Description

Superconductor materials are commonly used in the construction of accelerators and detectors used for high-energy particle physics research. A summary is given of high-energy accelerators in the U.S. and Europe, either under construction or in operation. The main types of conductors are described as well as how they are used to fabricate the accelerator and detector magnets. Most of the applications so far have relied on use of Nb-Ti alloy operated at low temperature. However, future high field applications may use Nb3Sn or the newer high temperature superconductors. Some studies under way at national laboratories in the U.S. for higher field and higher energy applications are summarized.