Reaction of REBaCuO CC Tapes to Neutron Irradiation

M. Jirsaa, M. Rameša, P. Svoraa, I. Ďuranb, L. Viererblc aInstitute of Physics CAS, Na Slovance 2, CZ-18221 Prague 8, Czech Republic bInstitute of Plasma Physics CAS, Za Slovankou 1782/3, CZ-18200 Prague 8, Czech Republic cResearch Centre Řež, Hlavní 130, CZ-25068 Husinec-Řež, Czech Republic

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Superconducting REBaCuO (RE=Gd, Y+Gd) tapes intended for wiring magnets for fusion reactors were investigated in response to neutron irradiation by fast neutron fluences up to 4×1022 m-2. The results indicate that the tapes are appropriate for the given purpose, in particular at temperatures below 25 K. There, due to neutron irradiation, the critical currents at low magnetic fields are gradually reduced, while in high magnetic fields they are first enhanced, then degraded. The position of the crossover differs from one tape type to another, in dependence on the initial pinning landscape. To find reasons for such behavior, SEM and TEM analyses started. Some preliminary SEM results are presented. The effect of irradiation on pinning landscape is discussed.

DOI:10.12693/APhysPolA.137.779 topics: superconducting tapes, critical currents, neutron irradiation, fusion reactor magnets