ABSTRACT
The basic property of superconductivity is the existence of a persistent current or a zero electrical resistance on cooling the sample below a critical temperature, Tc. Superconductivity is exhibited by elements, alloys and oxides with a range of compositions and structures. The sharp transition between the normal and the superconducting state is illustrated in Figure 10.1 for a metal, where the expected normal behaviour below Tc, according to the Bloch-Griineisen law, Eq.(5.61), is represented as a dashed line.
