Patent ID: 8271062

Claim:
A superconducting article comprising: a superconducting structure comprising a superconducting conductor and multiple discrete overlay islands of higher heat capacity than the underlying superconducting conductor, the multiple discrete overlay islands of higher heat capacity electrically contacting the superconducting conductor and being non-continuous islands disposed along a length of the superconducting conductor; and wherein the multiple discrete overlay islands of higher heat capacity are thermally coupled to the superconducting conductor and comprise areas of higher heat capacity positioned to define a heat modulation pattern along the length of the superconducting conductor conducive to transitioning the superconducting structure under load from a normal resistive state to a superconducting state, the multiple discrete overlay islands being configured and positioned to facilitate, during transitioning of the superconducting structure under load from the normal resistive state to the superconducting state, formation of a superconducting path within the superconducting conductor initially offset from the multiple discrete overlay islands.