Performance and Lifetime Improvements of Pulsed Magnets

Published April 16, 2026

Left: Monitor display of the magnet resistance curve during operation of a 65-T magnet. Right: Number of pulses exceeding 60 T delivered by the 65-T magnets in recent years.

The National MagLab at Los Alamos has expanded experimental capacity with the new 75-T duplex and 60-T mid-pulse magnets, providing users access to higher peak fields or longer pulse durations. By combining advanced mechanical design, a new cooling technique using liquid-nitrogen gap, and improved CuCrZr magnet conductor, the magnets achieve enhanced lifespan and reduced cooling time between pulses, resulting in a 50% increase in pulse productivity.

What is the finding

Scientists and engineers at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory’s Los Alamos facility have significantly improved the performance of their pulsed magnet systems, which generate extremely strong magnetic fields for short periods of time. Combining an advanced mechanical design with improved, more cost-effective CuCrZr magnet wire significantly increases the magnets’ lifespan. The design also incorporates liquid-nitrogen cooling channels between component coils to significantly reduce the cooling time between pulses.

Why is this important?

Very high pulsed magnetic fields allow researchers to probe the materials in extreme conditions, revealing properties unseen at lower fields key for advances in quantum materials, energy technologies, and electronics. The 75-T duplex & 60-T mid-pulse magnets provide user access to pulsed magnetic fields with either higher peak amplitudes or longer pulse durations, supporting the needs of the user community. Since its commissioning, the 75-T duplex magnet has delivered ~1500 full-field pulses for users. The 60-T mid-pulse magnet has significant user interest because its pulse duration is about 300 ms—roughly five times longer than that of a standard 65-T magnet. The fast-cooling design substantially increased magnet productivity delivering approximately 3,500 pulses at or above 60 tesla, a 50% increase compared with the previous year.

Who did the research?

Doan Nguyen¹, James Michel¹, Scott Betts¹, Jason Lucero¹, Iain Dixon², Rongmei Niu² and Ke Han²

¹National MagLab, Los alamos; ²National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, FSU

Why did they need the MagLab?

Producing and running the world’s strongest pulsed magnetic fields requires specialized infrastructure, engineering expertise, and experience that exist only at the National MagLab. The MagLab’s Los Alamos branch combines large capacitor banks, advanced magnet designs, and materials expertise to push pulsed-field technology forward. These improved cooling channels, stronger and more durable magnet wire, and refined mechanical designs are the result of sustained innovation at the MagLab & they enable user experiments unable to be performed anywhere else.