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| Conductus® Unique 2G HTS Wire Architecture |
| Conductus® 2G HTS wire manufacturing approach utilizes a simplified, layered wire architecture, with the goal to deliver high performance wire at a cost competitive with copper. Our Conductus® 2G HTS wire architecture consists of three key manufacturing processes. First, a commercial-grade stainless steel template is passed through a solution deposition planarization (SDP) process. SDP is a non-vacuum, self-planarizing, inexpensive process, which provides a smooth starting surface while eliminating the need to polish the template, reducing both cost and chemical waste. Next, the template proceeds through an Ion Beam Assisted Deposition (IBAD) process in order to produce a template with the right surface conditions to enable the effective deposition of superconducting material. Both the SDP and IBAD layers provide an ideal surface condition to take advantage of the Conductus® proprietary HTS materials deposition process. Then, the HTS materials are deposited onto the template using Conductus® proprietary Reactive Co-evaporation Cyclic Deposition and Reaction (RCE-CDR) High Temperature Superconducting (HTS) deposition. |
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| RCE-CDR HTS Deposition |
Conductus® unique RCE-CDR HTS deposition offers a key advantage to successfully commercialize HTS wire for large, emerging markets. Importantly, HTS deposition using RCE-CDR requires fewer manufacturing steps than alternate deposition methods like MOD, MOCVD and PLD. Fewer steps reduce total processing time and increase the likelihood of higher yield. Conductus® highly controlled RCE-CDR deposition process grows crystalline structures from very low cost raw materials in their bulk, solid state. Other YBCO growth approaches are not as controlled and usually require the use of costly chemical mixtures to deposit HTS materials. The competing processes require more buffer layers for proper crystal growth which increases complexity and runtimes and reduces yield. Conductus® growth process is simple, repeatable and commercially proven. In addition to the lower direct cost of raw materials and the use of inexpensive substrate material, Conductus® manufacturing process will be designed for high throughput and a large HTS growth area. Fewer process steps allows for less production equipment per km of wire, which in turn translates into lower cap-ex, less electricity use and a smaller production footprint.
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| Conductus® 2G HTS Wire Cost and Performance Advantages: |
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Reduced number of process steps – reduced run-time and high yield |
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Reduced number of template buffer layers – simple and repeatable
> Start with basic raw compounds vs. more expensive premixed, solution-based compounds
> Inexpensive substrate material |
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High throughput and large HTS growth area |
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Lower production equipment cap-ex than alternative manufacturing methods |
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Less electricity and production floorspace required per kilometer of wire produced |
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