BCS theory of superconductivity

E2026

The BCS theory of superconductivity is a fundamental microscopic theory that explains superconductivity through the formation of Cooper pairs of electrons and their collective quantum behavior in a solid.


Statements (50)

Predicate Object
instanceOf microscopic theory of superconductivity
quantum many-body theory
theory in condensed matter physics
abbreviationOf BCS theory of superconductivity
surface form: "Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer theory"
alsoKnownAs BCS theory of superconductivity
surface form: "BCS theory"
appliesTo conventional low-temperature superconductors
many elemental superconductors
type-I superconductors
assumes effective attractive interaction between electrons near the Fermi surface
pairing of electrons with opposite momenta and spins
basedOn formation of Cooper pairs
describes collective quantum behavior of Cooper pairs
electrons forming bound pairs in momentum space
developedBy John Bardeen
John Robert Schrieffer
Leon Cooper
doesNotFullyExplain high-temperature cuprate superconductors
unconventional superconductivity in heavy-fermion systems
explains superconductivity in conventional superconductors
field condensed matter physics
theoretical physics
framework many-body quantum mechanics
second quantization
influenced theory of superfluidity in helium-3
inspired BCS-BEC crossover theory
mathematicallyUses BCS ground state wavefunction
gap equation
namedAfter John Bardeen
John Robert Schrieffer
Leon Cooper
predicts Meissner effect
critical temperature dependence on electron-phonon coupling
energy gap in the electronic excitation spectrum
isotope effect in superconductors
universal ratio 2Δ(0)/k_B T_c ≈ 3.52 for weak coupling
zero electrical resistance below critical temperature
publicationYear 1957
publishedIn Physical Review
recognizedBy Nobel Prize in Physics 1972
relatedTo Eliashberg theory
Ginzburg–Landau theory of superconductivity
London equations
resultsIn macroscopic quantum state with long-range phase coherence
spontaneous breaking of U(1) gauge symmetry
usesConcept Bogoliubov quasiparticles
Cooper pair
Fermi surface
energy gap
order parameter
phonon-mediated attraction

Referenced by (21)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

BCS theory of superconductivity abbreviationOf BCS theory of superconductivity
this entity surface form: "Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer theory"
BCS theory of superconductivity alsoKnownAs BCS theory of superconductivity
this entity surface form: "BCS theory"
John Robert Schrieffer coAuthorOf BCS theory of superconductivity
this entity surface form: "Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer theory"
Leon Cooper coDeveloperOf BCS theory of superconductivity
Eliashberg theory generalizes BCS theory of superconductivity
this entity surface form: "BCS weak-coupling limit"
Bardeen hasNotableScientificAssociation BCS theory of superconductivity
this entity surface form: "BCS theory"
Bardeen hasNotableScientificAssociation BCS theory of superconductivity
this entity surface form: "Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer theory"
John Bardeen knownFor BCS theory of superconductivity
Bardeen knownFor BCS theory of superconductivity
subject surface form: "John Bardeen"
John knownFor BCS theory of superconductivity
subject surface form: "John Bardeen"
John Robert Schrieffer knownFor BCS theory of superconductivity
Schrieffer knownFor BCS theory of superconductivity
subject surface form: "John Robert Schrieffer"
Leon Cooper knownFor BCS theory of superconductivity
John Bardeen notableWork BCS theory of superconductivity
this entity surface form: "Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer theory"
John Robert Schrieffer notableWork BCS theory of superconductivity
this entity surface form: "Theory of Superconductivity (BCS theory)"
Leon Cooper notableWork BCS theory of superconductivity
this entity surface form: "Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer theory"
Cooper pair obeys BCS theory of superconductivity
this entity surface form: "BCS gap equation"
Cooper pair occursInTheory BCS theory of superconductivity
this entity surface form: "BCS theory"
London equations precedes BCS theory of superconductivity
this entity surface form: "BCS theory"
Meissner effect relatedTo BCS theory of superconductivity
this entity surface form: "BCS theory"
Pippard nonlocal theory relatedTo BCS theory of superconductivity
this entity surface form: "BCS theory"