirm that the reversible strain effect in REBCO coated conductors is largely determined by the uniaxial pressure dependence of the critical temperature.

Quench detection and protection in REBa2Cu3O7−δ (REBCO) coated conductor (CC)-based superconducting magnets is difficult due to slow normal zone propagation velocity and the multilayer composite architecture of the conductor. To design effective quench detection and protection methods, it is essential to know the electrical, thermal, and structural behavior during the quench at multiple length scales ranging from the micrometer scale within the layers of the conductor to the macroscopic behavior of the coil. Here, a hierarchical multiscale approach is used to develop a modular 3-D electro–magneto–thermal coil quench model. The model uses an accurate experimentally validated micrometer-scale REBCO CC model as the basic building block. The CC model is embedded within a homogenized coil framework at one or more locations in the form of multilayer tape modules. This multiscale approach makes possible the studies of quench behavior at the micrometer scale within a tape at any location of interest within a coil without requiring a computationally extensive model of the entire coil. This approach also enables the building of more complicated models by hierarchically integrating smaller modular blocks with the same repeatable modeling techniques. Here, the development of the electro–magneto–thermal coil quench model is first presented, followed by its experimental validation. Simulation results and their implications for coil reliability and quench detection and protection are then discussed.

Two series/parallel arrays of ten cold-electron bolometers with superconductor–insulator–normal tunnel junctions were integrated in orthogonal ports of a cross-slot antenna. To increase the dynamic range of the receiver, all single bolometers in an array are connected in parallel for the microwave signal by capacitive coupling. To increase the output response, bolometers are connected in series for dc bias. With the measured voltage-to-temperature response of 8.8 µV/mK, absorber volume of 0.08 µm3, and output noise of about 10 nV/Hz1/2, we estimated the dark electrical noise equivalent power (NEP) as NEP = 6 ∗ 10−18 W/Hz1/2. The optical response down to NEP = 2 ∗ 10−17 W/Hz1/2 was measured using a hot/cold load as a radiation source and a sample temperature down to 100 mK. The fluctuation sensitivity to the radiation source temperature is 1.3 ∗ 10−4 K/Hz1/2. A dynamic range over 43 dB was measured using a backward-wave oscillator, a variable polarization grid attenuator, and cold filters/attenuators.

Adelwitz Technologiezentrum (ATZ) and L-3 Communications Magnet Motor (L-3 MM) are currently mounting a compact-designed flywheel energy storage system (FESS) with total magnetic bearing support. Final assembly and test operation were performed during 2008–2009. After calculations and experiments, we decided to improve rotor stabilization by stiffer geometry. In addition, two dynamical emergency bearings contribute to robust and safe flywheel operation in critical revolutionper-minute situations. A planned energy capacity of 5 kWh is now obtained at about 8000 r/min, whereas an increased capacity of 10 kWh will be stored at a speed of 10 000 r/min. The total weight of the flywheel unit is about 1200 kg plus power electronics and cooling system. The heavier 600-kg rotor causes new design and construction work in mechanical elements, magnetic support bearings, cooling, and power electronics. Due to the here reported construction changes and increased rotor speed, scaling to even larger energy storage performance of 15–20 kWh seems achievable. ATZ and L-3 MM obtained a corresponding order to develop and deliver a 15-kWh/400-kW high-temperature-superconducting FESS for a Korean local grid UPS application.

We present the results of a stabilization scheme for terahertz receivers based on NbN hot-electron bolometer (HEB) mixers that uses microwave radiation with a frequency much lower than the gap frequency of NbN to compensate for mixer current fluctuations. A feedback control loop, which actively controls the power level of the injected microwave radiation, has successfully been implemented to stabilize the operating point of the HEB mixer. This allows us to increase the receiver Allan time to 10 s and also improve the temperature resolution of the receiver by about 30% in the total power mode of operation.