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Superconductivity gets an iron boost

Nature volume 464, pages 183–186 (2010)Cite this article

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Abstract

Superconductivity, the resistance-free flow of electrical charges, is one of the most exotic phenomena in solid-state physics. Even though it was discovered almost a century ago, many questions remain unanswered, in particular those concerning the physics of high-temperature superconductivity. The recent discovery of iron-based superconductors was arguably the most important breakthrough in this field for more than two decades and may provide new avenues for understanding this high-temperature phenomenon. Here I present my view of the recent developments in this field that have led to the current understanding of this important new class of superconductor.

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Figure 1: Iron-based superconductors and copper-oxide-based superconductors.
Figure 2: Superconducting order parameter.
Figure 3: A typical calculated Fermi surface of an iron-pnictide superconductor.

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Acknowledgements

I dedicate this article to the memory of Vitaly Ginzburg, a relentless enthusiast of high-temperature superconductivity and my former teacher, who passed away while this article was being written.

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  1. Naval Research Laboratory, code 6390, 4555 Overlook Avenue Southwest, 20375, Washington DC, USA

    Igor I. Mazin

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Reprints and permissions information is available at http://www.nature.com/reprints. Correspondence should be addressed to the author (mazin@dave.nrl.navy.mil).

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Mazin, I. Superconductivity gets an iron boost. Nature 464, 183–186 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature08914

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