Propagating Normal Zones and Transient Heat Transfer Effects in Superconducting Wires

Abstract

Theoretical and experimental data of normal zone propagating velocities along superconducting wires immersed in a normal helium bath are presented. Longitudinal destruction of the superconductivity arises from thermal instabilities along the superconducting wire. Propagating normal zone velocities are thus strongly dependent on the thermal transfer mechanism between the helium bath and the superconducting wire. Transient heat transfer effects are necessary to obtain good agreement between experiment and theory. The used transient heat transfer coefficient depends on the bath temperature and on the sample resistivity as it can be seen from our results.