Department of Physics, Unit Catalogue 2009/10 |
PH30079: Superconductivity |
 Credits:
| 3 |
| Level:
| Honours |
| Period: | Semester 2 |
| Assessment:
| EX 100% |
| Supplementary Assessment: | Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations) |
| Requisites:
| Before taking this unit you must (take PH10006 or take PH10051) and (take PH20013 or take PH20060) and (take PH20017 or take PH20063) and (take PH20029 or take PH20067) |
| Description: | Aims: The aim of this unit is to explain the basic properties of superconductivity, and illustrate contemporary applications of related phenomena. Learning Outcomes: After taking this unit the student should be able to: * describe the basic properties of superconductors; * apply fundamental knowledge of superconductors to applications of superconductivity in technology and the research laboratory; * make quantitative estimates of the parameters that govern superconductivity. Skills: Numeracy T/F A, Problem Solving T/F A. Content: Basic phenomenology; critical temperature, zero resistance, critical magnetic field, Meissner effect, penetration depth, coherence length. Two fluid model. Ginsburg-Landau theory. Microscopic theory; Cooper pairs, electron phonon interaction, isotope effect, BCS model and the energy gap. Type I and type II superconductors, vortex states and critical currents. Applications of type II materials. Tunnelling in superconductors; the Josephson effect, SQUIDS. High Tc superconductivity. Other non-conventional superconductors. |