High-Field Superconductors under Strain that Enable Tokamaks for Fusion Power Generation (Experimental PhD).

博士研究项目的背景：正在法国卡达拉什建造的ITER（国际热核实验反应堆）托卡马克是21世纪初最令人兴奋的科学项目之一（http：//www.iter.org/）。它将产生500兆瓦的电力，大约是机器运行所需电力的十倍。超导性是这个项目的技术支持，因为没有它，保持等离子体的磁铁要么熔化，要么消耗比托卡马克产生的更多的能量。ITER大约三分之一的成本来自使用低温超导体的超导磁体。最近的工作表明，下一代聚变托卡马克可能在比ITER更高的磁场下最有效-超过~ 16特斯拉-这就提出了一个问题，即我们是否可以开发具有更高电流密度和上临界场的高温超导体，以实现商业聚变能源。http://www.superpower-inc.com/content/2g-hts-wire这些高温超导体中的电流密度在高磁场下通常仍然小于理论极限的1%，并且对于为什么它如此低还没有达成一致。在达勒姆，我们已经开发了专用的设施，使传输临界电流密度JC（B，T）测量作为磁场（B），温度（T）和应变的函数在2G磁带。该博士学位旨在使用我们位于达勒姆的最先进的水平亥姆霍兹式15特斯拉磁体系统以及位于格勒诺布尔的国际高场设施的磁体测量最佳导体。ITER（2025年）首次等离子体的时间尺度为早期职业物理学家提供了一个极好的机会，以帮助开拓我们对聚变应用高场超导材料的理解。博士研究项目和监督：在这个博士研究计划中，学生将测量超导材料的基本和外在特性，包括临界电流密度JC（B），T，）。重要的研究问题包括：决定高温超导体在高磁场中临界电流的机制是什么？我们如何优化HTS材料以实现商业聚变能源？在这些材料中，各向异性/降维的作用是什么？为什么在高磁场中，最先进材料的临界电流密度比理论极限低2或3个数量级？我们能否理解应变下高Jc材料中磁通钉扎和磁通流动的本质？这是一个神话般的博士项目，是理想的学生与一流的物理学位和广泛的兴趣，材料和应用物理。他们将与世界各地从事核聚变研究的科学家建立网络。博士监督团队将包括Damian Hampshire教授，他是高场应用超导和聚变能源社区的经验丰富的成员。4年的博士学位是通过Fusion CDT合作伙伴关系资助的，该合作伙伴关系为英国许多最好的大学提供了极好的机会，这是一门优秀的聚变能源教学课程，并接触到整个欧洲的聚变社区。博士学位正式设在达勒姆，以获得高磁场和低温设施，但在融合CDT的培训意味着你花了大约6-8个月在你的博士学位的第一年在CDT合作大学，并将包括定期访问CCFE。它也可能涉及在国际实验室（通常是美国，日本或欧盟）工作，在第二或第三年至少有一个合作项目。该研究小组致力于开发一个环境，产生世界一流的科学，是包容性的，灵活的和家庭友好。

Background to the PhD Research Project: The ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) Tokomak that is being built in Cadarache in France is one of the most exciting scientific projects at the beginning of the 21st century (http://www.iter.org/). It will produce 500 MW which is about ten times the power needed to run the machine. Superconductivity is the enabling technology for this project since without it, the magnets that hold the plasma would either melt or consume more energy than the tokamak produces. Approximately one third of the cost of ITER comes from the superconducting magnets which use low temperature superconductors. Recent work has demonstrated that the next generation of fusion tokamaks may be most effective at higher fields than ITER - more than ~ 16 Tesla - which opens the question of whether we can develop high-temperature superconductors, that have higher current densities and upper critical fields, to enable commercial fusion energy http://www.superpower-inc.com/content/2g-hts-wire. The current density in these high temperature superconductors is still typically less than 1 % of the theoretical limit in high magnetic fields and there is no agreement about why it is so pitifully low. In Durham, we have developed purpose-built facilities to make transport critical current density JC(B,T,) measurements as a function of magnetic field (B), temperature (T) and strain on 2G tapes. This PhD is directed at measuring the best available conductors, using our state-of-the-art horizontal Helmholtz-like 15 Tesla magnet system in Durham, as well as using the magnets at the International high-field facilities in Grenoble. The timescale for first-plasma at ITER (2025) offers a wonderful opportunity for early career Physicists to help pioneer our understanding of high field superconducting materials for fusion applications. PhD Research Project and Supervision: In this PhD research programme, the student will measure both the fundamental and extrinsic properties of superconducting materials including the critical current density JC(B),T,). Important research questions include: What is the mechanism that determines the critical current in high magnetic fields of high temperature superconductors? How can we optimise HTS materials to enable commercial fusion energy ? What is the role of anisotropy/reduced dimensionality in these materials? Why is the critical current density in state-of-the-art materials 2 or 3 orders of magnitude lower than the theoretical limit in high magnetic fields? Can we understand the nature of flux pinning and flux flow in high Jc materials under strain ? This is a fabulous PhD project that is ideal for a student with a first class degree in Physics and a broad interest in materials and applied Physics. They will be expected to network with scientists throughout the world working on fusion. The PhD supervisory team will include Prof. Damian Hampshire who is an experienced member of the high-field applied superconductivity and fusion energy community. The 4 year PhD is funded through the Fusion CDT partnership which gives an excellent exposure to many of the best Universities in the UK, an excellent taught course in fusion energy and exposure to the fusion community across Europe. The PhD is formally based at Durham for access to high magnetic fields and cryogenic facilities, but the training in the fusion CDT means you spend about 6-8 months during the first year of your PhD at CDT partner Universities and will include regular visits to CCFE. It will also probably involve working in an International laboratory (usually the USA, Japan or EU) for at least one collaborative project in the 2nd or 3rd year. The Research Groups are committed to developing an environment that produces world-class science and is inclusive, flexible and family-friendly.