Superconducting films and devices

Simple superconducting circuits and sensors can be fabricated in the new cuprate high temperature superconductors and conventional low-Tc components can be integrated at a large scale. Reliable multilayer depositions and Josephson junctions need to be developed in high-Tc materials for commercial success. The field has had approximately 12 years to grow since the discovery of ceramic superconductors that enable approximately 10 times higher temperature operation than was previously possible. Compared to more mature technologies, ceramic superconductors should now be about half-way to commercial realization. Niche markets, in which specialized devices strongly out perform the competition, will be the first to develop, however, large-scale superconducting electronics should be no serious threat to semiconducting electronics within the next 10 to 12 years.