Recent Progress in the Superconductivity Research Field

—Application of Superconducting Tapes and Discovery of New Materials—

Abstract

Major developments in the research field of superconductivity have been achieved in 2008. Since the discovery of high-T_c superconductors, their practical application has been studied by many researchers. Coated conductors consisting of an YBa₂Cu₃O_y superconducting layer deposited on metal tapes buffered oxide layers were developed in the NEDO project between FY2003 and FY2007. These technologies for coated conductors are expected to be applicable to electrical power equipment. A new NEDO project that started in FY2008 is focusing on the development of superconducting electric power equipment such as power cables, superconducting magnetic energy storage devices (SMES) and transformers. Furthermore, a new family of high-T_c superconductors, Fe-As-O-based superconductors, has been discovered. The highest reported critical temperature, T_c, has rapidly increased owing to the considerable effort of many researchers. A new social environment based on superconductivity technology might indeed be realized in the near future.