US4018942A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method for the manufacture of a superconductor with a layer of the A-15 phase of the system Nb-Al or Nb-Al-Ge
Assignee: Siemens AG
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Filing: 1974-10-31
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Granted: 1977-04-19
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Expires: 1994-10-31
Abstract
Abstract The invention concerns a method for the manufacture of a superconductor with a layer of the A-15 phase of the system Nb-Al or Nb-Al-Ge. According to the invention, a niobium carrier is provided with a 0.5 to 5 mu m thick layer consisting of NbAl3 and Al or of Nb(Al,Ge)3, respectively, by being placed in an aluminum melt which is saturated with niobium or niobium and germanium, respectively, and is heated to 800 DEG to 1400 DEG C, and the niobium carrier provided with this layer is then annealed in an inert atmosphere for 0.5 to 5 seconds at a temperature of 1700 DEG to 1960 DEG C.
Inventors
- 👤 Alfred Muller
- 👤 Arno Fink
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 04:50
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10N; H10N60/00; H10N60/01; H10N60/0184; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S505/00; Y10S505/80; Y10S505/815; Y10S505/818; Y10S505/821; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49014
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
96 words
A method for the manufacture of a superconductor having a layer of the A-15 phase of the system Nb--Al comprising: a. coating a niobium carrier with a coat having a thickness between 0.5 and 5μm by placing the carrier in an aluminum melt at a temperature between 800° and 1400° C, said aluminum melt containing sufficient niobium to saturate the aluminum melt therewith; and b. then immediately annealing the coated niobium carrier in an inert atmosphere for 0.5 to 5 seconds at a temperature of 1700°-1960° C to thereby form a layer of Nb--Al 3 .
Claim 2
Independent Claim
96 words
A method for the manufacture of a superconductor having a layer of the A-15 phase of the system Nb--Al comprising: a. coating a niobium carrier with a coat having a thickness between 0.5 and 5μm by placing the carrier in an aluminum melt at a temperature between 800° and 1400° C, said aluminum melt containing sufficient niobium to saturate the aluminum melt therewith; and b. then immediately annealing the coated niobium carrier in an inert atmosphere for 0.5 to 5 seconds at a temperature of 1700°-1960° C to thereby form a layer of Nb--Al 3 .
Claim 3
Independent Claim
100 words
A method for the manufacture of a superconductor having a layer of the A-15 phase of the system Nb--Al--Ge comprising: a. coating a niobium carrier with a coat having a thickness between 0.5 and 5 μm by placing the carrier in an aluminum melt at a temperature of between 800° and 1400° C, said aluminum melt containing sufficient niobium and germanium to saturate the aluminum melt therewith; and b. then immediately annealing the coated niobium carrier in an inert atmosphere for 0.5 to 5 seconds at a temperature of 1700°-1960° C to thereby from a layer of Nb(Al,Ge) 3 .
Claim 4
Independent Claim
100 words
A method for the manufacture of a superconductor having a layer of the A-15 phase of the system Nb--Al--Ge comprising: a. coating a niobium carrier with a coat having a thickness between 0.5 and 5 μm by placing the carrier in an aluminum melt at a temperature of between 800° and 1400° C, said aluminum melt containing sufficient niobium and germanium to saturate the aluminum melt therewith; and b. then immediately annealing the coated niobium carrier in an inert atmosphere for 0.5 to 5 seconds at a temperature of 1700°-1960° C to thereby from a layer of Nb(Al,Ge) 3 .
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said layer is the carrier is placed in a niobium saturated aluminum melt to coat the carrier with a coating having an Al content corresponding to a mean effective aluminum layer thickness of 1 to 2 μm and the niobium carrier so coated is annealed in an inert atmosphere for 1 to 3 seconds at a temperature of 1700° to 1900° C.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the coated niobium carrier is annealed at a temperature of 1870° to 1900° C.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the niobium carrier is placed in the niobium-saturated aluminum melt for 0.1 to 0.5 seconds with said melt heated to a temperature of 950° to 1100° C and said melt containing from 3 to 5 atomic percent of niobium, depending on temperature.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the niobium carrier is placed in the niobium-saturated aluminum melt for 0.1 to 0.5 seconds with said melt heated to a temperature of 950° to 1100° C and said melt containing from 3 to 5 atomic percent of niobium, depending on temperature.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said niobium carrier is placed in an aluminum melt which is saturated with niobium and germanium to coat the carrier with a 0.5 to 5 μm thick layer of Nb(Al,Ge) 3 , and the coated niobium carrier then annealed in an inert atmosphere for 0.5 to 5 seconds at a temperature of 1700° to 1960° C.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said aluminum melt which is saturated with niobium and germanium is of the composition Al 69 Ge 30 Nb 1 , heated to about 850° C., for forming the Nb(Al,Ge) 3 layer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the annealing step occurs for about 0.5 to 3 seconds in an inert atmosphere at a temperature of 1830° to 1870° C.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1 wherein a gas which contains at least one of the elements carbon, boron and silicon and which is one of decomposable and reactive at the annealing temperature is admixed during the annealing step to said inert atmosphere.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said inert atmosphere is a rare gas, and up to about 4 percent by volume of methane is admixed to said rare gas.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said inert atmosphere is argon.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said inert atmosphere is a rare gas, and up to about 0.3 percent by volume of diborane is admixed to said rare gas.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said inert atmosphere is argon.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of further heat-treating said coated and annealed niobium carrier for at least 10 hours in an inert atmosphere at a temperature of between 500° and 1000° C.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said niobium carrier is a wire.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 16 wherein said placing and annealing steps are preformed on a continuously moving carrier.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said niobium carrier is of ribbon form.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 18 wherein said placing and annealing steps are performed on a continuously moving carrier.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 2 wherein a gas which contains at least one of the elements carbon, boron and silicon and which is one of decomposable and reactive at the annealing temperature is admixed during the annealing step to said inert atmosphere.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said inert atmosphere is a rare gas, and up to about 4 percent by volume of methane is admixed to said rare gas.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said inert atmosphere is argon.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said inert atmosphere is a rare gas, and up to about 0.3 percent by volume of diborane is admixed to said rare gas.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 23 wherein said inert atmosphere is argon.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of further heat-treating said coated and annealed niobium carrier for at least 10 hours in an inert atmosphere at a temperature of between 500° and 1000° C.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said niobium carrier is a wire.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said niobium carrier is of ribbon form.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 27 wherein said placing and annealing steps are performed on a continuously moving carrier.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-04-18 | 1980-10-18 | 1981-04-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-04-18 | 1984-10-18 | 1985-04-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-04-18 | 1988-10-18 | 1989-04-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |