Date: 3rd June 2005

Time: 6pm

Venue: LT31, NUS

Title: High Temperature Superconductivity: Past, Present and Future - from Mega to Nano.

Abstract:

The discovery of liquid nitrogen high temperature superconductivity (HTS)17 years ago, against then prevailing predictions, has been hailed as one significant advancement in modern physics. High temperature superconductivity holds great scientific challenges and technological promises. In the ensuing years after its discovery, great progress has been made in all areas of HTS science and technology. For instance, many new compounds have been found, unusual properties discovered, various theoretical models proposed, and numerous prototypes constructed and tested successfully. In spite of the impressive advance, a comprehensive microscopic HTS theory is yet to be developed and HTS commercialization is yet to be realized. The impressive development in HTS coated conductors and materials in the last two years shows that HTS indeed can play significant roles from mega to nano scale. After a brief review of the history of HTS, I shall summarize the present status and future promises of HTS before concluding the talk by giving one example on how HTS may change our life.