High-temperature Superconductors: A Gamechanger Technology for Nuclear Fusion and Beyond

Since the discovery of superconductivity at high temperatures in single crystals of cuprate materials, in 1986, a huge research effort has been conducted worldwide to make these innovative materials available in practical long lengths for various scientific and engineering projects.

This presentation starts by reviewing the principles of high-temperature superconductors (HTS). Their remarkable performance with respect to the well-established low-temperature superconductors (LTS), in terms of transport current, applied magnetic field, and temperature, offers new interesting opportunities in many technological domains, such as wind energy generation, transport of electric energy, and magnetic energy storage.

In the relevant domain of nuclear fusion, the ability of HTS to generate magnetic fields in the order of 20 T and higher paves the way for the construction of more compact reactors or magnet operation at higher temperatures. An overview of the main fusion projects currently underway is proposed, and the associated material challenges, such as the impact of nuclear heating on reactor lifetime, are discussed.

About the presenter

Dr. Giovanni Succi obtained his Bachelor and Master’s degree in Energy and Nuclear Engineering from the University of Bologna, in Italy. He later spent five and half years at the European Centre for Particle Physics (CERN), where he also conducted the experimental work to complete his PhD with the University of Southampton (UK). Since July 2025, he joined the CEA French research centre, in Cadarache, where he is working on the development of high-temperature superconducting materials for nuclear fusion applications.