Technological Applications of Superconductivity - Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)

The biggest application for superconductivity is in producing the large volume, stable, and high magnetic fields required for MRI and NMR. This represents a multi-billion US$ market for companies such as Oxford Instruments and Siemens. The magnets typically use low temperature superconductors (LTS) because high-temperature superconductors are not yet cheap enough to cost-effectively deliver the high, stable and large volume fields required, notwithstanding the need to cool LTS instruments to liquid helium temperatures. Superconductors are also used in high field scientific magnets.

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