The International Symposium on Superconductivity (ISS) 2020 included the participation of 441 scientists, engineer and students from over 21 countries. From the ICMAB, 10 researchers (PhD, Postdoc and Tenured Scientists) participated with different contributions on studies on Chemical Solution Depositions techniques for superconducting films growth and for different applications on particle accelerators, fusion applications or fault current limiters. 

The International Symposium included 4 parallel oral sessions, covering the latest findings and related topics in superconductivity science and technology. 

1. Physics and Chemistry (PC): Novel Materials, Materials chemistry, Fundamental physical properties (bulk, single crystal and thin film), Vortex physics, Theory.
2. Wires and Bulk (WB): Advanced LTS or HTS wire and bulk, their materials processing of metals, oxides, and others, critical current and flux pinning property, radiation effects, mechanical strength, AC loss, electro-magnetic stability, mass-productivity, including their assembled conductor structures and superconducting joints.
3. Electronic Devices (ED): Digital and mixed-signal circuits, Detectors and readout, SQUIDs, High-frequency devices, Quantum information technology, Novel devices, Materials and fabrication, System applications.
4. Large Scale System Applications (AP): Magnets (for high energy physics, medical systems etc.), Electric power devices (cable, current limiter, transformer, SMES, others), Rotating machines, Magnetic levitation and propulsion, Medical systems etc. using HTS and LTS materials.

All the contributions were oral presentations of different length (40 min-plenary, 30 min-invited, 15 min-contributed) to maximize the visibility of the research. The Symposium combined face-to-face sessions with online meeting rooms to enhance the participation of international researchers due to the current pandemic situation. All ICMAB researchers participated remotely from Barcelona. 

ICMAB Researchers contributions

One of the sessions within the “Wires and Bulk” research area was on "Recent progress on Chemical Solution Deposition", and was mainly formed by contributions from ICMAB researchers at the SUMAN group, highlihting their broad expertise and international competitiveness on the field: 

• Postdoc researcher Dr. Kapil Gupta: “Recent Advancements in Ultrafast Transient Liquid Assisted Growth of High Current Density YBCO Superconducting Films” in the framework of ERC ULTRASUPERTAPE and IMPACT projects.
• PhD fellow Lavinia Saltarelli: “Novel Class of Fluorine-free solutions for Transient Liquid Assisted Growh of YBa₂Cu₃O₇ Superconducting Films” in the framework of ERC ULTRASUPERTAPE project.
• PhD fellow Adrià Pacheco: “Inkjet Printing Methodology as a Chemical Solution Deposition approach to high temperature superconducting YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x thick layers” in the framework of ERC ULTRASUPERTAPE project.
• Juan de la Cierva postdoc Dr. Albert Queraltó: “Combinatoria Screening of Cuprate Superconductors by Drop-On-Demand Inkjet Printing” in the framework of ERC ULTRASUPERTAPE project.
• Postdoc researcher Dr. Cornelia Pop: “Optimizing the growth of solution-derived superconducting YBa₂Cu₃O₇ thick films on sapphire” in the framework of H2020 FASTGRI project.
• PhD fellow Diana Garcia:  “Superconducting YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x Nanocomposite Films Usig Preformed BaMO₃ and BaM₂O₆ Nanoparticles” in the framework of ERC ULTRASUPERTAPE project.
• PhD fellow Jordi Alcalà: “Nano-engineered YABCO superconducting films for fusion applications” in the framework of EUROFUSION project.
• Tenured scientist Dr. Joffre Gutierrez: “REBa₂Cu₃O_7-x coated conductors as promising candidates for the FCC-hh collider beam screen coating” in the framework of CERN-ICMAB-ALBA-IFAE-UPC collaborative project.

In the “Large Scale System Applications” research area, during the “Electric power applications and cables” session, two SUMAN researchers presented their results:

• PhD fellow Pedro Barusco: “Manufacturing Current Flow Diverter for Fault Current Limiters” in the framework of H2020 FASTGRID project.
• PhD fellow Guilherme Telles: “Field quality simulations of hybrid REBCO-Cu coating for FCC beam screen with commercially available coated conductors” in the framework of CERN-ICMAB-ALBA-UPC-IFAE collaborative project.

Teresa Puig, Head of SUMAN group at ICMAB congratulated all speakers for their contributions to this International Conference "I would like to use this opportunity to congratulate all the ICMAB speakers at ISS 2020. I want to emphasize that it is not normal to get a full session on "Progress on Chemical Solution Deposition" filled by one single institution in a International Conference. It clearly means we are doing all very good work and with a very extensive approach of things. I think we demonstrated that we are a competitive group with a broad expertise in the field." 

About ISS

In January 1988, after the discovery of high-temperature superconductors, the International Superconductivity Technology Center (ISTEC) was established to actively engage in promoting widespread research and development as well as investigations ranging from fundamental research to the application of superconductivity. ISTEC organized the first International Symposium on Superconductivity in August 1988 and continued until 2015, every year. From 2016, AIST Tsukuba, in Japan,  has been in charge of organizing the following Symposiums, including this year's one in December 2020.