High Temperature Superconductivity in the Past Twenty Years Part 1——Discovery, Material, and Theory

Twenty years after the discovery of hightemperature superconductors （HTSs）, the HTS materials now have been well developed. Meanwhile the mechanism of superconductivity is still one of the topical interests in physics. The achievements made on HTS materials and theories during the last twenty years are reviewed comprehensively in this paper.

Announcing a Special Issue of the Journal of Electronic Science and Technology of China on High Temperature Superconductivity

Journal of Electronic Science and Technology of China (JESTC) invites manuscript submissions in the area of High Temperature Superconductivity (HTS). This special issue of

Announcing a Special Issue of the Journal of Electronic Science and Technology of China on High Temperature Superconductivity

Submission Deadline: 15 February 2008 Journal of Electronic Science and Technology of China (JESTC) invites manuscript

Announcing a Special Issue of the Journal of Electronic Science and Technology of China on High Temperature Superconductivity

Submission Deadline: 15 February 2008 Journal of Electronic Science and Technology of China (JESTC) invites manuscript submissions in the area of High Temperature Superconductivity (HTS). This special issue of JESTC will focus on recent experiment, theoretical, and application progress in HTS. It is intended to highlight and summarize the major developments that have occurred over the past few years. Topic scopes related to HTS to be covered include:

Unconventional high temperature superconductivity in cubic zinc-blende transition metal compounds

We consider possible high temperature superconductivity(high-Tc)in transition metal compounds with a cubic zinc-blende lattice structure.When the electron filling configuration in the d-shell is close to d7,all three t2g orbitals are near half filling with strong nearest neighbor antiferromagnetic(AFM)superexchange interactions.We argue that upon doping,this electronic environment can be one of"genes"to host unconventional high Tcwith a time reversal symmetry broken d2x2-x2-y2±idx2-y2pairing symmetry.With gapless nodal points along the diagonal directions,this state is a direct three-dimensional analogue to the two-dimensional B1gd-wave state in cuprates.We suggest that such a case may be realized in electron doped CoN,such as CoN1-xOx and(H,Li)1-xCoN.

Nonlocal Theory of High-Temperature Superconductivity

The Boltzmann local physical kinetics forecasts the destruction of SC regime because of the heat movement of particles. Then, the most fundamental distinction between a strange metal and a conventional metal is the absence of well-defined quasi-particles. Here, we show that the mentioned “quasi-particles” are solitons, which are formed as a result of self-organization of ionized matter. Shortcomings of the Boltzmann physical kinetics consist in the local description of the transport processes on the level of infinitely small physical volumes as elements of diagnostics. The non-local physics leads to the theory superconductivity including the high temperature diapason. The generalized non-local non-stationary London’s formula is derived.

Transient multi-physics behavior of an insert high temperature superconducting no-insulation coil in hybrid superconducting magnets with inductive coupling

A transient multi-physics model incorporated with an electromagneto-thermomechanical coupling is developed to capture the multi-field behavior of a single-pancake(SP)insert no-insulation(NI)coil in a hybrid magnet during the charging and discharging processes.The coupled problem is resolved by means of the finite element method(FEM)for the magneto-thermo-elastic behaviors and the Runge-Kutta method for the transient responses of the electrical circuits of the hybrid superconducting magnet system.The results reveal that the transient multi-physics responses of the insert NI coil primarily depend on the charging/discharging procedure of the hybrid magnet.Moreover,a reverse azimuthal current and a compressive hoop stress are induced in the insert NI coil during the charging process,while a forward azimuthal current and a tensile hoop stress are observed during the discharging process.The induced voltages in the insert NI coil can drive the currents flowing across the radial turns where the contact resistance exists.Therefore,it brings forth significant Joule heat,causing a temperature rise and a uniform distribution of this heat in the coil turns.Accordingly,a thermally/mechanically unstable or quenching event may be encountered when a high operating current is flowing in the insert NI coil.It is numerically predicted that a quick charging will induce a compressive hoop stress which may bring a risk of buckling instability in the coil,while a discharging will not.The simulations provide an insight of hybrid superconducting magnets under transient start-up or shutdown phases which are inevitably encountered in practical applications.

Liquid nitrogen level meter for high-temperature superconductor (HTS)

Many kinds of high temperature superconductor （HTS） power machines such as HTS cable, HTS fault current limitcr and HTS magnet are cooled by liquid nitrogen. The level of liquid nitrogen should be monitored and controlled to ensure the thermal stability and the dielectric strength as well. To measure the level, capacitance method and differential pressure method are usually used. However, each method has installation difficulties and measurement errors for unsteady state operation with varying system pressure. A new liquid level meter using a 2G HTS conductor is described, which has similar structure with the liquid helium level meter with NbTi filament. The level meter is fabricated with a parallel connected heater, which helps the separation of the superconducting region and normal region, considering the critical temperature, large heat capacity of conductor and cooling characteristics. The level of liquid nitrogen can be obtained from the measured voltage signal along the 2G HTS conductor. Design, fabrication and test results of the new liquid nitrogen level meter are presented.

Induced current of high temperature superconducting loops by combination of exciting coil and thermal switch

With its commercialization, the second-generation(2G) high temperature superconducting(HTS) RE–Ba–Cu–O(REBCO, RE is rare earth) tape is extensively applied to the superconducting magnets in the high magnetic fields. However,unlike low temperature superconducting(LTS) magnets, the HTS magnet cannot operate in the persistent current mode(PCM) due to the immature superconducting soldering technique. In this paper, an exciting method for two HTS sub-loops,so-called charging and load loops, is proposed by flux pump consisting of exciting coil and controllable thermal switch.Two HTS sub-loops are made of an REBCO tape with two slits. An exciting coil with iron core is located in one sub-loop and is supplied with a triangular waveform current so that magnetic field is generated in another sub-loop. The influence of magnetic flux on induced current in load loop is presented and verified in experiment at 77 K. The relationship between the induced magnetic flux density and the current on the sub-loops having been calibrated, magnetic flux density, and induced current are obtained. The results show that the HTS sub-loops can be excited by a coil with thermal switch and the induced current increases with magnetic flux of exciting coil increasing, which is promising for persistent current operation mode of HTS magnets.

The Superconducting Phases in Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O and Bi-Pb-Sr-Ca-Cu-O Superconductors at High Temperatures

The addition Of Pb enhances the hightemperature stability as well as theproportion of the high Tphase in Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O superconductor.The sample A with nominal composi-tion of BiSrCaCuOwas synthesized bySolid state reaction.It was sintered in airat 1153K for 24h,followed by annealingat 773K for 24h and furnace-cooling.The sample B with a nominal compositionof BiPbSrCaCuOwas prepared bymixing PbO with the powder ofBiSrCaCuOwhich had been prefired at1113K for 24h,pressing,sintering at

High Temperature Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage and Its Power Control Technology

High temperature superconducting （HTS） power inductor and its control technology have been studied and analyzed in the paper. Based on the results of simulations and practical experiments, a controlled release scheme has been proposed and verified for developing a practical HTS SMES prototype.

Infrared Absorption and [CuO_5] Pyramid of High T_c Superconductor Bi-Sb-Sr-Ca-Cu-O System

The infrared absorption spectra of different superconducting phase of high Tc super conductor Bi-Sb-Sr-Ca-Cu-O have been measured . The results show that only in the range of 400cm-1 -700cm-1,there is a group of peaks which changes with different superconducting phases.According to group theory and infrared spectra of CuO, this group of peaks could be assigned to be the [CuO6]octahedron, the [CuO5] pyramid and the [CuO4]plane quadrilateral,but not CU-O plane or CU-O chain. Furthermore, the quasi-three dimensional Cu-O layers consisting of [CuO5] pyramids and proper coupling between them are essential factor for high Tc. It seems that the weaker compling of layers, the higher Tc

In-situ spectroscopic studies and interfacial engineering on FeSe/oxide heterostructures: Insights on the interfacial superconductivity

The discovery of high temperature superconductivity in single-layer FeSe/SrTiO3 provides a new platform for ex- ploring superconductivity and pursuing higher Tc （superconducting transition temperature） through fabricating artificial heterostructures. In this paper, we review the recent progress in studying and tuning the interfacial superconductivity in single-layer FeSe, through the combined in-situ spectroscopic studies and atomic-scale engineering. By fabricating arti- ficial heterostructures, various interfacial factors were tuned, and the corresponding evolutions of electronic structure and superconducting gap behavior were investigated. These studies enrich the current understanding on the interfacial superconductivity, and provide clues for further enhancing Tc through interface engineering.

A Theory of Superconductivity based on Bose-Einstein Statistics and Its Application

A theory of superconductivity based on Bose-Einstein statistics was proposed,which can lead to a formula for T(critical temperature)similar to that of BCS theory,and provide a possible explanation for the complexity of isotope effect and the normal state energy gap in copper-oxides.We proceeded from a 3-dimensional harmonic oscillator model to equivalent the superconducting state to a two-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensate bound longitudinally,and pointed out the application conditions of the theory.Under this scheme,we analyzed some typical structural features in copper oxides that favor the production of high-temperature superconductivity.We also discovered that combining this theory with an alternative mechanism-strong coupling to local spin configurations-provided some useful hints for exploring new superconducting materials.In addition,we pointed out a possible link between the phenomenon of superconductivity and magnetostriction,then we proposed some combinations of elements as possible candidates for high temperature superconducting materials based on those analysis.

What makes the T_c of FeSe/SrTiO_3 so high?

This paper reviews some of the recent progresses in the study of high temperature superconductivity in the interface between a single unit cell FeSe and SrTiO3. It offers the author＇s personal view of why Tc is high and how to further increase it.

High-temperature interface superconductivity in bilayer copper oxide films by pulsed laser deposition

In a seminal work, Gozar et al. reported on the high-temperature interface superconductivity in bilayers of insulating La2Cu O4 and metallic La2-xSrxCuO4(x=0.45). An interesting question to address is how general and robust this interface superconductivity is. In the past, the cuprate bilayers were grown in a unique atomic-layer molecular beam epitaxy system, with a Sr doping range of x≤0.47, and the atomically flat interface was thought to be indispensable. Here, we have fabricated bilayers of La2CuO4 and La2-xSrxCuO4 by pulsed laser deposition. We have tried to extend the nominal doping range of Sr from the previous maximum of 0.47 to the present1.70(the nominal Sr content in the targets). X-ray diffraction result indicates that our La2-xSrxCuO4 films with x≤0.60 have very high crystalline quality;but the film crystalline structure degrades gradually with further increasing x, and finally the structure is fully lost when x reaches 1.40 and higher. Although the film quality scatters dramatically, our experiments show that there exists superconductivity for bilayers in nearly the entire over-doped Sr range, except for a non-superconducting region at x^0.80. These observations demonstrate that the interface superconductivity in copper oxides is very general and robust.

Oxides for High Temperature Superconductivity and Beyond

In this paper, I shall briefly summarize the present state of high temperature superconductivity research and development together with an assessment of the prospect of yet a higher transition temperature and an outline of challenges facing today's practitioners of high temperature super conductivity science and technology. The extensive knowledge acquired in the last decade in high temperature superconducting science and materials may usher in a new era of material engineering, which I would like to call mesomaterial engineering for the fabrication of perovskite and related oxide superlattices, a new class of materials for science and technology. Therefore, I shall also present the rationale behind this effort and the promises of the new materials, together with a list of several preliminary successful examples.

Numerical simulation of the mechanical behavior of superconducting tape in conductor on round core cable using the cohesive zone model

Cables composed of rare-earth barium copper oxide(REBCO)tapes have been extensively used in various superconducting devices.In recent years,conductor on round core(CORC)cable has drawn the attention of researchers with its outstanding current-carrying capacity and mechanical properties.The REBCO tapes are wound spirally on the surface of CORC cable.Under extreme loadings,the REBCO tapes with layered composite structures are vulnerable,which can lead to degradation of critical current and even quenching of superconducting devices.In this paper,we simulate the deformation of CORC cable under external loads,and analyze the damage inside the tape with the cohesive zone model(CZM).Firstly,the fabrication and cabling of CORC are simulated,and the stresses and strains generated in the tape are extracted as the initial condition of the next step.Then,the tension and bending loads are applied to CORC cable,and the damage distribution inside the tape is presented.In addition,the effects of some parameters on the damage are discussed during the bending simulations.

Strong-coupling superconductivity with Tc above 70 K in Be-decorated monolayer T-graphene

Using first-principles calculations,we predict a new type of two-dimensional(2D)beryllium(Be)-decorated T-graphene named BeC_(2),where Be atoms are inserted into C–C bonds linking the carbon tetrarings of T-graphene.The band structure shows that BeC_(2)is metallic,thus,the possible phonon-mediated superconductivity is explored based on the Eliashberg equation.The calculated electron-phonon coupling(EPC)constantλis up to 4.07,and the corresponding superconducting critical temperature(Tc)is 72.1 K,approaching the liquid nitrogen temperature.The reason for the high Tc is the strong EPC.And it is proved to be an anisotropic single-gap superconductor by analyzing the superconducting gap?kof BeC_(2).The electronic susceptibility calculation shows strong nesting effect in BeC_(2).Since rare 2D superconductors show such a strong EPC constantλwhich originates from the coupling between electrons in C-pzorbital and in-plane vibrations of Be and C atoms,the predicted BeC_(2)provides a new platform for investigating strong EPC 2D superconductor.

Superconducting Electronics Research at CSIRO Australia——20 Years after Discovery of HTS

CSIRO has had a long-term research effort in superconductivity, in particular, since the discovery of HTS which promised big prospects. Significant progress has been made in research and development of HTS electronic devices and systems for practical applications such as mineral and exploration as well as some niche applications in emerging science and technology areas. This article presents an overview of the CSIRO research activities in HTS supercon- ducting electronics since 1987, outlining the HTS junction and device technology as well as various application systems developed by the group.