Since the discovery of superconductivity above 30 K by Bednorz and M\"uller in the La copper oxide system, the critical temperature has been raised to 90 K in Y${\mathrm{Ba}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{7}$ and to 110 and 125 K in Bi-based and Tl-based copper oxides, respectively. In the two years since this Nobel-prize-winning discovery, a large number of electronic structure calculations have been carried out as a first step in understanding the electronic properties of these materials. In this paper these calculations (mostly of the density-functional type) are gathered and reviewed, and their results are compared with the relevant experimental data. The picture that emerges is one in which the important electronic states are dominated by the copper $d$ and oxygen $p$ orbitals, with strong hybridization between them. Photon, electron, and positron spectroscopies provide important information about the electronic states, and comparison with electronic structure calculations indicates that, while many features can be interpreted in terms of existing calculations, self-energy corrections ("correlations") are important for a more detailed understanding. The antiferromagnetism that occurs in some regions of the phase diagram poses a particularly challenging problem for any detailed theory. The study of structural stability, lattice dynamics, and electron-phonon coupling in the copper oxides is also discussed. Finally, a brief review is given of the attempts so far to identify interaction constants appropriate for a model Hamiltonian treatment of many-body interactions in these materials.

Electronic structure of the high-temperature oxide superconductors

A perovskite‐like single‐crystal substrate material has been investigated that simultaneously permits epitaxial growth of 1‐2‐3 superconductor films and possesses desirable rf properties of low dielectric constant and loss tangent. The lattice constant of 3.792 A provides a lattice match to within 1% of the a axis of 1‐2‐3. Sputtered films of erbium‐barium‐copper‐oxide have been produced on (100) LaAlO3 substrates that exhibit sharp resistive transitions at 90 K (ΔT=1K), bulk superconductivity as determined by ac susceptibility measurements, and nearly single‐crystal growth as evidenced by x‐ray diffraction and high‐resolution scanning electron microscopy. The high‐frequency dielectric properties of LaAlO3 were experimentally investigated at several temperatures. The low‐frequency dielectric constant was measured to be 15 and the microwave loss tangent ranged from 6×10−4 at room temperature to 5×10−6 at 4 K.

Low‐loss substrate for epitaxial growth of high‐temperature superconductor thin films

Raman and IR-measurements on the high- T c material series La 2 CuO 4 and YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 are reviewed. This summary focuses on lattice vibrations in these superconducting systems, on impurity phases, the influence of oxygen stoichiometry and element substitution. The determination of the superconducting gap, the phonon renormalization in the superconducting state, and the isotope effect with its implications on the theory of superconductivity in these materials are discussed. In addition, the measured lattice vibrations are compared with the results of lattice dynamics calculations.

Lattice vibrations in high-Tc superconductors: Optical spectroscopy and lattice dynamics☆

High-T c
 superconductivity has generated a great deal of interest because of the challenges it presents in the fields of material science, condensed matter physics, and electrical engineering, and because of the potential applications which may result from these research efforts. Thin-film passive microwave components may become the first high-temperature superconducting (HTS) devices available for widespread use and commercialization. In this article, we review aspects of material science, physics, and engineering which directly impact high-T

 c
 superconducting microwave devices and discuss issues which determine the performance of these devices. Methods of growing HTS thin films on large-area substrates, techniques for fabricating single-level HTS passive microwave components, and the relevant properties of high-T

 c
 superconducting films are discussed, with a focus on thin films of the HTS material YBa2Cu3O7−δ. Several known mechanisms for microwave loss in both the superconductor and the dielectric substrate are presented. An overview of the general classes of superconducting passive microwave devices is given, and representative microwave devices which have been recently demonstrated are described in detail. Examples of a select few HTS active microwave components are also presented. Potential microwave applications are illustrated with comparisons to current technology.

High-temperature superconducting microwave devices: Fundamental issues in materials, physics, and engineering

Electron energy-loss and X-ray absorption spectroscopy of cuprate superconductors and related compounds

Stable and reproducible superconductivity has been unambiguously observed in a new Tl-Ba-Cu-O system containing no group-IIIB elements. Resistance in these rare-earth--free oxides starts to drop sharply above 90 K and reaches zero at 81 K. Meissner flux expulsion and diamagnetic shielding show bulk superconductivity. Further substitutions of elements for this system may lead to even higher-temperature superconductors.

R. J. Matson

Papers

Superconductivity at 90 K in the Tl-Ba-Cu-O system.