Process of making niobium stannide bodies

Claim 1

A METHOD OF MAKING ELECTROMAGNETS, SUCH AS SOLENOIDS AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF PREPARING AN ELONGATED SUPERCONDUCTOR WITH A THIN LAYER OF NB3SN AND EXCESS TIN ON A REFRACTORY METAL BASE, ELECTRICALLY INSULATING THE SUPERCONDUCTOR WITH AN INSULATION CAPABLE OF WITHSTANDING TEMPERATURES IN THE RANGE OF FROM AT LEAST 200*C. TO ABOUT 800*C., WINDING THE SUPERCONDUCTOR INTO A SOLENOID, TESTING THE SOLENOID TO DETECT ANY LOSS OF CRITICAL CURRENT IN THE WIRE, THEN HEATING THE SOLENOID BETWEEN 200*C. AND THE UPPER TEMPERATURE LIMIT OF THE INSULATION WHENEVER A LOWERING OF CRITICAL CURRENT CAPACITY IS INDICATED BY THE TEST FOR A TIME SUFFICIENT TO RESTORE AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE LOST CRITICAL CURRENT CAPACITY BUT LESS THAN THE PERIOD REQUIRED TO CONSUME ALL OF THE EXCESS TIN.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF MAKING ELECTROMAGNETS, SUCH AS SOLENOIDS AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF PREPARING AN ELONGATED SUPERCONDUCTOR WITH A THIN LAYER OF NB3SN AND EXCESS TIN ON A REFRACTORY METAL BASE, ELECTRICALLY INSULATING THE SUPERCONDUCTOR WITH AN INSULATION CAPABLE OF WITHSTANDING TEMPERATURES IN THE RANGE OF FROM AT LEAST 200*C. TO ABOUT 800*C., WINDING THE SUPERCONDUCTOR INTO A SOLENOID, TESTING THE SOLENOID TO DETECT ANY LOSS OF CRITICAL CURRENT IN THE WIRE, THEN HEATING THE SOLENOID BETWEEN 200*C. AND THE UPPER TEMPERATURE LIMIT OF THE INSULATION WHENEVER A LOWERING OF CRITICAL CURRENT CAPACITY IS INDICATED BY THE TEST FOR A TIME SUFFICIENT TO RESTORE AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE LOST CRITICAL CURRENT CAPACITY BUT LESS THAN THE PERIOD REQUIRED TO CONSUME ALL OF THE EXCESS TIN.

Claim 3

A METHOD OF MAKING SUPERCONDUCTIVE ELEMENTS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF PREPARING ADJACENT LAYERS OF NIOBIUM AND TIN, HEATING THE LAYERS AT 900-1200*C. TO FORM A DIFFUSION LAYER OF NB3SN AND EXCESS TIN, TESTING THE RESULTANT PRODUCT FOR CRITICAL CURRENT, WORKING THE RESULTANT PRODUCT INTO A DESIRED SHAPE AND RETESTING FOR CRITICAL CURRENT, AND HEATING THE SUPERCONDUCTOR BETWEEN 200* C. AND 600*C. WHENEVER LOWERING OF THE CRITICAL CURRENT CAPACITY IS INDICATED, THE HEATING BEING CONTINUED FOR A SUFFICIENT TIME AND SUFFICIENTLY LOW TEMPERATURE TO RESTORE A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE CRITICAL CURRENT WITHOUT REACTING ALL THE EXCESS TIN.

Claim 4

A METHOD OF MAKING SUPERCONDUCTIVE ELEMENTS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF PREPARING ADJACENT LAYERS OF NIOBIUM AND TIN, HEATING THE LAYERS AT 900-1200*C. TO FORM A DIFFUSION LAYER OF NB3SN AND EXCESS TIN, TESTING THE RESULTANT PRODUCT FOR CRITICAL CURRENT, WORKING THE RESULTANT PRODUCT INTO A DESIRED SHAPE AND RETESTING FOR CRITICAL CURRENT, AND HEATING THE SUPERCONDUCTOR BETWEEN 200* C. AND 600*C. WHENEVER LOWERING OF THE CRITICAL CURRENT CAPACITY IS INDICATED, THE HEATING BEING CONTINUED FOR A SUFFICIENT TIME AND SUFFICIENTLY LOW TEMPERATURE TO RESTORE A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE CRITICAL CURRENT WITHOUT REACTING ALL THE EXCESS TIN.