Superconducting magnets enable energy-frontier accelerators by generating strong magnetic fields to steer and focus the particles. Although high-temperature superconductors such as REBa_{2}Cu_{3}O_{x} (rebco, RE = rare earth) hold a strong potential for generating a higher magnetic field than Nb-Ti and Nb_{3}Sn, the associated magnet and conductor technology for accelerator applications is still in its infancy. The U.S. Magnet Development Program is developing rebco magnet technology in collaboration with industry. Here we report an experiment of making a dipole magnet called C3 using commercial high-temperature superconducting corc® wires. The magnet, following a canted cosθ design, generated a dipole field of 5.99 T at 4.2 K in its clear aperture of 65 mm at 6.795 kA when a resistive voltage of 105 μV appeared across one of the coils in the magnet. The stored energy was 53 kJ at the peak field. The magnet showed no degradation in the current-carrying capability at 4.2 K after the thermal cycle. We report on the detailed design, fabrication, and performance of the C3 magnet that can be of interest to potential users of this emerging technology. We also discuss issues and research needs to inform future rebco magnet development. The experiment represented another step to addressing if the high-temperature superconducting accelerator magnet technology can increase the discovery capability of future particle accelerators.

REBCO coated conductors have a strong potential for high-field magnet applications. The rebco technology, however, is still in its infancy for accelerator magnet applications. As part of the U.S. Magnet Development Program, we developed a six-layer canted cos theta dipole magnet, C3a, using corc wires developed by Advanced Conductor Technologies LLC. All the layers were wound using a semiautomated winding machine. Three layers of the magnet used corc wires containing the SuperPower "AP" rebco tapes and the remaining layers used the wires containing the "HM" tapes. At 77 K, both kinds of corc wires showed 5% to 10% degradation, after bending to a minimum bend radius of 30 or 35 mm, with respect to the self-field critical current measured before winding. At 4.2 K, the magnet reached 9.5 kA at a ramp rate of 9 A s(-1) and generated a dipole field of 1.4 T. The critical current of one layer degraded by 4% after a current transient up to 10.5 kA ramped in an averaged rate of 175 kA s(-1) or 20 T s(-1). We confirmed the HM corc wire can carry a higher current than the AP corc wire at 4.2 K. The test results of the C3a magnet showed that the fabrication and assembly procedure can be used for the upcoming full-scale C3 magnet.

One of the ongoing development challenges with ReBCO high-temperature superconducting (HTS) cables is normal zone initiation and local heating, which is associated with over-critical current flowing through and around local performance reductions in individual tapes. Although inter-tape contact resistances are well-reported for individual tapes and HTS cables, these measurements are a challenge in CORC (R) cables as current percolates through much of the cable. In this work, developments in tape-in-tape-out (TITO) automated individual tape powering experiments are presented, and a simplified modeling approach for current percolation in CORC (R) cables is developed. An optimization is formulated to fit the model parameters to a large set of TITO experiments on a single cable, allowing the layer-dependent inter-tape contact resistance to be extracted. Measurements are presented and discussed for a straight CORC (R) cable and a cable bent to a 152 mm and 76 mm radius. The approach provides both quantitative insight and facilitates better understanding of current sharing phenomena in HTS cables.

REBCO coated conductors have a strong potential for high-field magnet applications. The REBCO technology, however, is still in its infancy for accelerator magnet applications. As part of the U.S. Magnet Development Program (MDP), we developed a six-layer canted $\cos \theta$ dipole magnet, C3a, using CORC® wires developed by Advanced Conductor Technologies LLC. All the layers were wound using a semi-automated winding machine. Three layers of the magnet used CORC® wires containing the SuperPower “AP” REBCO tapes and the remaining layers used the wires containing the “HM” tapes. At 77 K, both kinds of CORC® wires showed 5% to 10% degradation, after bending to a minimum bend radius of 30 or 35 mm, with respect to the self-field critical current measured before winding. At 4.2 K, the magnet reached 9.5 kA at a ramp rate of 9 A s$^{-1}$ and generated a dipole field of 1.4 T. The critical current of one layer degraded by 4% after a current transient up to 10.5 kA ramped in an averaged rate of 175 kA s$^{-1}$ or 20 T s$^{-1}$. We confirmed the HM CORC® wire can carry a higher current than the AP CORC® wire at 4.2 K. The test results of the C3a magnet showed that the fabrication and assembly procedure can be used for the upcoming full-scale C3 magnet.

This manuscript presents the design, fabrication, and operation of high temperature superconducting conductor on round core (CORC (R)) wires utilizing variable critical current REBCO tapes that contain occasional dropouts of critical current (I-c). Performance evaluations conducted at temperatures ranging from 25 K to 77 K demonstrated comparable superconducting characteristics between CORC (R) wires with and without intrinsic variations in I-c within the REBCO tapes. This is a clear indication that the high level of current sharing between tapes in CORC (R) wires allows current to bypass local defects. A 70 mm bore, 4-layer CORC (R) solenoid in which 25 m of CORC (R) wire was wound into 81.5 turns, generated a peak magnetic field of 4.6 T at an I-c of 4460 A at 25 K. The I-c of the solenoid corresponds closely with the sum of the expected average tape I-c, not its minimum I-c driven by the tape dropouts. Experimental results confirmed stable dissipative operation at 4021 A (87% I-c) continuous current with minimal power losses, highlighting the feasibility of manufacturing longer-length CORC (R) conductors from tapes with significant local dropouts for superconductor applications including fusion, accelerators, power transmission, and rotating machinery.

The US Physics community completed the Snowmass planning process in 2022, culminating in the HEPAP Particle Physics Project Prioritization Panel (P5) publishing its summary report at the end of 2023. Building on this, the US Magnet Development Program, a national accelerator magnet R D program established by DOE-OHEP in 2016, has updated its strategic plan to align with the 2023 P5 report, resulting in this roadmap document.

High-temperature superconductors, such as REBa2Cu3O7-x (REBCO, RE = rare earth), are becoming pivotal for high-field magnet technology for future circular colliders and compact fusion reactors. The U.S. Magnet Development Program, in collaboration with industry, is developing REBCO magnet technology using round conductors consisting of multiple REBCO tapes. For these multi-tape cables, traditional instrumentation, such as voltage taps and resistive strain gauges, become insufficient to help measure and understand the performance-limiting factors in these model magnets. Distributed fiber-optic sensing (DFOS) is a potential solution to address this challenge. Although DFOS is well established for various applications, measuring temperature and strain in high-temperature superconducting magnets is in its infancy. Here we report the detailed implementation and test results of DFOS based on Rayleigh scattering in a subscale canted cos theta (CCT) dipole magnet using high-temperature superconducting CORC (R) wires. We co-wound optical fibers in each layer of the CCT magnet and compared different types of commercial fibers and mold-release agents to reduce the power attenuation in the fibers. The DFOS allowed us to measure mechanical deformation and temperature along the conductor during tests at 77 and 4.2 K. The measured strain agreed quantitively with a finite-element mechanical model of the subscale magnet. Our results indicate that DFOS can effectively identify locations of strain and temperature changes, offering unique insight into magnet performance that can advance our understanding and development of the REBCO magnet technology for high-energy physics and fusion applications.

Stress managed magnet designs allow to limit the strain and stresses applied to the conductor during assembly and operation. In canted cos(θ) (CCT) designs, the conductor is wound around a mandrel: the impregnation process creates a bonding between the two, that can fail during magnet powering. The energy releases due to debonding are considered a potential cause of training quenches. In this study, we investigate these events modeling the mandrel-conductor interfaces by means of cohesive zone material models. The material properties were calibrated by means of measurements performed on representative interfaces, and the models were validated comparing the results with strain gauge measurements. A thermal model was used to compute the local temperature increase in the strands as a function of the energy released by debonding and frictional sliding across the newly formed interfaces. The result was then used to define a quench condition for the model, allowing to simulate the full training process of the CCT magnet. The obtained training curve is in reasonable agreement with the experimental results.

Impregnation plays a crucial role in the performance and protection of superconducting magnets. To investigate the impregnation status during quench training, a vector network analyzer (VNA)-based time domain reflectometry (TDR) is introduced. The proposed method and analyses focus on demonstrating their applicability within canted-cosine-theta (CCT) magnets, covering both artificially induced quenches using spot heaters and naturally occurring quenches. To verify the performance of the proposed method, VNA-based TDR is applied to CCT Subscale magnets developed in the US Magnet Development Program. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of CCT superconducting magnet behavior and inform strategies for improving their performance.

In this paper, we consider the advantages of an alternative design concept for HTS accelerator magnets operating at 20 K or above. The idea is primarily built on using REBCO tape as the main conductor, but may be applicable to other HTS. The key concepts are to align REBCO tapes in the most favourable field orientation and to make joints for every turn such that the tapes will not have to be wound over the saddle ends. We argue that such a concept involving resistive joints is viable at 20 K or above due to an increased cryogenic efficiency, and has multiple advantages that would more than compensate for the resistive heating cost penalty. First, the favourable tape orientation can allow a much higher current carrying capability. Second, the short unit length of tapes equal to the length of the magnet will be much more economical and can be specified at a higher performance than a long continuous piece equal to the number of turns multiplied by the length of the magnet. Third, any defective conductor can be replaced easily and at a much lower cost than an entire coil. Fourth, with each tape separately sourced and connected, efficient grading with stress management can be achieved. Fifth, the straight section of the magnet would be modular and easily scalable for production in industry. Correspondingly, the most challenging part is the end cap design and joint technology, whose geometrical constraints are well within national laboratories’ capabilities, making the R&D and prototyping phases much more affordable, with a turnover time much quicker than testing full size magnets. Additional attractive potentials include conductor development (e.g., double-sided extra thick REBCO), novel diagnostics (e.g., individual tape quench detection and protection), synergy with fusion devices research (e.g., demountable joints), and other possibilities.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is pursuing stress-managed Nb3Sn Canted-Cosine-Theta (CCT) magnet technology for high field accelerator magnets. Although promising results have been reported, improvements in the training performance are desired. This work describes the fabrication and testing campaigns of two subscale Nb3Sn CCT magnets; a baseline impregnated with National High Magnetic Field Laboratory Mix-61 and a magnet impregnated with paraffin wax. The paraffin magnet reached the short sample limit of the conductor, to within the measurement uncertainty, with no training quenches inside the magnet. In contrast, the baseline magnet reached 80% of the short sample limit after approximately 20 quenches and exhibits some loss of memory after thermal cycles. Inter-layer flexible quench antennas combined with voltage tap data show that all quenches appear identical and originate from a region corresponding to the location of peak field in the cable. Although this success should be replicated at higher fields, these first test results demonstrate the potential for training free Nb3Sn accelerator magnets operating near the short-sample limit.

Operation of high-field superconducting magnets relies on diagnostic instrumentation for measuring strain, temperature, and magnetic field variations, detecting quenching, and identifying performance problems. Discrete sensor implementation is costly, requires multi-channel data acquisition systems, and sensor density is often insufficient to resolve problematic locations spatially. Distributed sensing is a viable alternative approach providing location-specific diagnostic information over single terminal output. In particular, it can be the key to quench protection of high-temperature superconductor (HTS)-based magnets where hot spots are known to form and persist before a quench. Fiber-optic technology offers distributed sensing solution for magnets but suffers from drawbacks such as fiber fragility, high costs of optical interrogators, and difficulty in differentiating between physical quantities such as temperature and strain. We propose an alternative, robust, and easily integrable way of implementing distributed sensing in magnets using radio-frequency (RF) technologies. RF Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) technique has been around for nearly 60 years, and it is an essential diagnostic tool used in multiple areas of technology and applied research. We discuss operational principles and practical implementation of RF TDR sensors capable of detecting local variations of strain, temperature, and magnetic field through changes in RF impedance and wave propagation time. Results of cryogenic testing of our TDR sensors with HTS tape conductors are presented. The perspective of enabling a new diagnostics paradigm for high-energy physics and fusion energy applications based on distributed RF sensing is discussed.

High-temperature superconducting REBa $_{2}$ Cu $_{3}$ O $_{7-x}$ ( rebco ) conductors have the potential to generate a high magnetic field over a broad temperature range. The corresponding accelerator magnet technology, still in its infancy, can be attractive for future energy-frontier particle colliders such as a multi-TeV muon collider. To help develop the technology, we explore the requirements and potential characteristics of a rebco magnet, operating at 4.2 or 20 K, with a dipole field of 8–10 T in a clear aperture of 150 mm. We use the canted $\cos \theta$ magnet configuration to reduce the electromagnetic stresses on the conductors. We present the resulting dipole fields, field gradients for combined-function cases, conductor stresses, magnet dimensions and conductor lengths. We also discuss the conductor performance that is required to achieve the target dipole field at 4.2 and 20 K. The information can provide useful input to the development of rebco magnet and conductor technology for collider-ring magnets in a muon collider.

As part of the US Magnet Development Program, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) is working on the development of high field stress-managed Nb$_{3}$Sn dipole magnets using canted-cosine-theta (CCT) technology. As part of this program, a series of two layer magnets, CCT3/4/5, with short sample bore field of approximately 10 T and a 90 mm diameter open aperture have been designed, fabricated, and tested. The first magnet in the series, CCT3, was limited to less than 70% of the short sample current, this limitation is believed to be due to conductor damage. The second magnet in the series, CCT4, reached 86% of the short sample current, after changes to the groove geometry were made to accommodate dimensional changes in the cable during heat treatment. The third and final magnet of this series, CCT5, reached 88% of the short sample current with improved training relative to CCT4, after changes were made to the impregnation and assembly methods. While this two layer series was used to successfully demonstrate Nb$_{3}$Sn CCT magnet technology, improvements in the training behavior of these magnets is desirable. For this purpose, a subscale program has been devised in order to probe the causes and explore reductions / improvements to training in stress-managed magnet technology. The subscale nature of the magnets allows for faster turnaround in the fabrication and testing process. In this paper, we present the design and test results for the first (baseline) subscale Nb$_{3}$Sn CCT magnet and demonstrate that the subscale platform and the larger two-layer magnets produce similar training results.

As part of the US Magnet Development Program, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) is working on the development of high field stress-managed Nb$_{3}$Sn dipole magnets using canted-cosine-theta (CCT) technology. As part of this program, a series of two layer magnets, CCT3/4/5, with short sample bore field of approximately 10 T and a 90 mm diameter open aperture have been designed, fabricated, and tested. The first magnet in the series, CCT3, was limited to less than 70% of the short sample current, this limitation is believed to be due to conductor damage. The second magnet in the series, CCT4, reached 86% of the short sample current, after changes to the groove geometry were made to accommodate dimensional changes in the cable during heat treatment. The third and final magnet of this series, CCT5, reached 88% of the short sample current with improved training relative to CCT4, after changes were made to the impregnation and assembly methods. While this two layer series was used to successfully demonstrate Nb$_{3}$Sn CCT magnet technology, improvements in the training behavior of these magnets is desirable. For this purpose, a subscale program has been devised in order to probe the causes and explore reductions / improvements to training in stress-managed magnet technology. The subscale nature of the magnets allows for faster turnaround in the fabrication and testing process. In this paper, we present the design and test results for the first (baseline) subscale Nb$_{3}$Sn CCT magnet and demonstrate that the subscale platform and the larger two-layer magnets produce similar training results.

The use of high-field superconducting magnets has furthered the development of medical diagnosis, fusion research, accelerators, and particle physics. High-temperature superconductors enable magnets more powerful than those possible with Nb-Ti (superconducting transition temperature Tc of 9.2 K) and Nb3Sn (Tc of 18.4 K) conductors due to their very high critical field Bc2 of greater than 100 T near 4.2 K. However, the development of high-field accelerator magnets using high-temperature superconductors is still at its early stage. We report the construction of the world's first high-temperature superconducting Bi2Sr2CaCu2Ox (Bi-2212 with Tc of similar to 82 K) accelerator dipole magnet. The magnet is based on a canted-cosine-theta design with Bi-2212 Rutherford cables. A high critical current was achieved by an overpressure processing heat treatment. The magnet was constructed from a nine-strand Rutherford cable made from industrial 0.8 mm wires. At 4.2 K, it reached a quench current of 3600 A and a dipole field of 1.64 T in a bore of 31 mm. The magnet did not exhibit the undesirable quench training common in Nb-Ti and Nb3Sn accelerator magnets. It quenched a dozen times without degradation. The magnet exhibited low magnetic field hysteresis (<0.1%) as measured by a cryogenic Hall sensor. It was fast cycled to 1.47 T at 0.54 T/s without quenches. This work validates the canted-cosine-theta Bi-2212 dipole magnet design, illustrates the fabrication scheme, and establishes an initial performance benchmark.

A dipole magnet generating 20 T and beyond will require high-temperature superconductors such as Bi2Sr2CaCu2O 8-x 7-x -2 at 20 T, 4.2 K, and at a bend radius of 15 mm. There are, however, few magnet developments using star (R) wires. Here we report a subscale canted cos theta -2. The experiment demonstrated a minimum viable concept for dipole magnet applications using star (R) wires. The results also allowed us to identify further development needs for star (R) conductors and associated magnet technology to enable high-field rebco magnets.

Future colliders will operate at increasingly high magnetic fields pushing limits of electromagnetic and mechanical stress on the conductor [1]. Understanding factors affecting superconducting (SC) magnet performance in challenging conditions of high mechanical stress and cryogenic temperatures is only possible with the use of advanced magnet diagnostics. Diagnostics provide a unique observation window into mechanical and electromagnetic processes associated with magnet operation, and give essential feedback to magnet design, simulations and material research activities. Development of novel diagnostic capabilities is therefore an integral part of next-generation magnet development. In this paper, we summarize diagnostics development needs from a prospective of the US Magnet Development Program (MDP), and define main research directions that could shape this field in the near future.

Fusion magnets made from high temperature superconducting ReBCO CORC® cables are typically protected with quench detection systems that use voltage or temperature measurements to trigger current extraction processes. Although small coils with low inductances have been demonstrated, magnet protection remains a challenge and magnets are typically operated with little knowledge of the intrinsic performance parameters. We propose a protection framework based on current distribution monitoring in fusion cables with limited inter-cable current sharing. By employing inverse Biot-Savart techniques to distributed Hall probe arrays around CORC® Cable-In-Conduit-Conductor (CICC) terminations, individual cable currents are recreated and used to extract the parameters of a predictive model. These parameters are shown to be of value for detecting conductor damage and defining safe magnet operating limits. The trained model is then used to predict cable current distributions in real-time, and departures between predictions and inverse Biot-Savart recreated current distributions are used to generate quench triggers. The methodology shows promise for quality control, operational planning and real-time quench detection in bundled CORC® cables for compact fusion reactors.

High performance ReBCO magnet prototypes are typically monitored and protected with voltage measurements, however a variance in safe operating limits has been observed. A potential issue arises from current redistribution phenomena associated with unidentified defects in cables composed of ReBCO tapes. In this work, a network model is developed to simulate current and voltage distributions around defects in CORC ® cables. The evolving network of conductor overlap is evaluated. Trends in CORC ® operation at 77 K are presented, and it is shown that power dissipation in an I–V curve depends strongly on a third dimension of defect magnitude. The predictive tool is then coupled with a differential evolution algorithm to recommend optimal CORC ® layering topologies based on reel-to-reel tape measurements. The developed model facilitates understanding of CORC ® cable phenomena, and the results suggest high temperature superconducting magnet protection can be improved with cable and defect characterization efforts.