HTS Wire Frequently Asked Questions

What is HTS wire?

HTS stands for “High Temperature Superconductor” and designates superconducting materials having transition temperatures above 20 K to 40 K. HTS wire is wire that utilizes the benefits of high temperature superconductors and is one of American Superconductor's core commercial products.  Please see our Introduction to Superconductivity for more information on high temperature superconductors.  Also, please see our Product Information, Wire Architectures and Wire Glossary regarding our HTS wire.

Can I use the wire at room temperature?

HTS or High Temperature Superconductors are materials that can superconduct at higher temperatures than Low Temperature Superconducting materials (LTS).  However, even these materials need to be cooled down to at least 125 K to superconduct.  Our HTS wires operate below 115 K and nominal operating temperatures range from 20 K to 77K.  The temperature at which the wire can operate depends upon the amount of current, magnetic field and other criteria.  For more information, please see our Introduction to Superconductivity.

In what sort of applications are HTS wires used?

HTS wire has been used in various electric power applications.  Some of these applications include HTS motors, HTS utility generators, HTS cables, and HTS specialty magnets.  For any applications where one requires high current density, HTS may provide a solution.

Can I cool the wires to liquid nitrogen temperature (77K) for use as a magnet?

Please refer to our wire specifications to see the field dependence of the critical current  at different temperatures for our HTS wires in our  Product Information section.

Do you sell HTS cable?

American Superconductor does not manufacture or sell HTS cable, but are one of the premier suppliers of HTS wire for power cable applications.

Do you sell xx gauge wire?

We do not sell conventional Cu or Al wires and so our wires do not follow the standard “gauge” dimensions that are associated with Cu and Al wires.  Please see our specification information regarding our HTS Wire product dimensions.

I have heard about a wire called Coated Conductor or Second Generation (2G) HTS.  What is that?

The second generation (2G) coated conductor wire is a different HTS wire than the multifilamentary HTS wire (also known as BSCCO or first generation) that is American Superconductor’s present wire product.  The superconducting material being developed using the coated conductor technology is the YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x material.  The wire’s architecture looks similar to a thick film technology.  For more information on the technical background of second generation (2G) coated conductor wire, please refer to our 2G Wire Technology section and our News section.

Does American Superconductor make Niobium Titanium or Niobium 3 Tin wire?

No, American Superconductor does not manufacture Niobium Titanium (NbTi) or Niobium 3 Tin (Nb₃Sn) wire.  These wires are classified as LTS or low temperature superconducting wire.  American Superconductor manufactures HTS or high temperature superconducting wire based on the Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O and Y-Ba-Cu-O superconductors.

How do I attach HTS wire to a terminal?

It is important that the wire be attached to the terminal with minimum electrical resistance at the contact.  A larger surface area at the connection will provide a lower resistance to the contact.  One technique is to electrically solder the wire to the terminal.  However care must be taken to ensure that the soldering does not damage the wire itself.  Our High Strength Wire is laminated with stainless steel to provide mechanical strength and robustness.  With this soldering technique, it is recommended to use a low temperature solder to avoid any possibility of de-lamination.  For additional information, please contact our Sales Department.  Also, please refer to the Service Notes section of our Product Library for more information.

Does American Superconductor provide wire insulation?

American Superconductor does not perform this service in-company but contracts this service out to established insulation vendors.  Please contact our Sales Department for more information.

Do you provide splice service for your wires?

American Superconductor does provide splice service for many of our wire products.  Please contact our Sales Department for more information.

How do I go about ordering your wire?

Please contact our Wires Sales Department to discuss your wire requirements

Is there a minimum quantity purchasing requirement?

The minimum quantity for wire purchase is 500 meters.  If the amount you need is less than this, please contact our Wires Sales Department.

What are your terms and conditions of sale?

American Superconductor Terms and Conditions are included with every quotation and also are available upon request from our Wires Sales Department.

When can I expect delivery once I send in a Purchase Order?

Delivery time is estimated at the time a sales quotation is provided, and prior to the receipt of a purchase order. The delivery time of your wire order depends upon the specific requirements of your order (such as total quantity, critical current, piece length, etc.).  If you would like to find out a delivery of a specific wire requirement, please contact our Wires Sales Department.

To estimate shipping costs, how much does your wire weigh?

100 meters of HTS wire weighs approximately 3 pounds, plus packaging.  Total shipping weight for 100 meters is less than 10 pounds depending on how it is packaged.  Please contact our Wires Sales Department for more details.

What are your wire specifications?

Please refer to our Product Information and for more details, please contact our Wires Sales Department.

How is your wire packaged and shipped?

Typically our wires are shipped on either hardboard or metal reels, and can be packaged in various types of shipping cartons depending upon the order volume.  For more details or specific custom packaging, please contact our Wires Sales Department.

What documentation accompanies the wire?

Each order is shipped with either a Certification Report or a Test Report of the wire, in addition to complete Shipping/Receiving paperwork.