Superconductivity: Fundamentals and Applications - Lecture (Prof. Dr A. Di Bernardo)

Day From To Starting date Ending date Location
Tuesday 13.30 15.00 25.10.2022 07.02.2023 P602
Thursday 10.00 11.30 25.10.2022 07.02.2023 P602

 

Superconductivity: Fundamentals and Applications - Tutorial (Mr Alfredo Spuri)

Day From To Starting date Ending date Location
Friday 9.00 10.00 25.10.2022 07.02.2023 P602

Content 

After more than 100 years since its discovery by Heike Kamerlingh Onnes in 1911, superconductivity remains one of the most tantalizing and extensively investigated phenomena in condensed matter physics. This course will review the fundamentals of superconductivity and explain, through the support of research findings from the most recent scientific literature, the main technological applications where superconducting materials have played or can play a major role. 


In particular, after reviewing the peculiar properties of superconductors (Meissner effect, superconducting transition, thermodynamic properties etc.), the microscopy Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory for conventional superconductors and the phenomenological Ginzburg Landau theory will be introduced. The concept of unconventional superconductivity will also be explained along with experimental spectroscopic techniques used to determine the nature of the superconducting gap. The Josephson effect will then be presented along with its applications for superconducting circuits. The major technological applications of superconductors will be finally reviewed including ultrasensitive magnetometers, magnetic levitation (maglev) trains, particle detectors, RF and microwave filters for telecommunications,digital circuits with high energy efficiency and quantum computers.

Organisation

The lecture course and related tutorial classes will be given in presence or in a hybrid format (i.e., online via Webex + in presence) in case there are students who cannot attend due to Covid-19 infection or symptoms.

Link to the course on Zeus.