Related papers: K. Alex M\"uller: Science between ferroelectricity…
The surprising discovery of superconductivity in layered iron-based materials, with transition temperatures climbing as high as 55 K, has lead to thousands of publications on this subject over the past two years. While there is general…
The discovery of high temperature superconductivity in La[O1-xFx]FeAs at the beginning of this year [1] has generated much excitement and has led to the rapid discovery of similar compounds with as high as 55 K transition temperatures [2].…
Long after its discovery superconductivity in alkali fullerides A$_3$C$_{60}$ still challenges conventional wisdom. The freshest inroad in such ever-surprising physics is the behaviour under intense infrared (IR) excitation. Signatures…
The recently discovered quaternary arsenide oxide superconductor La[O1-xFx]FeAs with the superconducting critical transition temperature (Tc) of 26 K [1], has been quickly expanded to another high-Tc superconducting system beyond copper…
The recent discovery of the superconductivity in the doped infinite layer nickelates $R$NiO$_2$ ($R$=La, Pr, Nd) is of great interest since the nickelates are isostructural to doped (Ca,Sr)CuO$_2$ having superconducting transition…
The coexistence of superconductivity and ferroelectricity is rare due to their conflicting requirements: superconductivity relies on free charge carriers, whereas ferroelectricity typically occurs in insulating systems. At LaAlO3/KTaO3…
Study of superconductivity in layered iron-based materials was initiated in 2006 by Hosono's group, and boosted in 2008 by the superconducting transition temperature, Tc, of 26 K in LaFeAsO1-xFx. Since then, enormous researches have been…
This paper is dedicated to the memory of Professor K. Alex Muller. After describing our personal and scientific encounters since 1974, I concentrate on the many puzzles whinch appeared in our discussions and collaborations, involving the…
Einstein's early thoughts about superconductivity are discussed as a case study of how theoretical physics reacts to experimental findings that are incompatible with established theoretical notions. One such notion that is discussed is the…
The importance and non-trivial properties of superconductor normal metal interfaces was discovered by Alexander Fyodorovich Andreev more than 60 years ago. Only much later these hybrids have found wide interest in applications such as…
Strontium titanate (SrTiO$_3$), famously described by Nobel laureate K. A. M\"uller as the "drosophila of solid-state physics", has been extensively investigated over the last seventy five years for its intricate coupling of structural,…
The demonstration of a quasi-two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) and superconducting properties in LaAlO$_3$/SrTiO$_3$ heterostructures has stimulated intense research activity in recent ten years. The 2DEG has unique properties that are…
The cubic A15 structure metals, with over 60 distinct member compounds, held the crown of highest Tc superconductor starting in 1954 with the discovery of Tc=18 K in Nb3Sn. Tc increased over the next 20 years until the discovery in 1973 of…
The discovery of superconductivity with a critical temperature exceeding 55 K in the iron-oxypnictides and related compounds has quite suddenly given the community a new set of materials - breaking the tyranny of copper. This new class of…
The new family of unconventional iron-based superconductors discovered in 2006 immediately relieved their copper-based high-temperature predecessors as the most actively studied superconducting compounds in the world. The experimental and…
Emergency of superconductivity at the instabilities of antiferromagnetism (AFM), spin/charge density waves has been widely recognized in unconventional superconductors. In copper-oxide superconductors, spin fluctuations play a predominant…
Superconductor/ferromagnet proximity effect has been studied for Pb/Co$_2$Cr$_{1-x}$Fe$_x$Al bilayers. Different substrate temperatures allowed us to prepare the Heusler alloy Co$_2$Cr$_{1-x}$Fe$_x$Al films with different degree of spin…
Two families of high temperature superconductors whose critical temperatures are higher than 50K are known. One is the copper oxides and the other is the iron-based superconductors. Comparisons of mechanisms between these two in terms of…
We report the first pyrochlore oxide superconductor Cd2Re2O7. Resistivity,magnetic susceptibility,and specific heat measurements on single crystals evidence a bulk superconductivity at 1 K. Another phase transition found at 200 K suggests…
Both superconductivity and thermoelectricity offer promising prospects for daily energy efficiency applications. The advancements of thermoelectric materials have led to the huge improvement of the thermoelectric figure of merit in the past…