The primary motivation for developing high-field superconducting magnets is to support scientific research in a variety of disciplines. Because the magnetic field is a thermodynamic variable, it can be used to manipulate phase diagrams of magnetic materials in which the spins of the electrons order ferromagnetically or antiferromagnetically. The quantized orbital motion of electrons in the presence of magnetic fields allows scientists to probe Fermi surfaces, and the quantized electron energy levels associated with fields of order 20 tesla (T) or greater permit access to the quantum and fractional quantum Hall regime. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques, applicable to physical, chemical, and biological systems, have led to a remarkable technology for nondestructive imaging of living systems.
Many investigations require, or at least can benefit from, the homogeneous, low-noise, and temporally stable magnetic fields that can only be achieved with superconducting magnets. Cost and material properties, though, limit the...