The award recognizes a living individual for a career of meritorious achievements and outstanding technical contributions in the field of applied superconductor materials technology, over a period of time (nominally more than twenty years) based on novel and innovative concepts and theories proposed by the individual, the authorship or co-authorship of many publications of major significance to the field of applied superconductor materials technology, and the impact that the candidate’s contributions have had on the development and maturing of applied superconductivity. Up to the year 2013, the award was titled the " Award for Continuing and Significant Contributions in the Field of Applied Superconductivity (Materials)". Historical Background: This award was renamed for Dr. James Wong (1927-2020) who received the IEEE Award for Continuing and Significant Contributions in the Field of Applied Superconductivity in 2011 for his pioneering work in producing commercial-grade superconducting cables and conductors. In 1962, Dr. Wong founded Supercon, Inc. which has produced a variety of niobium-titanium and niobium-tin superconducting wires, cables and conductors for many commercial and research application and has supplied production quantities of high-quality superconducting wire for a longer time than any other company in the world. Prize: Recipients will receive a $5,000 honorarium, a suitably inscribed plaque, and a medallion fabricated from niobium. Funding: The award is funded from an endowment by the Wong family, managed through the IEEE Foundation. If more than one award is given in any award year, the second award of $5,000 will be funded by the Council on Superconductivity. No more than two awards shall be presented during any award year. Presentation: To be presented during an awards ceremony at the Applied Superconductivity Conference or at other international conferences related to applied superconductivity as designated by the President of the IEEE Council on SuperConductivity. Basis for Judging: For contribution to the field of applied superconductivity over a period of time (nominally, more than twenty years) based on novel and innovative concepts proposed by the individual, the authorship or co-authorship of a number of publications of major significance to the field of applied superconductivity and the presentation of a number of invited and plenary talks at major national and international conferences and meetings in applied superconductivity, and the impact that the candidate’s accomplishments have had on the development and maturing of applied superconductivity. Eligibility: The recipient must have been active in the field of applied superconductivity for at least twenty years; and must be able to attend the international conference related to applied superconductivity at which the Award will be made. The recipient does not have to be a member of the IEEE and there shall be no restrictions based on nationality, country of residence, age or gender. An individual may receive only one IEEE Council on SuperConductivity sponsored Award for his/her contributions to superconductor materials science and technology. Nomination Details: The online nomination form (including and all supporting information and letters of support) must be submitted by no later than 28 February of the award year. Any questions regarding the nomination process for the Dr. James Wong Award should be directed to: Eric Hellstrom Vice President of Awards & Recognitions IEEE Council on Superconductivity [email protected] Nomination Form: Nominate for this Award 2024 Photo: Eric Hellstrom For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconductivity materials research, in particular for: • Development of the over-pressure sintering process for the BSCCO-2223 Ag-sheathed composite conductor that enabled significant enhancement of critical current density both in laboratory and industrial tape • Development of high-critical current BSCCO-2212 wire via implementation of the over-pressure processing that enabled suppression of gas bubbles during the melt processing and enhancement of critical current density • Development of BSCCO-2212 powder and support to industry for meeting powder requirements • Development and study of other superconducting materials, including MgB2 bulk material and Ba-122 superconducting wires and bulks Acceptance Speech × Photo: Xavier Obradors For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconductivity materials research, in particular for: • Pioneering work on REBCO conductor development, by advancement of metal organic deposition (MOD) processing of REBCO films to achieve ultra-high flux pinning via fast processing at low cost • Identifying a new vortex pinning mechanism in REBCO tape based on nanostrain in nanostructured high temperature superconductor and classifying the vortex pinning in the highly engineered films into strong and weak pinning and isotropic and oriented defects • Stimulating and driving collaboration with industry by transferring knowledge and promoting large scale industrial production of affordable REBCO superconductors, and by • Leading large European projects on novel REBCO technology with vision and innovation Acceptance Speech × 2023 Photo: Sergey Lee For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconductivity materials research, in particular: • for development of successful synthesis techniques and detailed studies of Hg based cuprate superconductors in form of ceramics, single crystals and epitaxial thin films, • for development of a new high-pressure preparation route, synthesis and fundamental properties’ study of MgB2 superconductor single crystals, • for development of in-plume PLD approach that resulted in highly efficient tool to make ReBCO coated conductors, • for development of new ReBCO thin film recipes, in particular with Y2O3 nanoparticles, leading to establishment of large- scale industrial production of ReBCO coated conductors for disruptive industries like compact fusion. Acceptance Speech × 2021 Photo: Amalia Ballarino For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconductivity materials research, in particular: • for leading successful R&D programs that establish a winning role for HTS and MgB2 superconductors in accelerator applications, the success of which has led to their general acceptance, • for piloting the development of MgB2 wire suitable for cabling and its incorporation into a multi-kA power transmission system operating at 25 K, and for directing the project to industrialize eight such systems for which over 1000 km of wire have been produced, • for promoting fruitful cooperation between research and industry, • for launching R&D activity based on the use of superconductors (Nb-Ti, Nb3Sn, MgB2 and HTS) for future particle accelerators. Acceptance Speech × 2020 Photo: Yasuhiro Iijima For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconductivity materials research, in particular: • for the revolutionary discovery of cube textured film formation by the Ion-Beam-Assisted Deposition method, • for the pioneering study on in-plane symmetrical arrangement for biaxially textured template films and their growth mechanism by using IBAD and Pulsed Laser Deposition ; and, • for his contributions to the industrialization of long length REBCO coated conductor by reel-to-reel mass production systems for both IBAD template and REBCO film deposition, especially for introduction of nano-scale artificial pinning centers. Acceptance Speech × Photo: Martin Rupich For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconductivity materials research, in particular: • for the development of Bi2223 powder chemistry and processes for high-performance industrial-scale 1G wire, • for groundbreaking process development in REBCO films and for transitioning the technology into a commercial manufacturing process capable of accommodating thick MOD REBCO films over wide widths of tape, • for developing adjustments in solution chemistry and heat treatment schemes in commercial 2G wire with optimized temperature and magnetic field performance; and, • for his leading role in the collaborative development of REBCO technology that brought together industry, national laboratory and university groups. Acceptance Speech × 2019 Photo: Kozo Osamura For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconductivity materials research, in particular: • for his development of new techniques to determine the local strain in technical superconductors; • for advancing the understanding of the impact of strain on superconductor properties, for introducing new methods to improve the mechanical properties of superconducting composites; and, • for his leading role in the creation of international standards for superconducting materials technology. Acceptance Speech × 2018 Photo: Robert Hammond For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconducting materials research, in particular, • for development of Ion Beam Assisted Deposition (IBAD) method for making textured buffer on flexible metal tapes, paving the way to manufacture HTS tapes in long production length with high mechanical strength required for very high field magnet; • for the first demonstration of ternary phase diagram to provide the correlation between in situ growth conditions and thermodynamic stability criteria for YBCO (ReBCO) superconductor, which showed the liquid process was the key in e-beam RCE and subsequent conversion process; and, • for contributions to control of multi-source co-evaporation of superconducting films, making high-throughput, and cost-effective fabrication of HTS wire possible. Acceptance Speech × 2017 Photo: Judith L. MacManus-Driscoll For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconductivity materials research, in particular: • for the first demonstration of strong pinning enhancement in YBCO-based thin films for coated conductors (using BaZrO3 nanoparticle additions), followed by proposal and demonstration of further improved pinning using group IV and V elemental additions; • for the first demonstration of pO2-controlled liquid assisted growth of YBCO conductors, and subsequent advocacy of this method for next 20 + years; and • for undertaking and applying basic materials science studies to demonstrate novel ways to induce very effective pinning in MgB2 and (Bi,Pb)-2212. Acceptance Speech × 2016 Photo: Edward W. (Ted) Collings For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconductivity materials research, in particular, • for showing that proximity effect coupling between closely spaced fine filaments in multifilamentary NbTi/Cu composites could be suppressed by the addition of Mn to the Cu matrix, • for leading the development of NbTi and Nb3Sn Rutherford cables in which cores of selected materials and widths were introduced to control interstrand contact and coupling magnetization, • for leading a group that developed the world's first HTS Rutherford cable based on Bi:2212/Ag and that went on to produce long lengths of continuously melt processed Nb3Al strand and hence Nb3Al Rutherford cable, and, • for contributions to the understanding and development of practical MgB2 conductors. Acceptance Speech × Photo: Helmut Krauth For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconductivity materials research, in particular, • development and industrialization of NbTi and Nb3Sn superconductors for fusion, accelerators, MRI and NMR, • for contributions to science and technology of NbTi and Nb3Sn conductors resulting in improved conductor performance and industrial manufacturing, and • for contributions to development and commercialization of Bi-2212 and Bi-2223 wires and tapes. Acceptance Speech × 2015 Photo: Seung Ok Hong For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconductivity materials research, in particular, • for his role in achieving engineering current densities of over 3000 A-mm-2 in commercial NbTi at 5 T and 4.2 K, • for his work in commercializing ‘wire in channel’ conductors to provide the low cost, high copper conductor needed for MRI, • for his work on RRP internal tin Nb3Sn conductors - the first wire to achieve 3000 A-mm-2 at 12 T and 4.2 K, and • for developing Bi-2212 round wire, enabling HTS Rutherford cable to be made for future accelerators. Acceptance Speech × 2014 Photo: Peter J. Lee For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconducting materials research, in particular, • for the development of techniques for quantitative digital imaging of defects, flux-pinning sites and chemical composition gradients in niobium-titanium and niobium-3-tin superconductors at all relevant length scales from the atomic to the macroscopic that have enabled significant improvements of their critical current characteristics, and thus enabling conductors to realize the benchmark values of critical current density required for many emerging applications. Acceptance Speech × Photo: Venkat Selvamanickam For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconductivity materials research, in particular, • for his leadership in the world’s first manufacturing and commercialization of second-generation (2G) HTS wires that culminated in the demonstration of the world’s first 2G HTS device in the electric power grid, • for pioneering numerous technologies in second-generation HTS wires including high throughput thin film deposition processes to fabricate single-crystalline-like films over a kilometer on metal substrates and nanoscale defect engineering for record-high superconductor wire performance, and • for conceiving and demonstrating a novel melt-texturing technique that yields large single-domain REBaCuO superconductors with world-record critical current performance, which is being used to manufacture bulk superconductors with very large trapped magnetic fields. Acceptance Speech ×
For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconductivity materials research, in particular for: • Development of the over-pressure sintering process for the BSCCO-2223 Ag-sheathed composite conductor that enabled significant enhancement of critical current density both in laboratory and industrial tape • Development of high-critical current BSCCO-2212 wire via implementation of the over-pressure processing that enabled suppression of gas bubbles during the melt processing and enhancement of critical current density • Development of BSCCO-2212 powder and support to industry for meeting powder requirements • Development and study of other superconducting materials, including MgB2 bulk material and Ba-122 superconducting wires and bulks
For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconductivity materials research, in particular for: • Pioneering work on REBCO conductor development, by advancement of metal organic deposition (MOD) processing of REBCO films to achieve ultra-high flux pinning via fast processing at low cost • Identifying a new vortex pinning mechanism in REBCO tape based on nanostrain in nanostructured high temperature superconductor and classifying the vortex pinning in the highly engineered films into strong and weak pinning and isotropic and oriented defects • Stimulating and driving collaboration with industry by transferring knowledge and promoting large scale industrial production of affordable REBCO superconductors, and by • Leading large European projects on novel REBCO technology with vision and innovation
For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconductivity materials research, in particular: • for development of successful synthesis techniques and detailed studies of Hg based cuprate superconductors in form of ceramics, single crystals and epitaxial thin films, • for development of a new high-pressure preparation route, synthesis and fundamental properties’ study of MgB2 superconductor single crystals, • for development of in-plume PLD approach that resulted in highly efficient tool to make ReBCO coated conductors, • for development of new ReBCO thin film recipes, in particular with Y2O3 nanoparticles, leading to establishment of large- scale industrial production of ReBCO coated conductors for disruptive industries like compact fusion.
For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconductivity materials research, in particular: • for leading successful R&D programs that establish a winning role for HTS and MgB2 superconductors in accelerator applications, the success of which has led to their general acceptance, • for piloting the development of MgB2 wire suitable for cabling and its incorporation into a multi-kA power transmission system operating at 25 K, and for directing the project to industrialize eight such systems for which over 1000 km of wire have been produced, • for promoting fruitful cooperation between research and industry, • for launching R&D activity based on the use of superconductors (Nb-Ti, Nb3Sn, MgB2 and HTS) for future particle accelerators.
For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconductivity materials research, in particular: • for the revolutionary discovery of cube textured film formation by the Ion-Beam-Assisted Deposition method, • for the pioneering study on in-plane symmetrical arrangement for biaxially textured template films and their growth mechanism by using IBAD and Pulsed Laser Deposition ; and, • for his contributions to the industrialization of long length REBCO coated conductor by reel-to-reel mass production systems for both IBAD template and REBCO film deposition, especially for introduction of nano-scale artificial pinning centers.
For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconductivity materials research, in particular: • for the development of Bi2223 powder chemistry and processes for high-performance industrial-scale 1G wire, • for groundbreaking process development in REBCO films and for transitioning the technology into a commercial manufacturing process capable of accommodating thick MOD REBCO films over wide widths of tape, • for developing adjustments in solution chemistry and heat treatment schemes in commercial 2G wire with optimized temperature and magnetic field performance; and, • for his leading role in the collaborative development of REBCO technology that brought together industry, national laboratory and university groups.
For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconductivity materials research, in particular: • for his development of new techniques to determine the local strain in technical superconductors; • for advancing the understanding of the impact of strain on superconductor properties, for introducing new methods to improve the mechanical properties of superconducting composites; and, • for his leading role in the creation of international standards for superconducting materials technology.
For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconducting materials research, in particular, • for development of Ion Beam Assisted Deposition (IBAD) method for making textured buffer on flexible metal tapes, paving the way to manufacture HTS tapes in long production length with high mechanical strength required for very high field magnet; • for the first demonstration of ternary phase diagram to provide the correlation between in situ growth conditions and thermodynamic stability criteria for YBCO (ReBCO) superconductor, which showed the liquid process was the key in e-beam RCE and subsequent conversion process; and, • for contributions to control of multi-source co-evaporation of superconducting films, making high-throughput, and cost-effective fabrication of HTS wire possible.
For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconductivity materials research, in particular: • for the first demonstration of strong pinning enhancement in YBCO-based thin films for coated conductors (using BaZrO3 nanoparticle additions), followed by proposal and demonstration of further improved pinning using group IV and V elemental additions; • for the first demonstration of pO2-controlled liquid assisted growth of YBCO conductors, and subsequent advocacy of this method for next 20 + years; and • for undertaking and applying basic materials science studies to demonstrate novel ways to induce very effective pinning in MgB2 and (Bi,Pb)-2212.
For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconductivity materials research, in particular, • for showing that proximity effect coupling between closely spaced fine filaments in multifilamentary NbTi/Cu composites could be suppressed by the addition of Mn to the Cu matrix, • for leading the development of NbTi and Nb3Sn Rutherford cables in which cores of selected materials and widths were introduced to control interstrand contact and coupling magnetization, • for leading a group that developed the world's first HTS Rutherford cable based on Bi:2212/Ag and that went on to produce long lengths of continuously melt processed Nb3Al strand and hence Nb3Al Rutherford cable, and, • for contributions to the understanding and development of practical MgB2 conductors.
For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconductivity materials research, in particular, • development and industrialization of NbTi and Nb3Sn superconductors for fusion, accelerators, MRI and NMR, • for contributions to science and technology of NbTi and Nb3Sn conductors resulting in improved conductor performance and industrial manufacturing, and • for contributions to development and commercialization of Bi-2212 and Bi-2223 wires and tapes.
For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconductivity materials research, in particular, • for his role in achieving engineering current densities of over 3000 A-mm-2 in commercial NbTi at 5 T and 4.2 K, • for his work in commercializing ‘wire in channel’ conductors to provide the low cost, high copper conductor needed for MRI, • for his work on RRP internal tin Nb3Sn conductors - the first wire to achieve 3000 A-mm-2 at 12 T and 4.2 K, and • for developing Bi-2212 round wire, enabling HTS Rutherford cable to be made for future accelerators.
For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconducting materials research, in particular, • for the development of techniques for quantitative digital imaging of defects, flux-pinning sites and chemical composition gradients in niobium-titanium and niobium-3-tin superconductors at all relevant length scales from the atomic to the macroscopic that have enabled significant improvements of their critical current characteristics, and thus enabling conductors to realize the benchmark values of critical current density required for many emerging applications.
For continuing and significant contributions in the field of superconductivity materials research, in particular, • for his leadership in the world’s first manufacturing and commercialization of second-generation (2G) HTS wires that culminated in the demonstration of the world’s first 2G HTS device in the electric power grid, • for pioneering numerous technologies in second-generation HTS wires including high throughput thin film deposition processes to fabricate single-crystalline-like films over a kilometer on metal substrates and nanoscale defect engineering for record-high superconductor wire performance, and • for conceiving and demonstrating a novel melt-texturing technique that yields large single-domain REBaCuO superconductors with world-record critical current performance, which is being used to manufacture bulk superconductors with very large trapped magnetic fields.
