Advances in Superconductivity

This extensive and comprehensive handbook systematically reviews the basic physics, theory and recent advances in superconductivity.

The present volume 47 of the Advances in Solid State Physics contains the written version of a large number of the invited talks of the 2007 Spring Meeting of the Arbeitskreis Festkörperphysik which was held in Regensburg, Germany, from March 26 to 30, 2007 in conjunction with the 71st Annual Meeting of the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft.It gives an overview of the present status of solid state physics where low-dimensional systems such as quantum dots and quantum wires are dominating.

While basic features of polarons were well recognized a long time ago and have been described in a number of review papers and textbooks, interest in the role of electron-phonon interactions and polaron dynamics in contemporary materials has recently gone through a vigorous revival. Electron-phonon interactions have been shown to be relevant in high-temperature superconductors and colossal magnetoresistance oxides, and transport through nanowires and quantum dots also often depends on vibronic displacements of ions. The continued interest in polarons extends beyond physical description of advanced materials.