Superconductivity - the first 100 years

TL;DR

This paper reviews the history and scientific progress of superconductivity over the past 100 years, highlighting key discoveries, theoretical developments, and ongoing challenges in understanding unconventional superconductors.

Contribution

It provides a historical overview and discusses the evolution of superconductivity theories, emphasizing the limitations of the BCS model for new exotic superconductors.

Findings

BCS theory successfully explained early superconductors

Recent discoveries challenge the sufficiency of BCS theory

Superconductors have important applications despite unresolved theoretical issues

Abstract

On the occasion of centenary of superconductivity discovery I remind some facts from the first period and attempts to understand the phenomenon. It turns out that most famous physicists of the first half of XX century have tried to solve the puzzle. Bardeen, Cooper and Schrieffer succeeded in 1957. BCS theory successfully described all known facts and offered new predictions, which soon have been confirmed experimentally contributing to the widespread acceptance of the theory. New discoveries of the last quarter of the century put new requirements for the theory. It turns out that simple BCS model is not enough to understand new unconventional or exotic superconductors. Even though the superconductors have found many important applications in various branches they have not yet fulfilled the hopes. In spite of that the scientific studies of superconductors develop vividly and fascinate new generations of physicists.