Recent Progress in HTS Bulk Technology and Performance at NSC

AbstractThis paper describes the current status of large single-grained RE-Ba-Cu-O (where RE: Y or rare earth elements) bulk superconductors with excellent superconducting properties in Nippon Steel Corporation. Intensive research on RE-Ba-Cu-O revealed that the optimal RE element is different for application requirements. While Gd-Ba-Cu-O bulk superconductors are greatly attractive for almost all bulk applications, Eu-Ba-Cu-O is suitable for compact NMR/MRI and Dy-Ba-Cu-O for current leads. In addition, single-domain bulk superconductors have been grown up to 150mm in diameter by incorporating the RE compositional gradient method. Furthermore, progress of machining technology enables to obtain various complicated shapes of bulk superconductors