Electrodynamics of superconductors

An alternate set of equations to describe the electrodynamics of superconductors at a macroscopic level is proposed. These equations resemble equations originally proposed by the London brothers but later discarded by them. Unlike the conventional London equations the alternate equations are relativistically covariant, and they can be understood as arising from the 'rigidity' of the superfluid wave function in a relativistically covariant microscopic theory. They predict that an internal 'spontaneous' electric field exists in superconductors, and that externally applied electric fields, both longitudinal and transverse, are screened over a London penetration length, as magnetic fields are. The associated longitudinal dielectric function predicts a much steeper plasmon dispersion relation than the conventional theory, and a blue shift of the minimum plasmon frequency for small samples. It is argued that the conventional London equations lead to difficulties that are removed in the present theory, and that the proposed equations do not contradict any known experimental facts. Experimental tests are discussed.Comment: Small changes following referee's and editor's comments; to be published in Phys.Rev.

Symmetries and collective excitations in large superconducting circuits

The intriguing appeal of circuits lies in their modularity and ease of fabrication. Based on a toolbox of simple building blocks, circuits present a powerful framework for achieving new functionality by combining circuit elements into larger networks. It is an open question to what degree modularity also holds for quantum circuits -- circuits made of superconducting material, in which electric voltages and currents are governed by the laws of quantum physics. If realizable, quantum coherence in larger circuit networks has great potential for advances in quantum information processing including topological protection from decoherence. Here, we present theory suitable for quantitative modeling of such large circuits and discuss its application to the fluxonium device. Our approach makes use of approximate symmetries exhibited by the circuit, and enables us to obtain new predictions for the energy spectrum of the fluxonium device which can be tested with current experimental technology

Correcting 100 years of misunderstanding: electric fields in superconductors, hole superconductivity, and the Meissner effect

From the outset of superconductivity research it was assumed that no electrostatic fields could exist inside superconductors, and this assumption was incorporated into conventional London electrodynamics. Yet the London brothers themselves initially (in 1935) had proposed an electrodynamic theory of superconductors that allowed for static electric fields in their interior, which they unfortunately discarded a year later. I argue that the Meissner effect in superconductors necessitates the existence of an electrostatic field in their interior, originating in the expulsion of negative charge from the interior to the surface when a metal becomes superconducting. The theory of hole superconductivity predicts this physics, and associated with it a macroscopic spin current in the ground state of superconductors ("Spin Meissner effect"), qualitatively different from what is predicted by conventional BCS-London theory. A new London-like electrodynamic description of superconductors is proposed to describe this physics. Within this theory superconductivity is driven by lowering of quantum kinetic energy, the fact that the Coulomb repulsion strongly depends on the character of the charge carriers, namely whether electron- or hole-like, and the spin-orbit interaction. The electron-phonon interaction does not play a significant role, yet the existence of an isotope effect in many superconductors is easily understood. In the strong coupling regime the theory appears to favor local charge inhomogeneity. The theory is proposed to apply to all superconducting materials, from the elements to the high $T_c$ cuprates and pnictides, is highly falsifiable, and explains a wide variety of experimental observations.Comment: Proceedings of the conference "Quantum phenomena in complex matter 2011 - Stripes 2011", Rome, 10 July -16 July 2011, to be published in J. Supercond. Nov. Mag

Mission Capabilities of Ion Engines Using SNAP-8 Power Supplies

Mission performance capabilities of ion engines powered by the 30 kw and 60 kw SNAP-8 power supplies are compared for the following missions: a 24-hr equatorial satellite, a 100 n mi lunar satellite, a 500 n mi Mars satellite, a Mercury probe, and an out-of-the-ecliptic probe. The capabilities of arc- jet engines and chemical engines for the same missions are compared with those of the ion engines. The majority of the comparisons are for 8500-lb spacecraft which are boosted into a 300 n mi orbit by the Atlas-Centaur. Variations in initial orbit altitude, the use of actual launch dates rather than dates based on simplifying assumptions, and the combined use of chemical and electrical propulsion systems were also evaluated in terms of their effect on mission performance

Geothermal reservoir engineering research

The Stanford University research program on the study of stimulation and reservoir engineering of geothermal resources commenced as an interdisciplinary program in September, 1972. The broad objectives of this program have been: (1) the development of experimental and computational data to evaluate the optimum performance of fracture-stimulated geothermal reservoirs; (2) the development of a geothermal reservoir model to evaluate important thermophysical, hydrodynamic, and chemical parameters based on fluid-energy-volume balances as part of standard reservoir engineering practice; and (3) the construction of a laboratory model of an explosion-produced chimney to obtain experimental data on the processes of in-place boiling, moving flash fronts, and two-phase flow in porous and fractured hydrothermal reservoirs