AAPPS Bulletin Vol.13 No.1 February 2003 Articles Discovery of the New Superconductor MgB2 and its Recent Development (PDF, 656KB) Yuji Zenitani and Jun Akimitsu, Aoyama Gakuin University, Japan abstract--- We recently discovered that the intermetallic compound magnesium diboride (MgB2) exhibits the highest superconducting transition temperature (Tc =39 K) of all metallic superconductors. In this paper we report on the basic superconducting characteristics of MgB2 and the current status of the search for applications for this material. In particular, we summarize the research into its critical current (Jc)and critical magnetic field (Hc), which are important parameters for practical applications of this material.

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