by Chen Na, Chinese Academy of Sciences
The race to generate stronger, more stable magnetic fields has become a cornerstone of modern physics, driving innovations in medicine, energy, and materials science. China’s latest breakthrough marks a major leap forward in this global quest and highlights the country’s accelerating leadership in superconducting technology.
Chinese scientists have successfully generated a steady magnetic field of 351,000 gauss (35.1 tesla) using a fully superconducting magnet, setting a new world record. The achievement represents a milestone in high-field magnet research and is expected to significantly advance the commercialization of next-generation superconducting instruments such as nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers. The accomplishment also provides crucial technical support for multiple cutting-edge fields, including fusion magnet systems, space electromagnetic propulsion, superconducting induction heating, magnetic levitation, and efficient power transmission.
The magnet was developed by the Institute of Plasma Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP), located in Hefei, Anhui Province, China, in collaboration with the Hefei International Applied Superconductivity Center, the Institute of Energy of the Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, and Tsinghua University.
A Powerful Collaboration in Superconductivity
ASIPP is internationally known for operating the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), often referred to as China’s “artificial sun.” The institute has long been a leader in fusion research and has developed an extensive domestic supply chain for superconducting materials and systems.
Tsinghua University contributed theoretical modeling and advanced materials engineering, while the Hefei International Applied Superconductivity Center provided technical expertise in coil design and cryogenic systems. Together, these groups form a national alliance that has transformed Hefei into a global hub for applied superconductivity and plasma research.
The Technology Behind the Record
Earth itself is a giant magnet, generating a geomagnetic field of about 0.5 gauss. By comparison, superconducting magnets, fabricated by winding superconducting materials, can generate fields hundreds of thousands of times stronger while enabling lossless transmission of large electrical currents.
According to Liu Fang, a researcher with ASIPP, the new magnet adopts high-temperature superconducting (HTS) insert-coil technology, coaxially nested with low-temperature superconducting magnets. The team overcame formidable challenges such as stress concentration, shielding-current effects, and multi-field coupling under low-temperature, high-field conditions. These innovations dramatically improved the magnet’s mechanical stability and electromagnetic performance in extreme environments.
During the record-setting experiment, the magnet was energized to 35.1 tesla, operated stably for 30 minutes, and then safely demagnetized, fully verifying the reliability of the technical approach. The achieved field strength, over 700,000 times stronger than Earth’s geomagnetic field, surpassed the previous world record of 323,500 gauss.
Implications for Fusion and Beyond
Superconducting magnets are key components in magnetic confinement fusion devices, forming a “magnetic cage” that confines high-temperature plasma long enough for sustained burning. The stronger and more stable the magnetic field, the more efficiently fusion reactions can occur.
ASIPP’s success feeds directly into its role as China’s main unit within the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project, the world’s largest and most ambitious fusion experiment, currently under construction in southern France. As part of its ITER contributions, ASIPP is responsible for major procurement packages, including superconductors, correction coils, and magnet feeders.
An ITER spokesperson, in a statement welcoming the announcement, noted that “advances in high-temperature superconducting magnet technology contribute directly to ITER’s long-term mission of achieving controlled fusion power. Each improvement in field strength and stability brings us closer to the conditions required for sustained fusion energy.”
Global Context and Future Prospects
The 35.1-tesla field achieved in Hefei represents not only a scientific record but also a strategic step toward fusion energy independence. Around the world, laboratories in Japan, the United States, and Europe are developing their own high-field superconducting systems, including MIT’s SPARC project and Japan’s NIFS LHD program, but China’s combination of homegrown materials, full-scale engineering capability, and coordinated national investment gives it a unique edge. Beyond fusion, ultra-high-field superconducting magnets have transformative potential in other domains: they can enhance the resolution of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), enable new particle-acceleration techniques, and open pathways for advanced propulsion and energy-storage systems. As global competition intensifies, breakthroughs like this signal a new era of scientific capability centered on superconducting technologies.
