Created and Compiled by Alison Henry

A magnet levitating over a superconductor plate. (Image copyright Microsoft Corporation)

Superconductors are exactly what their name implies: materials that conduct electricity extremely well. When materials are cooled below their transition temperature, they exhibit zero resistance to electric current. Such materials are called superconductors. In addition, these materials are also strongly repelled by magnetic fields, thus making them useful in the production of magnetic levitation vehicles and MRI’s.

Below are links to various sites on the web with information relating to superconductors. These sites have information about superconductors in general as well as applications of superconductors and miscellaneous other topics.

Basic Information Sites

Superconductors.org is a non-profit website with a lot of great information about superconductors geared towards beginners. This site is a great place to start learning about superconductors.

More information geared towards students.

IBM has some interesting information of the magnetic effects of single atoms on superconductors.

An article written by Jerry Emanuelson . Also, check out Jerry Emanuelson's home page. He conducts experiments using superconductors in his basement, and has some information about superconductors as well as links to the Colorado Futurescience (a company which he owns) page which sells superconductivity kits to be used in high school classrooms.

Recent Developments Added by GBA

Some Applications of Superconductors

Magnetic Levitation (MagLev)

Because superconductors are strongly repulsed by a magnetic field, they are a critical component of Maglev devices. Maglev trains, which can reach higher speeds than normal trains using the properties of superconductors, are currently being researched and tested around the world, such as the Yamanashi Maglev Test Line in Japan.

This site has a lot of information about how MagLev Trains trains work and the research and development currently being done in this area. For an overview of as well as informative schematics about Maglev trains, click on the "Maglev Vehicles MLX01…" link under the "Topics" headline. All in all, this page provides a lot of great information about Maglev trains.

MRI

This site has some basic information about MRI techniques and the uses of superconductors.

Magnets

Cryogenics

Superconductors in Industry

There are many companies developing products using superconductors, in the U.S. and abroad. Here are just a few with informative web sites.

Further Reference

This site has a lot of links to other sites dealing with superconductors in research and technology. A good place to start looking for even more information.
Why study superconductors? The University of Rochester can tell you why learning about superconductors can help you get a good job in the future.

This page is meant to be a place for one to start learning about superconductors. Many of the aforementioned sites have links to other pages with further information. There are also many other resources such as scientific journals and textbooks that one can use to further familiarize himself with the field of study.