Stress and strain effects on the properties of composite superconductors

Practical superconductors for use in the production of high magnetic fields are generally in the form of composites of filaments of superconducting material embedded in a matrix of normally conducting material. Lorentz forces which arise during magnet operation are examples of sources of external stress, while internal stresses can arise during the fabrication of the composite superconductor, primarily due to differential thermal contraction between different materials in the composite. The properties of superconducting compounds are often sensitive functions of the elastic strain state in the compound; consequently there is a strong coupling between the mechanical and electrical properties of composite superconductors. The basic features of this phenomenon will be illustrated by a discussion of the properties of simple composite superconductors