Superconductors: Past, present, and future

The exciting discoveries of the past few years along with the key participants in the superconducting field are examined in this report. The current and possible future uses of superconductors are shown to be imaginative and very important. The past, present, and future of superconductors is studied in a technical and historical context. From the beginning back in 1911 to the exciting discoveries of today, superconductors are quite a phenomenon. The conventional theory of superconductors does not explain the newly discovered high temperature superconductors. The structure of the superconducting ceramics are very similar and their current densities are directly related to alignment of grain boundaries. The manufacturing process is rather straightforward but care must be exercised to insure reaching the superconducting phase. Many current industrial processes use superconductors. Long distance superconducting power transmission lines are not economically feasible at the present time