List of Figures ix
List of Tables xiii
Preface xv
Acknowledgements xvii
To the Teacher xix
To the Student xxi
SECTION I Introduction 1
1 Resistivity and Conduction in Metals 3
1.1 Introduction 3
1.2 Resistivity 3
1.3 Conduction in Metals 5
1.4 Revisiting Ohm's Law 7
References 11
2 A Brief History of Superconductivity 13
2.1 Introduction 13
2.2 The Beginning: Kwik Nagenoeg Nul 13
2.3 1933 - Perfect Diamagnetism? 16
2.4 The London Brothers 19
2.5 1957 - The BCS Theory 19
2.6 1962 - The Josephson Effect 21
2.7 1986 - Bednorz and Mu¨ ller and Oxide
Superconductors 22
2.8 2003 - Abrikosov, Ginzburg and Leggett - and
the Future 22
2.9 Getting Cold Enough 24
References 26
SECTION II Superconductivity 29
3 An Explanation of Superconductivity? 31
3.1 Transition Temperature 32
3.2 Two-Fluid Model 34
3.3 Critical Field, Critical Current 36
3.4 Schawlow and Devlin 38
3.5 The London Equation 39
3.6 BCS Theory 41
3.6.1 The Isotope Effect 44
3.6.2 The Energy Gap 44
3.7 An Alternative Approach to the Energy Gap 45
3.7.1 Electron-Electron Attraction 47
References 49
4 The Meissner-Ochsenfeld Effect 51
References 59
5 Diamagnetic Effects 61
5.1 Diamagnetism, Paramagnetism and Ferromagnetism 61
References 67
6 Persistence of Current 69
6.1 Quinn and Ittner 71
References 77
7 Type I and Type II Superconductors 79
7.1 Critical Magnetic Field 79
References 88
8 Flux Pinning 89
8.1 Vortex and Flux Lines 90
8.2 The Original Abrikosov 91
References 95
SECTION III Superconducting materials 97
9 Low-Temperature Superconductors 99
10 Organic Superconductors 101
References 105
11 High-Temperature Superconductors 107
11.1Magnesium Diboride 111
11.2 Transition Temperature of High-
Superconductors 112
References 114
SECTION IV Applications 115
12 Superconducting Wire 117
13 Medical Imaging 121
13.1Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) 121
13.2Magnetoencephalography 122
13.2.1 Neuronal Currents 127
References 128
14 CERN and the LHC 129
References 133
15 Maglev Trains 135
Appendices 139
A The BCS Theory 141
B Flux Penetration 143
C The Josephson Junction and the SQUID 147
D MRI 151
Generating the MRI Signal 151
References 155
E A Note on Superfluidity 157
Index 163
F A Note on Safety 161
Index
