Superconductivity
Abstract
The remarkable phenomenon of superconductivity has been the subject of intense scientific and technological interest since the initial discovery in mercury below its critical temperature (Tc) of 4.2K. The discovery (around 1960) of superconducting materials capable of supporting high electrical current densities in strong external magnetic fields, and the discovery of the Josephson tunneling effect, accelerated the rate at which potential applications were identified. Many of these applications have since been reduced to practice. The Navy has long recognized the significance of superconductivity and, for this reason, has supported a substantial effort in superconductivity research and development. Nonetheless, progress has been inhibited, in many cases, by the low critical temperatures and the attendant cost and complexity of liquid helium refrigeration. The dramatic discovery of a class of ceramic oxides exhibiting critical temperatures above 100K has created an extraordinary increase in interest in both scientific and technological aspects of superconductivity. Among the important potential benefits of high-Tc Superconductors (SCs) are operating temperatures at or above the boiling point of liquid nitrogen (77K), and the potential for sustaining higher magnetic field strengths and higher frequencies. The existence of high-Tc superconductors has also renewed speculation on the possibility of achieving "room-temperature" superconductivity.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA532133