Superconductor and its
applications
SUPERCONDUCTORS
Superconductivity is a
phenomenon in certain materials
at extremely low temperatures,
characterized by exactly zero
electrical resistance and exclusion
of the interior magnetic field (i.e.
the Meissner effect)
This phenomenon is nothing
but losing the resistivity
absolutely when cooled to
sufficient low temperatures
WHY WAS IT FORMED ?
• Before the discovery of the superconductors it
was thought that the electrical resistance of a
conductor becomes zero only at absolute zero
• But it was found that in some materials
electrical resistance becomes zero when
cooled to very low temperatures
• These materials are nothing but the SUPER
CONDUTORS.
WHO FOUND IT?
• Superconductivity was discovered in
1911 by Heike Kammerlingh Onnes ,
who studied the resistance of solid
mercury at cryogenic temperatures H. Kammerlingh Onnes –
using the recently discovered liquid 1911 – Pure Mercury
helium as ‘refrigerant’.
• At the temperature of 4.2 K , he
observed that the resistance abruptly 0.15
disappears.
Resistance (Ω)
• For this discovery he got the NOBEL 0.10
PRIZE in PHYSICS in 1913.
• In 1913 lead was found to super
conduct at 7K. 0.0 Tc
4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4
• In 1941 niobium nitride was found to Temperature (K)
super conduct at 16K
SUPERCONDUCTING MATERIALS
Superconductivity - The phenomenon of
losing resistivity when sufficiently cooled to a
very low temperature (below a certain critical
temperature).
Properties of Superconductors
•Zero Electrical Resistance
•Defining Property
•Critical Temperature
•Quickest test
•10-5Ωcm
Effect of Magnetic Field
The superconducting state of the material
cannot exist in presence of a magnetic field of
critical value even at absolute zero Element HC at 0K
(mT)
temperature.
Nb 198
• Critical magnetic field (HC) –
Pb 80.3
Minimum magnetic field required
to destroy the superconducting Sn 30.9
property at any temperature
H0
Normal
HC
H0 – Critical field at 0K
T - Temperature below TC Superconducting
TC - Transition Temperature T (K) TC
MEISSNER EFFECT
• When the superconducting material is placed in a magnetic field
under the condition when T≤TC and H ≤ HC, the flux lines are
excluded from the material.
• Material exhibits perfect diamagnetism or flux exclusion.
• Deciding property
• χ = I/H = -1
• Reversible (flux lines penetrate when T ↑ from TC)
• Conditions for a material to be a superconductor
i. Resistivity ρ = 0
ii. Magnetic Induction B = 0 when in an uniform magnetic field
• Simultaneous existence of conditions
Types of Superconductors
Type I Type II
• Sudden loss of magnetization • Gradual loss of magnetization
• Exhibit Meissner Effect • Does not exhibit complete
• One HC = 0.1 tesla Meissner Effect
• No mixed state • Two HCs – HC1 & HC2 (≈30 tesla)
• Soft superconductor • Mixed state present
• Eg.s – Pb, Sn, Hg • Hard superconductor
• Eg.s – Nb-Sn, Nb-Ti
-M Superconducting Superconducting
-M
Mixed
Normal Normal
HC H HC2
HC1 HC
H
APPLICATIONS OF
SUPER CONDUCTORS
1. Engineering
• Transmission of power
• Switching devices
• Sensitive electrical instruments
• Memory (or) storage element in computers.
• Manufacture of electrical generators and
transformers
Medical Applications
superconductors can perform a life-saving
function is in the field of bio magnetism
•Brain wave activity – brain tumour,
defective cells
•NMR – Nuclear Magnetic Resonance –
Scanning
•Separate damaged cells and healthy cells
Power transmission
Cryotron
The cryotron is a switch that
operates using superconductivity.
The cryotron works on the
principle that magnetic fields
destroy superconductivity. The
cryotron is a piece of tantalum
wrapped with a coil of niobium
placed in a liquid helium bath.
When the current flows through
the tantalum wire it is
superconducting, but when a
current flows through the niobium
a magnetic field is produced. This
destroys the superconductivity
which makes the current slow
down or stop.
Super conductivity chips
Super Motors
Magnetic Levitated Train
Magnetic levitation transport, or maglev, is a form of transportation that
suspends, guides and propels vehicles via electromagnetic force. This
method can be faster than wheeled mass transit systems, potentially
reaching velocities comparable to turboprop and jet aircraft (500 to
580 km/h).
Both the rail and the train exert a magnetic field,
and the train is levitated by the repulsive force
between these magnetic fields which propels the
vehicle.
Scientists are currently working on developing superconductors that are
closer to room temperature, an improvement which would make
superconductors much more important to everybody. Superconductors
have the potential to carry an electric charge across an infinite distance
without losing any energy whatsoever, and also block out magnetic fields
because of the Meissner Effect. If controlled in room temperature, it
would be possible to transport electricity from a power plant on Earth to
a residential area on Mars, create lightning-fast computer circuits with no
resistance, develop weapons such as quickly-reloadable rail guns, and
transportation possibilities such as biohazard-free levitating trains
Thank you