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BCS Theory of Superconductivity: A Qualitative Overview

The BCS theory of superconductivity describes how electrons form Cooper pairs at low temperatures through phonon-mediated attraction, resulting in a collective quantum state. This pairing creates an energy gap at the Fermi surface, leading to zero electrical resistance and the Meissner effect in superconductors. Developed in 1957, the BCS theory is fundamental to understanding conventional superconductors.

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8 views2 pages

BCS Theory of Superconductivity: A Qualitative Overview

The BCS theory of superconductivity describes how electrons form Cooper pairs at low temperatures through phonon-mediated attraction, resulting in a collective quantum state. This pairing creates an energy gap at the Fermi surface, leading to zero electrical resistance and the Meissner effect in superconductors. Developed in 1957, the BCS theory is fundamental to understanding conventional superconductors.

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BCS Theory of Superconductivity: A Qualitative Overview

The BCS theory, developed by John Bardeen, Leon Cooper and Robert Schrieffer in 1957, is
a fundamental theory of modern condensed matter physics and provides a comprehensive
explanation of superconductivity in conventional superconductors. This theory explains how
certain materials can conduct electricity with zero resistance and expel magnetic fields (the
Meissner effect) below a critical temperature.
The Key Concepts of BCS Theory
1. Cooper Pairs:
The foundation of BCS theory is the concept of Cooper pairs. In a normal conductor, electrons
move independently and are subject to scattering by impurities or lattice vibrations (phonons),
which causes resistance.
In a superconductor, below a critical temperature (𝑇𝑐 ), electrons near the Fermi surface (the
highest energy electrons in a material) can form pairs known as Cooper pairs. Despite the fact
that electrons are fermions (which normally repel each other due to their like charges), they
can attract each other indirectly through interactions with the crystal lattice.
2. Phonon-Mediated Attraction:
The attractive force between two electrons in a Cooper pair is mediated by phonons, which are
quanta of lattice vibrations. When an electron moves through the lattice, it distorts the positive
ions, creating a local region of increased positive charge. This distortion can attract another
electron with opposite momentum and spin, leading to the formation of a Cooper pair.
This pairing occurs despite the overall repulsive Coulomb interaction between the electrons
because the phonon-mediated attraction is stronger at certain conditions, particularly at low
temperatures.
3. Energy Gap:
In the superconducting state, Cooper pairs form a collective ground state and an energy gap
opens up at the Fermi surface. This gap represents the energy required to break a Cooper pair
and excite an electron to a higher energy state.
Because of this energy gap, there are no available states for the electrons to scatter into within
the gap, meaning that scattering (and therefore resistance) is suppressed. This results in zero
electrical resistance.
4. Long-Range Coherence:
Cooper pairs are not localized but instead form a coherent quantum state that extends over large
distances within the material. This coherence is what allows superconductors to carry current
without resistance.
The wavefunctions of Cooper pairs overlap, leading to a macroscopic quantum state where the
pairs move in unison. This collective behaviour is key to the zero-resistance property of
superconductors.
5. Meissner Effect:
The BCS theory also explains the Meissner effect, where a superconductor expels an applied
magnetic field from its interior when it transitions into the superconducting state.
The expulsion of the magnetic field is due to the superconductor's ability to generate surface
currents that exactly cancel the applied magnetic field within the material. This phenomenon
is directly related to the coherence of the Cooper pairs and the energy gap.
[Summary
The BCS theory of superconductivity explains how, at low temperatures, electrons in a superconductor
form Cooper pairs through a phonon-mediated attraction, leading to a collective quantum state. This
pairing and the resulting energy gap at the Fermi surface are key to understanding the zero electrical
resistance and perfect diamagnetism (Meissner effect) observed in superconductors. The BCS theory
successfully describes the behaviour of conventional (low-temperature) superconductors and laid the
foundation for the modern understanding of superconductivity.]

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