Abstract: A low current superconducting magnet, and a method of fabrication, having improved protection against quench damage. The magnet utilizes the technique of forming a twisted cable of a plurality of substantially parallel superconductor wires and then winding this cable in turns to form the desired magnet configuration. A curable potting material such as an epoxy is applied during winding so as to substantially fill all interstices between the wires. After winding the ends of the wires are connected so as to put each wire in a series array. The intermixing of the wires throughout the magnet winding, together with the heat transfer characteristics of the potting material, provides for many parallel paths for heat conduction to a cryogenic fluid to reduce potential thermal damage. Furthermore, a voltage limiting device, such as a diode pair, is connected across the adjacent ends of each wire.

Abstract: An intimate mixture of americium-241 and iodine-129 provides an energy spectrum that reliably simulates the spectrum of iodine-125 in a well-type detector. As such, it may be used as a long-lived standard to calibrate instruments such as well scintillation spectrometers in which measurements are to be made involving iodine-125.