Patents Assigned to Superpower, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20100065417
    Abstract: A method for producing a superconducting conductor is disclosed, including providing a substrate, depositing a buffer film having a biaxial texture to overlie the substrate by reactive sputtering, and depositing a superconducting layer to overlie the buffer film. Deposition of the buffer film is carried out by exposing the substrate along a deposition zone to a material plume generated by bombarding a target in the presence of a magnetic field, the deposition zone having a length of at least 1.0 m. The assist ions may be generated from a gridless ion source. The buffer film may have a biaxial texture having an out-of-plane crystallographic texture represented by a mosaic spread of not greater than 30°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2005
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: SUPERPOWER, INC.
    Inventor: Venkat Selvamanickam
  • Publication number: 20100009064
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a high-temperature superconducting conductor includes translating an elongated substrate through a reactor. Further, a high temperature superconducting layer is formed on the substrate translating through the reactor by deposition of a reaction product of metalorganic precursor materials onto the substrate. Further, partial pressure of oxygen is monitored to indirectly monitor supply of metalorganic precursors into the reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2006
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicant: SuperPower, Inc.
    Inventors: Hee-Gyoun Lee, Venkat Selvamanickam
  • Publication number: 20090298697
    Abstract: A superconducting article is provided that includes a multifilamentary superconducting tape segment having a substrate tape, a buffer layer overlying the substrate, and filaments comprising a high temperature superconducting (HTS) material overlying the buffer layer. The filaments extend along a length of the substrate and are laterally spaced apart from an adjacent filament by a space. The multifilamentary superconducting tape segment comprises a critical current retention ratio is at least about 0.4.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: SUPERPOWER, INC.
    Inventors: Xun Zhang, Drew W. Hazelton, Venkat Selvamanickam
  • Patent number: 7627356
    Abstract: A multifilament high temperature superconductor with thick, striated stabilizer is disclosed, including a substrate, a buffer layer, a multifilament superconductor layer, and at least one thick stabilizer layer. Also disclosed are components incorporating superconducting tapes and methods for manufacturing same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: SuperPower, Inc.
    Inventors: Xun Zhang, Venkat Selvamanickam
  • Patent number: 7608785
    Abstract: A system for transmitting current is described. The system includes at least one generator, at least one cryostat, and at least one load. The system may further include one of terminations, a refrigeration system, and terminations and a refrigeration system. The cryostat has at least one electrical phase including at least one mandrel and magnetically decoupled superconducting conductors that may accomplished by, for example, braiding the superconductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: SuperPower, Inc.
    Inventor: Chandra Reis
  • Publication number: 20090209429
    Abstract: A method of forming a superconducting article includes providing a substrate tape, forming a superconducting layer overlying the substrate tape, and depositing a capping layer overlying the superconducting layer. The capping layer includes a noble metal and has a thickness not greater than about 1.0 micron. The method further includes electrodepositing a stabilizer layer overlying the capping layer using a solution that is non-reactive to the superconducting layer. The superconducting layer has an as-formed critical current IC(AF) and a post-stabilized critical current IC(PS). The IC(PS) is at least about 95% of the IC(AF).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Applicant: SUPERPOWER, INC.
    Inventors: Raghu N. Bhattacharya, Xun Zhang, Venkat Selvamanickam
  • Patent number: 7554317
    Abstract: A method for testing a superconducting coated conductor is disclosed. The method includes providing a superconducting coated conductor having an dimension ratio of not less than about 102; and measuring a voltage over a plurality of segments of the superconducting article while applying a constant current Icc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: SuperPower, Inc.
    Inventors: Yi-Yuan Xie, Hee-Gyoun Lee, Venkat Selvamanickam
  • Publication number: 20090156409
    Abstract: A fault current limiter (FCL) article is disclosed including a superconducting tape segment that includes a substrate, a buffer layer overlying the substrate, and a high temperature superconducting (HTS) layer overlying the buffer layer, wherein the superconducting tape segment forms a meandering path that is continuous having a plurality of windings. The article also includes a shunting circuit electrically connected to the superconducting tape segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: SUPERPOWER, INC.
    Inventors: Drew W. Hazelton, Kasegn Tekletsadik, Wayne A. Ordon
  • Patent number: 7531205
    Abstract: A method of continuously coating at least one substrate with a buffer layer as a support for a ceramic superconducting material is disclosed. The method includes loading the at least one substrate onto a respective feed spool and feeding the at least one substrate through a vacuum deposition chamber. The method further includes coating the at least one substrate while the at least one substrate is bombarded by ion beams from dual RF-ion sources forming at least one coated substrate, and reloading the at least one coated substrate onto a respective take up spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Superpower, Inc.
    Inventors: Venkat Selvamanickam, Srinivas Sathiraju
  • Patent number: 7521082
    Abstract: A superconducting article is disclosed, including a substrate and a chemical vapor deposited thin film superconducting layer overlying the substrate, the superconducting layer having a critical current not less than about 100 A/cm width at 77K and self field. The superconducting article may be a tape, multiple tapes, or a power device, such as a power cable, power generator, or power transformer. Also disclosed are methods for manufacturing same and methods for using same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Superpower, Inc.
    Inventor: Venkat Selvamanickam
  • Patent number: 7501145
    Abstract: A method includes feeding an uncoated substrate from a payout spool into a multi-chambered vacuum apparatus. The vacuum apparatus includes a plurality of deposition chambers defining an extended deposition zone, a multi-zone substrate heater located within the extended deposition zone, and multiple high-temperature superconductor (HTS) targets located within and being arranged linearly along the extended deposition zone. The multiple HTS targets include a first and second HTS target. The first and second HTS targets include a HTS material. The method farther includes translating the uncoated substrate along a translation path through the plurality of deposition chambers, impinging multiple laser beams simultaneously upon the multiple HTS targets and forming multiple overlapping plumes of HTS material within the extended deposition zone, depositing HTS material on a first major surface of the uncoated substrate to provide a coated substrate, and winding the coated substrate onto a take-up spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Superpower, Inc.
    Inventors: Venkat Selvamanickam, Yijie Li, Chan Park
  • Patent number: 7445808
    Abstract: A superconducting article and a method of making a superconducting article is described. The method of forming a superconducting article includes providing a substrate, forming a buffer layer to overlie the substrate, the buffer layer including a first buffer film deposited in the presence of an ion beam assist source and having a uniaxial crystal texture. The method further includes forming a superconducting layer to overlie the buffer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Superpower, Inc.
    Inventors: Xuming Xiong, Venkat Selvamanickam, Ping Hou
  • Patent number: 7417192
    Abstract: A superconductor component is disclosed, which notably includes a superconducting conductor, the conductor including a core and superconductor layer overlying the core. The core generally has a circular cross-section, and the superconductor layer may cover a substantial portion of the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Superpower, Inc.
    Inventors: Venkat Selvamanickam, Yi-Yuan Xie
  • Patent number: 7387811
    Abstract: A CVD apparatus capable of substantially simultaneously processing multiple portions of at least one substrate or substantially simultaneously processing portions of multiple substrates or substantially simultaneously processing multiple portions of at least one substrate and portions of multiple substrates, the CVD apparatus is described. The CVD apparatus includes a reactor, at least one substrate heater, at least one precursor supply system, at least one precursor injector, optionally, communicating with at least one temperature regulated manifold, at least one reactants mixer, and, optionally, at least one controller communicating with at least one substrate heater, the at least one precursor supply system, the at least one precursor injector, the at least one temperature regulated manifold, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Superpower, Inc.
    Inventor: Venkat Selvamanickam
  • Patent number: 7365271
    Abstract: A superconducting tape includes a substrate, a buffer layer overlying the substrate, a superconductor layer overlying the buffer layer, and an electroplated stabilizer layer overlying the superconductor layer. The tape provides for low AC losses, and is particularly suitable for deployment in components where attenuation of AC losses is important, such as in rotating machines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Superpower, Inc.
    Inventors: Allan Robert Knoll, Venkat Selvamanickam, Chandra Reis
  • Patent number: 7338683
    Abstract: A method of forming a superconductive device is provided, including providing a substrate having a dimension ratio of not less than about 102, depositing a buffer film to overlie the substrate by ion beam assisted deposition utilizing and ion beam, monitoring spatial ion beam density of the ion beam over a target area, and depositing a superconductor layer to overlie the buffer film. Monitoring may be carried out by utilizing an ion detector having an acceptance angle of not less than 10°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Superpower, Inc.
    Inventors: Venkat Selvamanickam, Xuming Xiong
  • Patent number: 7286032
    Abstract: Rare-earth-Ba-Cu-O superconductors having improved critical current density are described, as are methods of making same. These superconductors comprise a drop in Jc of less than a factor of about 7 at a temperature of between about 30K to about 77K, and at a magnetic field of about 1 Tesla, when the magnetic field is applied normal to the surface of the superconductor, as compared to a Jc in the presence of no magnetic field. These superconductors, when a magnetic field is applied perpendicular to the HTS surface have a peak Jc that is about 50-90%, and when a magnetic field is applied in any orientation with respect to the HTS surface have a Jc value that is at least about 50%, of the peak Jc that exists when the magnetic field is applied parallel to the surface of the superconductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Superpower, Inc.
    Inventors: Hee-Gyoun Lee, Yijie Li, Venkat Selvamanickam
  • Publication number: 20070238619
    Abstract: A superconductor component is disclosed that includes a metal alloy substrate having a dimension ratio of not less than 10, a compliance layer overlying the substrate, the compliance layer being comprised of an amorphous or nanocrystalline ceramic material having an average grain size not greater than 50 nm, and an IBAD buffer layer overlying the compliance layer. The IBAD buffer layer has a biaxial crystal texture and comprises a material from the group consisting of fluorite type materials, pyrochlore type materials, rare earth C-type materials, non-cubic materials, and layer structured materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2005
    Publication date: October 11, 2007
    Applicant: SUPERPOWER, INC.
    Inventor: Xuming Xiong
  • Publication number: 20070232500
    Abstract: A superconductor component is disclosed, which notably includes a superconducting conductor, the conductor including a core and superconductor layer overlying the core. The core generally has a circular cross-section, and the superconductor layer may cover a substantial portion of the core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Applicant: SUPERPOWER, INC.
    Inventors: Venkat Selvamanickam, Yi-Yuan Xie
  • Patent number: 7247340
    Abstract: A method of forming a superconducting conductor is disclosed. The method provides translating a substrate tape through a deposition chamber and along a helical path, where the helical path has multiple windings of the substrate tape and each winding of the substrate tape extends along a feed path and a return path. The method further provides depositing a HTS layer overlying the substrate tape within a deposition chamber, wherein the deposition chamber houses the substrate tape along the feed path but not the return path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Superpower, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Martin Salagaj, Venkat Selvamanickam