Superconductivity

Superconductivity is a quantum phenomenon that manifests itself in materials showing zero electrical resistance below a characteristic temperature resulting in the potential for an electric current to run continually through such a material without the need for a power source. Such materials are used extensively in medical and power applications, e.g. MRI and NMR machines.

During the past decade, the mathematics of superconductivity has been the subject of intense activity. This book examines in detail the nonlinear Ginzburg–Landau functional, the model most commonly used in the study of superconductivity. Specifically covered are cases in the presence of a strong magnetic field and with a sufficiently large Ginzburg–Landau parameter kappa.

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

The author introduces the concept that superconductivity can establish a perfect formalism of electricity and magnetism.

The recent discovery of high-temperature superconductivity has resulted in a remarkable growth in the amount of research and the number of researchers working in this exciting field. Superconductivity is not a new phenomenon: in 1991 it will be 80 years old. Even though it was the newer discoveries which motivated us to write this book, the book itself is mainly a description of the fundamentals of the phenomenon. The book is written for a very broad audience, including students, engin­ eers, teachers, scientists, and others who are interested in learning about this exciting frontier of science. We have focused on the qualitative aspects, so that the reader can develop a basic understanding of the fundamental physics without getting bogged down in the details. Because of this approach, our list of refer­ ences is not comprehensive, and it is supplemented with a summary of additional reading consisting of monographs and selected review articles.