Superconductors beyond 1-2-3
In 1986 physicists K. Alex Mueller and J. Georg Bednorz of the IBM Zuerich Research Laboratory realized that La-Ba-Cu ceramics were the key to developing a new class of high-temperature superconductors that would revitalize superconductivity research and technology. Their discovery began one of the most startling revolutions in solid-state physics. In February, 1987, Maw-Kuen Wu of the University of Alabama, Ching-Wu (Paul) Chu of the University of Houston and their co-workers replaced lanthanum in the Bednorz-Mueller compound with yttrium--a smaller rare-earth element--to form a superconductor whose transition temperature was 90 kelvins. Soon after, R.Bruce van Dover, Bertram Batlogg and the author at AT T Bell Laboratories were the first to determine that the superconductor was the chemical compound now known as 1-2-3 because of the ratio of yttrium to barium to copper atoms. The 1-2-3 material was the first superconductor with a transition temperature above 77 kelvins and therefore could be cooled easily and inexpensively in a bath of liquid nitrogen. During the past four years the efforts of thousands of investigators around the world have produced about a dozen superconductors that have transition temperatures above 40 kelvins as well as a handful above 77 kelvins. So far the highest transition temperature--which was achieved in a compound composed of thallium, barium, calcium, copper and oxygen--is an astounding 125 kelvins.
- OSTI ID:
- 6084475
- Journal Information:
- Scientific American; (USA), Journal Name: Scientific American; (USA) Vol. 263:2; ISSN SCAMA; ISSN 0036-8733
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
BARIUM COMPOUNDS
BARIUM OXIDES
BISMUTH COMPOUNDS
BISMUTH OXIDES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM OXIDES
CERAMICS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COPPER COMPOUNDS
COPPER OXIDES
CRYSTAL LATTICES
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
HIGH-TC SUPERCONDUCTORS
HOLES
LEAD COMPOUNDS
LEAD OXIDES
LEPTONS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY
SUPERCONDUCTORS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
THALLIUM COMPOUNDS
THALLIUM OXIDES
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION TEMPERATURE
VALENCE
YTTRIUM COMPOUNDS
YTTRIUM OXIDES