Extra February, 2004

Date of Issue: February 2, 2004

Superconductivity Web21
Superconductivity

Published by International Superconductivity Technology Center
5-34-3, Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0004, Japan Tel:+81-3-3431-4002, Fax:+81-3-3431-4044

What’s New in the World of Superconductivity (December)PowerLos Alamos National Laboratory (December 3, 2003)
Researchers at the Los Alamos National Laboratory have reported that the use of hot
isostatic pressing technology enables the electrical current of magnesium diboride (MgB2) wires
to be significantly increased. MgB2 wires have the potential to become the lowest-costsuperconducting material available, enabling the cost of several superconducting applications,such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems and electrical generators, to be reduced.
Hot isostatic pressing reduces the porosity of MgB2 wires and increases their current carrying
capacity by 45% of that of MgB2 wires prepared using traditional annealing methods. The
increased current carrying capacity enables the size of the wires to be reduced; as a result, thecost of the wire used in an MRI magnet could be reduced from US $3-10/kAm to only $1-2/kAm.
Furthermore, the Los Alamos group has fabricated a prototype MgB2 coil that generates
magnetic fields above 1 Tesla at an operating temperature of 25 K; this temperature can bereached using commercially available refrigeration units at much lower operating costs. The
group’s findings were presented at the Materiasl Research Society meeting in Boston, USA.
Their research is supported by the US Department of Energy’s Office of Electric Transmission
and Distribution.
Source:“A hot time for cold superconductors”
Los Alamos National Laboratory and the US Department of Energy press release (December 3,2003)
http://www.lanl.gov/worldview/news/releases/archive/03-156.shtml
American Superconductor Corporation (December 4, 2003)
Dr. Greg Yurek, president and CEO of American Superconductor Corporation (AMSC),
has received the 2003 Viscount Nuffield Silver Medal from the London-based Institution ofElectrical Engineers (IEE) and was also named a fellow of the IEE. The Viscount Nuffield Silver
Medal is awarded to the most meritorious contribution to the manufacturing profession. The
medal was awarded to Dr. Yurek for his global industry and technology leadership in HTS
products and for establishing the world’s first commercial volume HTS wire production facility.
Dr. Yurek will deliver a lecture in conjunction with the receipt of the award; his presentation may
be found at http://www.amsuper.com.
Source:“American Superconductor Honored For Manufacturing Breakthroughs In High Temperature
Superconductor Products”
American Superconductor Corporation press release (December 4, 2003)
http://www.amsuper.com/html/newsEvents/news/10335061601735.html

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Date of Issue: February 2, 2004

Superconductivity Web21
Superconductivity

Published by International Superconductivity Technology Center
5-34-3, Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0004, Japan Tel:+81-3-3431-4002, Fax:+81-3-3431-4044

American Superconductor Corporation (December 15. 2003)
American Superconductor Corporation (AMSC)’s SuperVAR ™ synchronous condenser
was named the “Most Promising Pre-commercial Technology of 2003” at the 5th Annual Platts
Global Energy Awards ceremony in New York City. The Global Energy Awards are sponsoredby Business Week, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies. Commented Greg Yurek, chief
executive of American Superconductor, "The 2003 blackouts in North America and Europe
have made transmission grid stability everyone's concern. Since we shipped the first SuperVAR
machine to the Tennessee Valley Authority in November of this year, we have seen significant
interest from independent system operators and utilities in using SuperVAR synchronous
condensers as a robust new solution to help prevent blackouts by dynamically stabilizing gridvoltage.”
Source:“Platts Global Energy Names American Superconductor's Transmission Grid Stabilization
Product "Most Promising Pre-Commercial Technology" of 2003”
American Superconductor Corporation press release (December 15. 2003)
http://www.amsuper.com/html/newsEvents/news/106785329856.html
Intermagnetics General Corporation (December 18, 2003)
Intermagnetics General Corporation (IMGC)’s second-quarter net income increased by
21% to US $4.4 million, compared with $3.7 million for the same period in the previous fiscalyear (excluding $1 million in non-recurring charges). This increase in mainly the result ofincreased sales and profits in the Instrumentation sector as well as normalized sales andcontinued gains from its MRI product line. Second quarter net sales increased to $39.9 million
from $36.7 million for the same period in the previous fiscal year. The company’s cashpositioned was strengthened to a new high of nearly $100 million. IMGC’s energy technology
subsidiary, SuperPower, reported $977,000 in revenue, nearly twice that of the same period inthe previous fiscal year.
Source:“Intermagnetics Q2 Net Income Climbs to $4.4 Million”
Intermagnetics General Corporation press release (December 18, 2003)
http://ir.thomsonfn.com/InvestorRelations/PubNewsStory.aspx?partner=10215&storyId=10017
7MRI
Toshiba America Medical Systems (December 1, 2003)
Toshiba America Medical Systems (TAMS) introduced new enhancements for their Ultra
open magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system at the Scientific Assembly and Annual
Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America. New pulse sequences and a SiliconGraphics ® workstation have been added to optimize procedural accuracy and increase
productivity by 15-20%. Ultra’s powerful gradient technology enables it to deliver advanced
clinical capabilities and the higher resolution normally associated with high-field, closed MRIsystems. The Ultra system is based on a cryogenless superconducting magnet design and is
Extra February, 2004

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Date of Issue: February 2, 2004

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the most powerful whole body open MRI system presently available on the market. The system
is five times faster than other open systems and 250% faster than high-field counterparts, withcomparable clinical capabilities.
Source:“TOSHIBA’S ULTRA™ OPEN MRI SYSTEM ENHANCES PROCEDURAL ACCURACY AND
PRODUCTIVITY”
Toshiba America Medical Systems press release(December 1, 2003)
http://216.23.181.196/news/pressreleases/120103-457.htm
Intermagnetics General Corporation (December 18, 2003)
Intermagnetics General Corporation (IMGC) and Invivo Corporation announced that they
have signed an agreement for an all-cash transaction in which Intermagnetics will acquire all of
Invivo’s outstanding shares for US $22 per share. The formal tender offer is expected tocommence within 10 business days and to be completed by mid-January, 2004. IMGC expects
Invivo’s operations to be modestly accretive to earnings during the remainder of the present
fiscal year (ending in May), with greater benefits expected for fiscal 2005. Invivo designs,manufactures, and markets monitoring systems for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)systems.
Source:“Intermagnetics Agrees to Acquire Invivo Corporation for $22 Per Share”
Intermagnetics General Corporation press release (December 18, 2003)
http://ir.thomsonfn.com/InvestorRelations/PubNewsStory.aspx?partner=10215&storyId=100161

Communication
Superconductor Technologies Inc. (December 4, 2003)
In a series of recent field trials, Superconductor Technologies Inc. (STI)’s SuperLink ™
Rx 850 products demonstrated a consistent and dramatic improvement in wireless network
quality. Overall, 12 networks showed a 30% improvement in dropped calls and a 26%improvement in blocked calls (ineffective attempts). These parameters are two of the mostimportant measures of network quality. Some networks also demonstrated a parallel
improvement in minutes of use, including a 25% increase in a three-site sector of a mid-sizedcity. The field trials were conducted for a variety of carriers in both urban and suburban settings.
All of the networks showed noticeable improvements, regardless of their base-stationequipment or underlying technology. At the conclusion of the trials, most of the carriers
purchased the STI solution.
STI’s SuperLink Rx 1900 product for PCS systems has also delivered dramatic field-trial
results, with an improvement in data transmission speeds by more than 50% in a trial
conducted in a large metropolitan area. The improvement in data transmission speeds resultsfrom the system’s improved sensitivity, allowing signals to be detected at half the strength ofthat required without the SuperLink solution.
Source:Extra February, 2004

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Date of Issue: February 2, 2004

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Published by International Superconductivity Technology Center
5-34-3, Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0004, Japan Tel:+81-3-3431-4002, Fax:+81-3-3431-4044“Field Trials With STI's Flagship SuperLink Rx Products Show Dramatic Improvements in
Network Quality”
Superconductor Technologies Inc. (December 4, 2003)
http://ir.thomsonfn.com/InvestorRelations/PubNewsStory.aspx?partner=5951&storyId=99308
ISCO International, Inc. (December 5, 2003)
ISCO International, Inc. announced the first commercial sales of its new RF² ™ productline. The sales were the direct result of network improvements demonstrated duringmultiple-site cluster testing. During the month-long test period, ISCO’s RF² solution enabled thenumber of dropped calls to be reduced by more than 50%. The product is only a fraction of thecost of higher-priced solutions, such as HTS units, but delivers a comparable performance.
Strong commercial interest in this product is expected in 2004.
Source:“ISCO INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCES COMMERCIAL SALES OF RF² ™”
ISCO International, Inc. press release (December 5, 2003)
http://www.iscointl.com/
ISCO International, Inc. (December 26, 2003)
ISCO International, Inc. has issued an update regarding their ongoing activities. Quarterly
revenues are expected to rebound from the low summer levels to reach near record levels, andthe company anticipates the posting of their best-ever results. In addition, ISCO’s accrued liabilityof $2 million with a legal firm has been resolved by the exchange of one million shares of ISCO
stock. A general purchasing agreement with a major CDMA carrier was also signed during thefourth quarter, and discussion with a number of potential customers are underway. ISCO’sexpansion of their customer base is expected to continue in 2004.
Source:“ISCO International Announces Fourth Quarter Update”
ISCO International, Inc. press release (December 26, 2003)
http://www.iscointl.com/(Akihiko Tsutai, Director, International Affairs Department, ISTEC)

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