Low Temperature Superconductors
Contribution to Advanced Science & Technology

Furukawa Electric is the pioneer in superconductivity
Comprehensiveness from low-temperature
superconductivity to high-temperature
superconductivity

Discovering the Higgs boson!
Furukawa Electric's
superconductive technology
aids the experiment©CERN

1 Factory

Nikko Works

Nikko

In 1963, Furukawa Electric Co, Ltd. (FEC) became
the world’s first company to commence research anddevelopment work on superconductivity.
Based on our manufacturing technologies for electrical wires
and non-ferrous metals, commercial production of NbTi
multi-filamentary wire began in late 1960s in Nikko works.
We have been providing unique products for more than 50years and our products are being applied to a broad rangeof areas, such as MRI, NMR, experimental nuclear fusion
reactor and accelerators for high energy physics.

2 Global Network

FEEL（London）

FSL（Beijing）

Head Office

Head Office, Factory
Overseas Subsidiaries and Affiliates

AFI（Detroit）

Nikko Factory
FEC（Tokyo）

2TokyoNikko Works

SPI（Albany）

3 Manufacturing Technology
3.1 Fine Filament & Long Length
Our excellent manufacturing processes enable FEC to produce
long NbTi and Nb3Sn superconducting wires with thousands ofseveral μm diameter filaments. Key processes are billet assembling
without inclusions, high power hot extrusion for large size billets
and 75m long drawing bench for long length.
Clean factory, optimized drawing conditions and adequate shaving
thickness of surface Cu prevents filament breakage, filamentsausaging and wire breakage.

NbTi Filaments

Billet Assembling

Hot Extrusion

75m Long Drawing Bench

3.2 Cabling
FEC manufactures precisely
dimension controlled
Rutherford type cablewithout sharp edges andmultiplex cables with roundshape, and stainless steel
tape wrapping for CIC
conductor.

Rutherford Cable

Multiplex Cable33.3 Insulation

Polyvinyl Formal

Glass Braiding

Taping

FEC can supply several types of insulations: Polyvinyl Formal for round andrectangular NbTi wires, glass braiding for round and rectangular Nb3Sn wires andpolyimide tape or glass tape for NbTi cables.

3.4 Quality Assurance
FEC has excellent quality products: Specific propertiesof the wires and cables are checked using its own
testing equipment, which is properly checked for
accurate measurement - Ic measurement up to 17T, ACloss measurement, dimension measurement with laser
micrometers and eddy current test for whole length
quality assurance.
Automotive Products & Electronics Laboratories in Nikko
works supports the development of new conductors
and solving manufacturing problems, such as wire
breakages, with its high investing and analysis ability.
FEC continues to support the success of our customers
by supplying high-quality products.

44 Products & Properties
4.1 Multi-Filamentary Superconductors

MRIPCS

Crystal GrowthNMR

4.2 Low AC Loss NbTi Superconductors
FEC has extensive experience in developing lowAC loss NbTi wires: Applications include generator,nuclear fusion reactor and SMES.
SMES for load fluctuation compensation andfrequency control was developed using FEC’sconductor and successfully demonstrated averification test for glid linkage at FEC’s power
plant in Nikko.

JT-60SA/TF

SMES

1400

1400

1200

1200

1000

1000

800

800

600

600

400

400

200
0ITER

Non-Cu Jc
at 12T, 4.2K

200

Hysteresis loss
at +/-3T, 4.2K
1996

2000

2004

2008

2012

0Hysteresis loss per non-Cu (kJ/m3）

Non-Cu Jc (A/mm2, 0.1µV/cm）

4.3 High Jc & Low AC Loss Nb3Sn Superconductor

Fiscal year

Improvement of Non-Cu Jc
Non-Cu Jc of Nb3Sn wire (bronze processed) increased remarkably from 650A/mm2
to 1,200A/mm2 at 12T, 4.2K through R&D for ITER.
High Sn content bronze, round shape fine filament and adequate heat treatment for
Nb3Sn formation are important factors for this improvement.
Hysteresis losses were decreased due to filament diameter reduction and adopting Ta
instead of Nb for the barrier between outer Cu and bronze preventing Sn diffusion.

5

4.4 High Strength Nb3Sn Superconductors
CuSn/NbCopper

Nb

CuNi/NbTi

CuNi-NbTi Reinforced
1.2

Normalized Ic

1.0

Two types of high strength Nb3Sn wires (bronzeprocessed) have been developed:

14.5T
4.2K

0.8

•CuNi-NbTi reinforced wire excels in price and quality
and is being applied to high field magnets.

0.6
0.4

Cu/Nb3Sn
CuNi-NbTi/Nb3Sn
As-reacted Cu-Nb rod/Nb3Sn
Pre-bent(±0.5%) Cu-Nb rod/Nb3Sn

0.2
0.0

0100

200

300

400

500

Cu-Nb Rod Reinforced600•Cu-Nb rod reinforced wire can be used for react &wind method due to its relatively high tolerance formechanical strain.
FEC supplies cables composed of both these wires.

Stress (MPa)Normalized Ic vs. Stress

4.5 React and Wind Nb3Sn superconductors

High-Jc

Non-Cu-Jc (A/mm2)

800

Rectangle

600

H-Jc-AR
H-Jc-PB
25T-CSM-AR
25T-CSM-PB

H-Jc-AR
H-Jc-PB
25T-CSM-AR
25T-CSM-PB

500

14.5 T, 4.2 K

14.5 T, 4.2 K

700400300200
100000.2

0.4

0.60.8

Axis tensile strain (%)

0100 200 300 400 500 600 700

Axis tensile stress (MPa)

25T-CSM
FEC has developed react & wind Nb3Sn
superconducting wire.
FEC can supply various shapes of this wiresuch as rectangle and Rutherford cable.
This wire has already been used for 25T-CSM
in Tohoku university and some magnets inJapan manufacturer.
This wire can be insulated by PolyvinylFormal.

Polyvinyl Formal insulation
6

4.6 High Current Superconductors

LHC

JT-60SA/EF

JT-60SA/CS

ITER/CSHigh Field Magnet

5 Large Scale Production
5.1 LHC (CERN)
FEC manufactures 180 tons ofstrands and 360 tons of Rutherford
type cables for LHC dipole andhas received the Golden HadronAward from CERN for the uniformly
high quality of its products and theearliest delivery in the world.

5.2 JT-60SA (JAEA & F4E)
JT-60 of Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) is being upgraded to JT-60SA through Broader
Approach Program: Multiplex cabling technology for long length without strand breakage wassuccessfully established. FEC supplied on schedule 52 tons of NbTi conductors for EF coil, 21
tons of Nb3Sn conductors for CS coil and 43 tons of NbTi strands for TF coil.

5.3 ITER (JAEA & IO)
FEC develops high-performance CS conductor with the world’s highest current shearing
temperature (Tcs) by the world’s highest critical current density of bronze method Nb3Sn strand
and special short-pitch cable, and is manufacturing 60 tons of ITER-CS cables for two modules.

7https://www.furukawa.co.jp/en/Head Office

AMERICAN FURUKAWA, INC. (AFI)

Tokiwabashi Tower,
2-6-4, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8322, Japan
TEL : +81-3-6281-8500
Contact: https://www.furukawa.co.jp/en/rd/superconduct/47677 Galleon Drive, Plymouth, MI 48170, U.S.A.
TEL: +1-734-395-2230 FAX: +1-734-446-2260
Contact: Info4@americanfurukawa.com

FURUKAWA ELECTRIC EUROPE LTD. (FEEL)

Room 1006, Hongyi Plaza, 288 Jujiang Rd,Shanghai 200001, China
TEL: +86-21-3366-5304 FAX: +86-21-3366-5315
Contact: fsl.inquiry@furukawaelectric.com

Furukawa House, 77-85 Fulham Palace Road, London W6 8JD, U.K.
TEL: +44-20-7313-5336 FAX: +44-20-7313-5310
Contact: http://www.furukawa.co.uk/contactus.php

FURUKAWA SHANGHAI, LTD. (FSL)* Please understand that contents of this catalog may change without notice.
* Company and product names appearing in this publication are registered trademarks or trademarks of respective companies.
Export Control Regulations	The products and/or technical information presented in this publication may be subject to the application of the Foreign Exchange and Foreign
Trade Act and other related laws and regulations in Japan. In addition, the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) of the United States may
be applicable. In cases where exporting or reexporting the products and/or technical information presented in this publication, customers arerequested to follow the necessary procedures at their own responsibility and cost. Please contact the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industryof Japan or the Department of Commerce of the United States for details about procedures.

SE-079 2307 TR 100