Physics Changes the World: Beyond Freedom - Magical Superconductors

Author: Zhang Liyuan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: The development of science always progresses by overcoming the old and replacing it with more precise and richer new concepts to refine and perfect old ideas. The strange world of low temperatures, superconductivity and superfluidity, the relentless pursuit of raising the superconducting critical temperature, type-II superconductors, and the potential of biological superconductors—should they achieve superconductivity at room temperature, humanity would gain greater freedom and trigger major innovations in all aspects of modern civilization's technology. Since the discovery of superconductivity in 1911, five groups of researchers in this field have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics. Kammerlingh Onnes, who discovered superconductivity and pioneered the field of low-temperature physics, was one of the laureates, while the others include: the founders of the microscopic theory of superconductivity (Bardeen, Cooper, and Schrieffer), the pioneers of superconducting electronics (Josephson), the discoverers of high-temperature cuprate superconductors (Bochbach and Müller), and the theorist behind the practical application of type-II superconductors (Abrikosov). These awards mark groundbreaking progress in this field or achievements that offer conceptual insights for other research areas. This book introduces the work in this field and demonstrates that the development of superconductivity applications is one of the high-tech directions of this century in energy conservation and microscopic exploration. The book is rich in content, detailed, engaging, and suitable for university and college students, high school teachers, scientists and technologists, as well as science enthusiasts to read.