A Decade of High Temperature Superconducting Materials

Abstract

The discovery of high-temperature superconductivity (HTSy) a decade ago has been hailed as one of the most exciting advancements in modern physics in decades. In the decade-long search for high-temperature superconducting (HTSg) materials, more than 100 non-intermetallic compounds have been found to display a transition temperature (Tc) above 23 K, the record prior to HTSy. They have raised the Tc to 134 K at ambient and 164 K at high pressure, yielding important insight into the occurrence of HTSy and brightening the prospects for applications. In this presentation, I shall briefly summarize the discoveries of several compound systems that have successfully led to a higher Tc. The most recent system of Ba-Ca-Cu-O with a Tc up to 126 K will also be included, followed by an assessment of future HTSg material research.