HTS-110 Awarded Contract to Build 14 Tesla Magnet for European Spallation Source, Paving the Way for Next-Generation High-Field Sample Environments in Neutron Scattering
LOWER HUTT, New Zealand — HTS-110 has been selected by the European Spallation Source (ESS) to design and manufacture a 14 tesla high-field magnet for neutron spectroscopy. This contract follows HTS-110’s recent delivery of a world-first 12 tesla all-HTS magnet (pictured below) to the CEA for neutron science, at the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), further cementing the company’s position as the premier provider of high-field magnetic environments for advanced research facilities.
The new system will be deployed on the CSPEC (Cold Chopper Spectrometer) and T-REX (Bispectral Chopper Spectrometer) instruments at the ESS in Lund, Sweden. It represents a significant leap forward in magnetic sample environments, offering researchers a symmetric vertical field of up to 14 tesla combined with a Variable Temperature Insert (VTI) which will support normal operation from 1.5 K to 325 K, and allow the insertion and cooling of a dilution refrigerator and/or a He³ ultra-low temperature (ULT) insert.
The system represents a deep technical partnership between HTS-110 and the ILL, mirroring the successful collaboration model established during the recent delivery of the 12 tesla system to CEA. As with that previous project, HTS-110 is responsible for manufacturing the complete magnet system, while the Variable Temperature Insert (VTI) will be designed by the ILL team. This continuity allows the ESS to benefit from a proven interface between magnet and sample environment, leveraging HTS-110’s manufacturing capabilities alongside ILL’s 50 years of expertise in cryogenic systems.
12 T magnet on the thermal neutron two-axis diffractometer at CEA Grenoble (© ILL)
Overcoming the Challenge for conventional LTS magnets
The primary challenge for conventional low-temperature superconducting (LTS) magnets in neutron scattering applications is the risk of quench. Neutron scattering instruments and sample environments typically incorporate mechanical structures made of aluminum and other metals. In such environments, a magnet quench can induce transient eddy currents in surrounding metallic structures, resulting in significant electromagnetic forces that may cause damage to the magnet system and beamline components.
HTS-110’s solution leverages the inherent thermal stability of High-Temperature Superconductors. Unlike Low-Temperature Superconductor (LTS) counterparts, HTS coils are robust against rapid discharging, thereby eliminating the risk of generating unbalanced forces that could damage the magnet system.
Dr. Taotao Huang, Principal Magnet Designer at HTS-110, commented:
The magnet will be designed using second-generation high-temperature superconducting (HTS) wire, offering the potential to achieve significantly higher magnetic fields. Compared to conventional LTS conductors, 2G HTS wire provides superior current-carrying capacity in high magnetic fields, enhanced thermal stability, and a much lower risk of quench, making it ideal for demanding neutron scattering environments. The success of this project will pave the way for the development of next-generation 20 T split-pair magnets for neutron scattering.
Optimized for Neutron Science
The 14 tesla system has been purpose-built to maximize data quality and detector efficiency:
- Maximized Detector Coverage: The split-pair geometry features a horizontal opening of -36° to +144° and a vertical opening of ±7°, ensuring maximum visibility for the CSPEC and TREX detector banks.
- Low Background Interference: To minimize neutron scattering, the coils are supported by wedges rather than continuous rings.
- Operational Efficiency: The system features a recondensing helium tank feeding the dual-heat-exchanger VTI ensuring one-week autonomy in liquid helium, fast sample cooling/heating and a ramp time to full field of less than one hour.
About the Project
The design phase commences immediately, with the final delivery of the system scheduled for 2027. This magnet will serve as a key component in unlocking discoveries in quantum materials, superconductivity, and functional materials at the atomic level.
The European Spallation Source (ESS) is a multidisciplinary research facility under construction in Lund, Sweden, with its Data Management and Software Centre located at the Technical University of Denmark in Copenhagen. The ESS facility, owned by 13 European countries, is built with extensive contributions from many European In-Kind partner institutions and is projected to be operational by 2028. Upon completion, ESS will be the world’s leading accelerator-based neutron source, hosting 2,000–3,000 researchers annually.
The ILL is an international research centre at the leading edge of neutron science and technology operating the world’s most powerful continuous neutron source. The ILL provides scientists from its member countries and around the world with a very high flux of neutrons feeding some 40 state-of-the-art instruments, which are constantly being developed and upgraded. The ILL is funded and managed by France, Germany and the United Kingdom, with scientific partnership from 10 other countries.
Founded in 2004 in Lower Hutt, New Zealand, HTS-110 is a specialist manufacturer of HTS magnet systems. We have delivered over 100 systems to leading facilities including NIST, ANSTO, HZB, and ILL. Today, our technology provides the magnetic environments for world-first research.
