Superconductors having controlled laminar pinning centers, and method of manufacturing same

A multifilament superconductor (13) is disclosed having continuous, non-random pinning centers and including a plurality of parallel superconductive subfilaments (15) of uniform cross-sectional area. The subfilaments (15) are embedded in generally hexagonal pinning jackets (17), and the pinning jackets together form a structure having a honeycomb-like cross-section. The jackets (17) have a wall thickness that is substantially an integral multiple of the coherence length of the subfilaments in a predetermined field. The jackets together form a plurality of continuous paths for fluxions (1) across the superconductor, whereby total pinning density of said superconductor is substantially increased, and the critical field strength of the superconductor is enhanced.