COMPARISON OF R&D EFFORTS IN JAPAN AND THE UNITED STATES

Table 6.1 compares Japanese and U.S. efforts on development of low T_c superconductors, in terms of approximate levels of relative effort and names the supporting funding agencies. It is clear that Japan dominates the R&D effort in low T_c superconductors; this is due primarily to its government's interests in the use of superconductors in the electrical utility industry and in the development of magnetic fusion power reactors. The one significant area where the United States and Japan are equally competitive is in development of Nb₃Sn conductors for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project and for high energy physics particle accelerators. There is no R&D support in the United States for the development of conductors for electrical power applications at 50-60 Hz or of Nb₃Al conductors for the ITER.

Table 6.1
Comparison of U.S. and Japanese Efforts in Low Tc Conductor R&D (Project Sponsors Are Named in Brackets)

Table 6.2 names the types of conductors that are currently manufactured for various projects in Japan and the manufacturers that are involved in these developments. Particularly notable developments are marked with asterisks. The manufacturing processes and the intended applications for these conductors are discussed below. It is clear from the table that a number of large companies in Japan are involved in R&D of low T_c wire manufacture for various applications, which is not the case in the United States.

Table 6.2
Low Tc Conductors, Applications, and Manufacturers in Japan

Particularly notable developments