3D Printing of NbTi Superconductors Components
Author: Ersoz, Tugrul Talha
Affiliation: University of Birmingham
Type: Contributed Talk
Session: Applied Superconductivity
Date and Time: 21.07.2026, 17:50 - 18:10
Additive manufacturing provides a powerful new pathway for superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) technologies by allowing the fabrication of complex geometries that are impractical with conventional methods. In this study, Nb47Ti (wt%) superconducting components are produced via laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) using in-situ alloying, achieving relative densities exceeding 99.5% (≈6.1 g/cm³) with negligible Nb segregation (<0.05%). Tailored post-processing, comprising solution treatment at 1250 °C followed by aging at 450 °C, induces a controlled ω→α-Ti transformation, leading to the formation of nanoscale α-Ti precipitates that serve as efficient flux-pinning centres. Consequently, critical current densities as high as 14.6 kA/mm² at 4.2 K and 5 T are obtained, corresponding to nearly 80% of the theoretical NbTi limit, while preserving a superconducting transition temperature of approximately 9–9.5 K.
Beyond material performance, a fully operational 3D-printed NbTi superconducting microwave cavity is demonstrated. The cylindrical cavity exhibits loaded Q-factors up to 4.6 × 10⁵ and 6.3 × 10⁵ in TE₀₁₁ and TE₁₁₁ modes, respectively, and 0.61 × 10⁵ in the TM₁₁₁ mode. Stable superconducting behaviour is maintained under applied magnetic fields up to about 0.3 T, confirming effective RF shielding. These findings validate LPBF-processed NbTi as a promising material for SRF applications while offering exceptional design freedom. The methodology is scalable and readily adaptable to a broad range of superconducting technologies, including accelerator systems, quantum devices, and cryogenic shielding solutions.