Introduction to Superconducting Materials

This article reviews the history of superconductivity from its discovery in the early 1900s to the renewed interest in the mid-1980s spurred by the development of high-temperature superconducting devices. It identifies some of the materials in which superconductivity has been observed, including metals and alloys, compounds, and oxides, and discusses their properties as well as potential applications. The article also explains how various superconducting materials are produced and provides a foundation for understanding the basic operating principles.