Rare earth-doped barium copper oxide (REBCO) is superconducting material capable of generating magnetic fields over 20T at high current densities. As such, it is an emerging magnet conductor choice for nuclear fusion magnets and particle accelerators. However, REBCO is fabricated by a complicated metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) process, and it is difficult to produce REBCO tape with uniform properties over the hundreds of meters needed for a magnet winding. In this project, the variability in structural features in the REBCO layer of commercial tapes is assessed by scanning electron microscopy in order to gauge the relative maturity of the manufacturing processes used by companies around the world. Image analysis and data visualization techniques were developed as part of the project, and the data produced here will be help manufacturers improve the reliability of their processes, and will further give magnet builders insight into which tapes are the most reliable for magnet performance.
