In its ongoing pursuit of advancing superconducting wire technology, SuNAM has been at the forefront of developing innovative production techniques for coated conductors (CCs). By employing both the Reactive Co-evaporation-Deposition and Reaction (RCE-DR) and Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) techniques, we have successfully addressed a range of applications, including grid infrastructure and high-field devices. It is through the application of the RCE-DR method that the first commercial superconducting cables were produced in Korea, while it is the PLD system, too, which has proved pivotal in enhancing pinning properties for applications requiring higher magnetic fields.

Our research is focused on optimizing the PLD process to achieve superior performance in 2G high-temperature superconducting (HTS) wires, with a particular emphasis on parameters such as temperature control and layer uniformity. The objective of this optimization is to enhance the electromechanical characteristics and microstructural integrity of the wires, thereby improving their suitability for use in magnets and motors.

Additionally, SuNAM is developing a machine learning-based vision system to facilitate the automation of production processes, with the aim of reducing costs and increasing throughput without the necessity of expanding production lines. By increasing the width of the wires, new benchmarks are being set for the mass production of low-cost superconducting wires.