John Bardeen and the theory of superconductivity: A study of insight, confidence, perseverance, and collaboration

Journal of Superconductivity and Novel Magnetism

Volumn 21, Issue 6, 2008, Pages 319-327

  Hoddeson, Lillian ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA CHAMPAIGN   (United States)

Author keywords

History of BCS; John Bardeen; Superconductivity

Indexed keywords

BCS THEORIES; GRADUATE STUDENTS; JOHN BARDEEN;

CRITICAL CURRENT DENSITY (SUPERCONDUCTIVITY); ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY; HELIUM; SUPERCONDUCTIVITY;

PENETRATION DEPTH (SUPERCONDUCTIVITY);

EID: 55849134812     PISSN: 15571939     EISSN: 15571947     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1007/s10948-008-0347-7     Document Type: Article

References (46)

1. This paper, adapted from L. Hoddeson and V. Daitch, True Genius: the Life and Physics of John Bardeen, also draws on material discussed in greater detail in L. Hoddeson, G. Baym, H. Schubert, and S. Heims, "Chapter 8: Collective Phenomena," in Out of the Crystal Maze: A History of Solid State Physics, 1900-1960, edited by L. Hoddeson, E. Braun, J. Teichmann and S. Weart (New York: Oxford Univ. Press, 1992), pp. 489-616
2. An earlier version of this article was published as L. Hoddeson, "John Bardeen and the Theory of Superconductivity: a late revision of a homework assignment for J. M. Luttinger," The Journal of Statistical Physics 103:3/4 (2001), 625-640
3. and a still earlier version was the basis of L. Hoddeson, "John Bardeen and the BCS Theory of Superconductivity," Materials Research Society Bulletin, Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 50-55 (Jan. 1999). See also www.aip.org/history/mod/superconductivity/05.html
4. Hoddeson, L., Baym, G., Eckert, M.: The development of the quantum mechanical electron theory of metals, 1926-1933. In Crystal Maze, op. cit. (note 1), pp. 88-181, see esp. pp. 140-153
5. Althea Harmor Bardeen to Charles William Bardeen, nd. Document in University of Wisconsin Archives
6. Sommerfeld, A., Bethe, H.: Elektronentheorie der Metalle. In: Geiger, H., Sheel, K. (eds.) Handbuch der Physik, vol. 2, Springer, Berlin (1933). 24, pp. 333-622, quote on p. 555
7. Collective Phenomena. In Crystal Maze, op. cit. (note 1, p. 491)
8. E.P. Wigner J. Bardeen 1935 Theory of the work functions of monovalent metals Phys. Rev. 48 84 87
9. J. Bardeen 1936 Theory of the work function, II The surface double layer Phys. Rev. 49 653 663
10. Bardeen, J.: Reminiscences of early days in solid state physics. In: Mott, N. (ed.) The Beginnings of Solid State Physics, pp. 77-83. The Royal Society, London (1980)
11. Riordan, M., Hoddeson, L.: Crystal Fire: The Birth of the Information Age. Norton, New York (1997)
12. H. Jones N.F. Mott H.W.B. Skinner 1934 A theory of the form of the X-ray emission bands and metals Phys. Rev. 45 379 84
13. F. London H. London 1935 Supraleitung und Diamagnetismus Physica 2 341 354
14. F. London 1935 Macroscopic interpretation of supraconductivity Proc. Roy. Soc. A 152 24 34
15. For a summary of research on superconductivity up to the Second World War, see Dahl, P.F.: Superconductivity: Its Historical Roots and Development from Mercury to the Ceramic Oxides. American Institute of Physics, New York (1992)
16. For insight into the work of the London brothers, especially Fritz, see Gavroglu, K.: Fritz London: A Scientific Biography. Cambridge University Press, New York (1995)
17. L. Hoddeson G. Baym M. Eckert 1987 The development of the quantum-mechanical theory of metals, 1928-1933 Rev. Mod. Phys. 59 287 327 For further references, see Crystal Maze, p. 588, n 21, pp. 141-53, and Sec. IV. Superconductivity, 1929-1933. In
18. London, London: Supraleitung und Diamagnetismus. Op. cit. (note 10), p. 348
19. Shoenberg, D.: Superconductivity. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1938)
20. Bardeen 1941 Theory of superconductivity Phys. Rev. 59 928 (Abstract) Bardeen would employ a similar approach in his much later work during the 1980s on charge density waves
21. This story is told in full detail in Crystal Fire, op. cit. (note 7) pp. 185-192
22. Brattain interview by Charles Weiner, May 28, 1974, on deposit at the Center for History of Physics, AIP, hereafter cited as AIP, also quoted in Crystal Fire (note 7), p. 190
23. The evidence came from the work of a group of experimenters based in different laboratories. They included A. Brian Pippard, William Fairbank, Emanuel Maxwell, Paul Marcus, J.C. Daunt, Kurt Mendelssohn, B. Goodman, A. Brown, Mark Zemansky, Henry Boorse, W. Corak, Michael Tinkham, and R.E. Glover
24. J. Bardeen 1950 Zero-point vibrations and superconductivity Phys. Rev. 79 167 168 Bardeen notes written between May 15 and May 18, 1950, Bardeen papers, Univ. of Illinois Archives;
25. Chapter 8, Out of the Crystal Maze, op. cit. (note 1), pp. 549-550
26. H. Frohlich 1950 Isotope effect in superconductivity (letter) Proc. Phys. Soc. (Lon.) A 63 778
27. Bardeen to Peierls, July 17, 1951, Rudolf Peierls Papers, Oxford University Archives
28. F. Seitz interview by L. Hoddeson, V. Daitch, and I. Elichirigoity, April 22, 1993, AIP
29. Ibid
30. D. Pines interview with Lillian Hoddeson and Vicki Daitch, December 3, 1993, p. 8, AIP
31. D. Bohm interview by L. Hoddeson, May 8, 1981, AIP; see Crystal Maze (note 1), p. 536
32. D. Pines interview by L. Hoddeson, August 13 and 16, 1981, AIP
33. J. Bardeen D. Pines 1955 Electron-phonon interaction in metals Phys. Rev. 99 1140 1150
34. Bardeen, J.: Theory of superconductivity. Theoretical Part. In: Handbuch der Physik, vol. 15, pp. 274-369. Springer, Berlin (1956)
35. Bardeen, J.: History of superconductivity research. In: Kursonoglu, B., Perlmutter, A. (eds.) Impact of Basic Research on Technology, pp. 15-57. Plenum, New York (1973)
36. Schrieffer interview with J. Warnow and R.M. Williams, Sept. 26, 1974
37. London, F.: Superfluids. Macroscopic theory of Superconductivity, vol. 1. New York, Wiley (1950), esp. 142-155
38. L. Cooper 1956 Bound electron pairs in a degenerate Fermi gas Phys. Rev. 104 1189 1190
39. D. Lazarus interview with Fernando Elichirigoity, 24 February 1992, AIP
40. Betsy Bardeen Greytak, Bardeen family interview with L. Hoddeson and M. Riordan, March 15, 1992, AIP
41. J. Bardeen to S.A. Goudsmit, Feb. 15, 1957, Bardeen Papers, UIUC
42. J. Bardeen L.N. Coooper J.R. Schrieffer 1957 Microscopic theory of superconductivity Phys. Rev. 106 162 164
43. Charles Slichter, talk at John Bardeen Memorial ceremony, February 8, 1991, Bardeen Papers, University of Illinois Achieves
44. Among the first were R.W. Morse and H.V. Bohm at Brown and Glover and Tinkham at Berkeley
45. J. Bardeen L.N. Cooper J.R. Schrieffer 1957 Theory of superconductivity Phys. Rev. 108 1175 1204
46. Brown, L., Brout, R., Cao, T.Y., Higgs, P., Nambu, Y.: Panel session: spontaneous breaking of symmetry. In: Hoddeson, L., Brown, L.M., Dresden, M., Riordan, M. (eds.) The Rise of the Standard Model: Particle Physics in the 1960s and 70s, pp. 478-522. Cambridge Univ. Press, New York (1997)