Copper oxide ceramic

There are presently four famihes of high-temperature superconductors under investigation for practical magnet appheations. Table 11-25 shows that all HTS are copper oxide ceramics even though the oxygen content may vary. However, this variation generally has little effect on the phvsical properties of importance to superconductivity. 

Yttrium—barium—copper oxide, 3 343, 369 Yttrium—barium—copper—oxide ceramics superconductivity in, 5 603-605 Yttrium distribution, in mineral sources, 14 637t... 

The copper oxide ceramic superconductors are two-dimensional conductors They can conduct a current parallel to the layers of Cu and O atoms but not between the layers. The fullerides, by contrast, are three-dimensional conductors that conduct equally in all directions. Because of this property, they may prove to be superior materials for making superconducting wires. 

The theoretical interpretation of the high temperature superconductors is still under development. The copper oxide ceramic superconductors obtain their paired conducting electrons from copper in mixed oxidation states of I and II or II and III, depending on the particular system. The paired conducting electrons are called Cooper pairs, after Leon N. Cooper. Cooper s name also gives us the C of BCS the BCS theory is an interpretation of superconductivity for low temperature superconductors (having Tc s of less than 40 K). 

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