Structural chemistry and high-temperature superconductivity

Abstract

Phenomenological trends in the superconducting transition temperature $T_c$ and the energy gap $E_g$ as measured in many tunneling and isotope experiments are discussed for ternary metallic Cu oxides. Available data are consistent with the Bardeen-Frölich electron-phonon mechanism and the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer microscopic theory. The role of Cu oxidation is discussed in the context of the mechanical stability of the perovskitelike lattice structure.