Superconductivity and Superconductors

The following sections are included:

• Introduction and Brief History

  • Discovery

  • Meissner Effect

  • Theories

  • “Conventional” (Low Temperature) Superconductors

  • The Discovery of High Temperature Superconductors

  • Present Situation in High T_C Superconductor Research

• Superconducting Properties and Measurements

  • DC Resistivity

  • Specific Heat

  • Thermoelectric Effect and Thermal Conductivity

  • Superconducting Circuits

  • Magnetic Properties of Superconductors — Meissner Effect

  • Type I and Type II Superconductors

  • T_C and J_C Measurement — “Four-Point” Method

  • The Relations Between T_C, J_C and H_C

• BCS Theory of Superconductivity

• Conventional (Low T_c) Superconductors

  • Pure Elements

  • Alloys, Intermetallics and Chemical Compounds

• High T_c Superconductors

  • Y-Ba-Cu-O Superconductor System (YBCO)

  • Structure of Y123

  • Properties of Y123

  • Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O (BSCCO) Superconductor System

  • Tl Superconducting Compounds

• Application of Superconducting Materials

  • Superconducting Magnets

  • Electric Power Utilities

  • Transportation Tools

  • Electronics and Thin Film Applications

  • Josephson Effect

  • SQUID (Superconducting Quantum Interference Device)

  • Supercomputers

• Summary

• Important Concepts