Cu diffusion in Nb3Sn internal tin superconductors during heat treatment

Abstract

Heat treatments and phase formation of Nb3Sn internal tin superconductors are more complicated than bronze route conductors due to the need to convert low melting/low decomposition temperature Sn-rich phases to higher temperature Cu-rich Cu–Sn phases. Conventionally, the Cu–Sn phase development in internal tin wires and hence heat treatment optimization and microstructure control are typically interpreted as a matter of outward Sn diffusion from the Sn core towards the Nb filaments, and Cu diffusion in the opposite direction is simply assumed. In this paper, we present a perspective of Cu diffusion, based on our investigation of phase development. We shall show that the conventional Sn diffusion perspective cannot explain some of our observations, in particular the subelement core phase development. We shall also show that the distribution of Kirkendall pores is opposite to that of the coarse Nb3Sn grains, thus establishing a direct relationship between copper diffusion and coarse Nb3Sn grain formation and distribution. We shall compare wires of different local Cu:Nb area ratio (LAR) and show how Cu diffusion appears to control the Cu–Sn phase formation across the subelement and the final Nb3Sn microstructure (and hence influences the critical current density). Drawing from what we learnt from our observation, we managed to modify a standard heat treatment and obtained up to over 20% improvement in critical current density in some of the wire designs we investigated.