A brief overview on the theories of high temperature superconductors

There is a considerable controversy as to what gives the attractive interaction in the new high temperature superconducting oxides. In addition, to an electron-phonon interaction, a number of other possible ways by which the attractive force is mediated have been suggested. We propose a brief overview on the theories of high temperature superconductors: pairing through electron-phonon interactions (weak and strong coupled superconductors, bipolarons), pairing through magnetic correlations (resonating valence bond, spin bags, spin polarons, anyons), and pairing through charge fluctuations. (Author) 4 Figs., 91 Refs