SQUID instrumentation and applications

Journal Article · · Superconductor Industry; (USA)

OSTI ID:6858618

Fagaly, R L ^[1]

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1. General Atomics, San Diego, CA (US)

This paper discusses how an ultra high vacuum environment (pressures less than 10{sup {minus} 8} Torr) is required for certain types of materials processing and analysis. The main advantages are good purity control and the ability to undertake surface composition and chemical analysis. The goal in the design of a vacuum system is to translate the requirements for a process into a plan that will permit the manufacture of vacuum hardware. The challenge is to find the optimum design solution, which will have the following parameters: a minimum number of mechanical and electrical parts, a maximum percentage of standard parts and it will have acceptable space and weight parameters. In addition, the system must achieve safety and human engineering considerations. It has bee 20 years since superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) have been commercially available. SQUID systems have grown from a specialized laboratory instrument measuring (at that time) exotic quantities such as picovolts and nanokelvins to instruments routinely used in such diverse applications as medicine, materials science and oil exploration. The demand for SQUID-based instruments has recently exploded: SQUID susceptometers are in large demand for analyzing the properties of high temperature superconductors; SQUID magnetometers for mapping brain function are a rapidly expanding market. Altogether, the market for SQUID systems is nearly $30 million and could exceed $100 million by 1995. A SQUID is a device that utilizes superconductivity and the Josephson effect to convert extremely small changes in current or magnetic field to a measurable room temperature voltage. The authors discuss the nomenclature used to describe systems using SQUID components.

• OSTI ID: 6858618
• Journal Information: Superconductor Industry; (USA), Journal Name: Superconductor Industry; (USA) Vol. 2:4; ISSN 1042-4105; ISSN SUINE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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