Advances in superconductivity: new materials, critical currents and devices

The discovery of superconductivity in the cuprates produced an explosive growth in research, driven by the quest for higher and higher superconducting transition temperatures. In the initial stages, the excitement was tremendous both in the physical sciences and in engineering. However, the complexity of the new materials on the one hand, and the absence of a viable theory on the other, have made further developments much more difficult. It is to be expected therefore, that the early excitement and the subsequent rapid advances have paved the way for more systematic and detailed studies of all aspects of superconductivity. The International Symposium was intended to provide a forum to review the progress in selected areas in superconductivity. The emphasis was on experimental and theoretical studies of the new superconductors, advances in the theoretical understanding, progress in studies of flux pinning and vortex dynamics which affect critical currents, and developments of novel material synthesis methods. Recent developments in the twin areas of thin films and devices were extensively discussed during the symposium. Papers relevant to INIS are indexed separately