The challenge of high temperature superconductivity

High temperature superconductivity represents the greatest challenge that now exists in solid state science. At present, we do not fully understand the origin of superconductivity at these extraordinarily high temperatures in cuprate materials of considerable complexity. Here we present a brief overview of what we believe to be the important features of the solid state chemistry of oxide superconductors, and a comment on the present status of critical currents of these high Tc materials. The challenge is undoubtedly interdisciplinary; ranging from synthetic solid state chemistry to materials engineering. 20 refs., 7 figs