Anomalous low field magnetization in fine filament NbTi conductors

The first cable conductors for SSC were made with NbTi filaments whose diameters were in the 18-23 micron range. In an effort to reduce the magnetization effects in accelerator dipoles resulting from these large filaments, second generation conductors are now being manufactured with much smaller filaments. As part of this development a series of NbTi conductors were made with filament diameters ranging from 8.0 to 2.8 μm and having an average interfilament spacing of approximately 12% of filament diameter. Measurements at 4.3 K show that as the filament spacing decreases below a certain critical value the low field magnetization increases rapidly. This increase is seen to be strong function of interfilament distance, magnetic field and temperature. Details of these measurements and its implication for practical high current SSC wire design are discussed.