Minimum quench energy measurement of NbTi wires using a small ceramic heater

A small ceramic chip resistor is proposed as a possible ideal point heater for transient stability measurements of superconductors. Preliminary results were obtained using a 1-mm*1.5-mm*0.5-mm ceramic resistor and NbTi wires whose copper-to-superconductor (Cu/SC) ratios were 1 and 2, having the same SC areas. The resistor was soldered on the NbTi wire to minimize the thermal resistance between the resistor and the wire. The minimum quench energy of the Cu/SC ratio 2 wire was approximately twice as large as that of the Cu/SC ratio 1 wire, under the same background magnetic field and with the same ratio of the operating current to its critical current.