Persistent Mode MgB Short Windings

Feasibility of industrial production of MgB 2 cables and magnets has been established, thus leading to MRI systems realization. Apart from continuing the development in performances of both cable and magnet, a further important step consists in applying superconductive junctions to windings, to obtain a better field stability. In 2006 a technique to obtain some tens of Ampere in persistent mode operation in a joined MgB 2 cable was found. Since then, short windings were repetitively built to test the progress of the performances of the junctions. Among them, a single junction, five meter long windings with a diameter of 260 millimeter were put in persistent mode (i. e. with total resistance less than 10 -14 Ohm) with 300 Ampere circulating at 20 Kelvin, self-field; also windings with two junctions and about one meter long with the same diameter were put in persistent mode with 200 Ampere circulating at 20 Kelvin, self-field.