Geometric considerations in the design and fabrication of multifilamentary superconducting composites

Design characteristics of the superconducting strand to be used in the manufacture of dipole magnets for the Superconducting Super-Collider (SSC) have not yet been fully established. Ideally, the configuration chosen will minimize field distortion at low fields where injection takes place. The paper presented here will discuss the advantages of the "single stack" method of wire manufacture for this application. Various techniques for assembling the large numbers of filaments required are discussed. The utilization of hexagonal and round sub-elements, as well as the introduction of a woven wire mesh, are highlighted. A discussion of the uniformity of filament arrays, filament spacing, and the role these play in the attainment of high current density material is included.