A Review on High-T-c Superconductors and Their Principle Applications

A superconductor is an element or metallic alloy which, when cooled to near absolute zero, dramatically lose all electrical resistance. In principle, superconductors can allow electrical current to flow without any energy loss (although, in practice, an ideal superconductor is very hard to produce). This type of current is called a supercurrent. The first blush of success in the search for a new superconductor is usually a high transition temperature, T-c. However, all power applications of superconductors and most other applications requires good current carrying capacity, usually characterized by a critical current Ic, within substantial magnetic fields, usually characterized by a critical magnetic field Hc. Furthermore, a number of other characteristics must be satisfied before commercial success can be obtained, such as acceptable cost, mechanical strength, stabilizers, and appropriate insulation materials. In this review paper we generally discuss the high temperature superconductors, the early history, crystal structures and principle applications of high T-c superconductors.