Re:Superconductivity Theory Under Attack
by eigenspace on Sunday December 01, 2019 @03:30PM
(#21677616)
The BCS theory does a reasonably good job of describing the properties of so called ‘conventional superconductors’ which are actually a very small class, dwarfed by the ‘unconventional superconductors’ which include almost everything high-Tc.
However, BCS is built upon a pile of questionable assumptions and simplifications and there are signs that it’s not even a good theory for describing conventional superconductors. I think of BCS as something of a ‘local maximum’ in the space of theories describing superconductors and we’re all stuck trying to find ways of incrementally improving the theory when really we’re going to have to make a large leap to a quite different description before real progress is made.
It’s like climbing a tree to get to the moon. You get a little closer, but to get any further you’re actually going to have to climb down and do a lot of work on earth before getting any higher.
Are you saying that the BCS theory is wrong? That it's limiting people from looking at alternate ways that could also superconduct? Or what?