Heat treatment of Nb3Sn conductors

Magnet coils made out of Nb3Sn superconductors usually are manufactured by the wind- and react-technique. Due to the brittleness of the A15 material the superconductive layer is formed only after the winding of the magnet. This is done by a heat treatment in which Sn diffuses via a matrix into Nb filaments and the superconducting layer is formed. Depending on the exact temperature and time of the heat treatment, the physical properties of the superconductor such as critical current Density J(c), upper critical field B-c2, critical temperature T-c and n-value can be varied over a wide range. This is because the diffusion process determines the grain size distribution, the thickness of the superconductive layer as well as the Sn distribution within the layer. This article will provide a review of the investigations concerning different aspects of heat treatment over recent years. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.