100 Years of Superconductivity: The Past, The Present And The Future Quest for a Generalized Theory

Abstract

This is a review paper to celebrate the first century (1911 – 2011) of the discovery of superconductivity. The emphasis is on the search for a generalized theory of superconductivity. It is observed here that though there are many theories currently in the literature, there are three domineering mechanisms for the Cooper pair formation (CPF) and their emergent theories of superconductivity. Two of these mechanisms, based on the quantum theory axiom of action-at-a distance, may be only an approximation of the third mechanism which is contact interaction of the wavepackets of the two electrons forming the Cooper pair as envisaged in hadronic mechanics. It is therefore suggested that the future of the search for the theory of superconductivity should be considered from the natural possible bonding in element that at short distances, the CPF is by a nonlinear, nonlocal and nonhamiltonian strong hadronictype interaction due to deep wave-overlapping of spinning particles leading to a Hulthen potential that is attractive between two electrons in singlet couplings while at large distance the CPF is by superexchange interaction which is purely a quantum mechanical effect.

Journal of the Nigerian Association of Mathematical Physics, Volume 19 (November, 2011), pp 623 – 630