Superconductors in high magnetic fields: Ising protection in WS2 monolayers and critical currents in superconducting tapes

More than 110 years after the first observation of superconductivity, this field of research still remains a fascinating puzzle with many mysteries yet to be properly explained.
The prospect of eliminating resistance offers many futuristic sounding promises; think of ultra-fast computers that do not overheat or electricity grids with near-zero losses.
The holy grail in this field is of course finding an ambient-pressure room-temperature superconductor that is relatively easy to mass produce and maintain.
Due to the sheer size of the material-space to search, the final discovery of this enigmatic substance is likely to be a task for future generations.
Nonetheless, in this thesis we aim to contribute to this epic quest by further exploring a fascinating special case from the family of superconductors, and by testing a new candidate material for the next generation of superconducting magnets.