CLASSICAL AND HIGH TEMPERATURE SUPERCONDUCTIVITY

This article provides an introductory review, intended mainly for nonspecialists, of classical and high temperature superconductivity. After providing a historic overview, the article focuses on the macroscopic electrodynamic properties of both classical and cuprate superconductors. Next, certain aspects of the microscopic electron pairing theory of superconductivity, originally proposed by Bardeen, Cooper, and Schrieffer, are briefly summarized. followed by a discussion of josephson junctions. The structural and electronic properties unique to cuprate superconductors, as well as their superconducting pairing state symmetry and proposed pairing mechanisms, are then described. Recent progress in the development of applications is then briefly covered. Finally, the article concludes with a discussion of possible future directions.