High-temperature Superconducting Materials IV

-Coated Conductors-

Abstract

As the 4th lecture of the series on high-temperature superconducting materials, this article provides an overview of REBa ₂ Cu₃O_x (RE: Y and rare earth) wires (so-called coated conductors) from the fabrication process to future prospects. Development of coated conductors has progressed rapidly in the last decade and the properties of coated conductors are approaching the market requirements for practical superconducting devices such as power cables, transformers, SMES and rotating machinery. Several venders have started to sell coated conductors. The fabrication processes of coated conductors and their properties are briefly reviewed so that non-specialists can understand coated conductors during their use in designing HTSC devices. The future prospects of coated conductors for practical applications are discussed as well.