Applied Superconductivity OpenCourseWare: A Free MIT Graduate Level Course on Superconductivity

Published Jan 07, 2009

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Superconductive materials have transformed many modern electronics and have the potential to affect many more as the field advances. MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts offers a course on these devices free through OpenCourseWare. The graduate-level course, titled 'Applied Superconductivity,' is aimed at students working towards a Master of Engineering, Master of Science in Electrical Engineering or a related doctoral degree program. Applied quantum physics and statistics is a prerequisite.

Applied Superconductivity: Course Specifics

Degree Level Free Audio Video Downloads
Graduate Yes No No Yes

Lectures/Notes Study Materials Tests/Quizzes
Yes No No

Applied Superconductivity: Course Description

The course begins with a survey of superconductivity. This is followed by a discussion of the idea and the possibility of perfect conductivity. As the course continues, you will learn about magnetoquasistatics, London's equations and the Ginzburg-Landau theory. The course also includes lectures on the classical and macroscopic quantum models of superconductivity, microscopic interactions and the Cooper problem. You'll study Josephson junctions, circuits and devices, SQUIDs, critical fields, flux flow, pinning and more. Students will also learn the practical applications of the superconductors of today and tomorrow. Professor Terry Orlando assigns a text and supplements it with readings from various books and articles.

The course includes notes on all early lectures, but only one of the last six lectures has notes to download. Seven assignments without solutions are include. If you would like to study superconductivity from a phenomenological perspective, visit the applied superconductivity course page.

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