1986 Applied Superconductivity Conference: Kamerlingh Onnes Symposium on the Origins of Applied Superconductivity – 75th Anniversary of the Discovery of Superconductivity
1986 marked the 75th anniversary of the discovery of superconductivity by Professor Heike Kamerlingh Onnes and his group at the University of Leiden and to celebrate this occasion a special symposium was held on Wednesday October 1st 1986, at the 1986 Applied Superconductivity Conference (Baltimore, MA USA) that brought together many of the scientists that had made important contributions to applying that discovery. We are fortunate that NRL recorded this historic occasion on videotape, and we are now making these recordings available to the public for the first time.
The session chairs were Bascom Deaver, famous for his work on flux quantization, and Nobel Prize winner John Bardeen. Most of the presenters also submitted articles for publication in IEEE Trans. Applied Superconductivity and links to the papers are provided below.
We would like to thank Nathan Brewer of the IEEE History Center for digitizing the tapes and Mary Ann Hellrigel of the IEEE History Center for facilitating their conversion.
Bascom S. Deaver (University of Virginia): Call to Order and Introduction
B. Deaver (1987) H. Kamerlingh Onnes symposium on the origins of applied superconductivity 75th anniversary of the discovery of superconductivity. IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, 23(2):354–354. https://doi.org/10.1109/TMAG.1987.1065149
John Bardeen (University of Illinois): Co-Chair Remarks
Rudolf de Bruyn Ouboter (Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory): Superconductivity: Discovery and Earliest Research
Bruyn Ouboter R de (1987) Superconductivity: Discoveries during the early years of low temperature research at Leiden 1908-1914. IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, 23(2):355–370. https://doi.org/10.1109/TMAG.1987.1065148
Brian Pippard (Cambridge University): Early Superconductivity Research (Except Leiden)
Pippard A.B. (1987) Early superconductivity research (except Leiden). IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, 23(2):371–375. https://doi.org/10.1109/TMAG.1987.1065150
Leon Cooper (Brown University): Origins of the Microscopic Theory of Superconductivity
Cooper L (1987) Origins of the theory of superconductivity. IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, 23(2):376–379. https://doi.org/10.1109/TMAG.1987.1065151
John Bardeen: Remarks of Introduction to Josephson Junctions
John Rowell (Bell Communications Research): Electron Tunneling in Superconductors
Rowell J (1987) Superconducting tunneling spectroscopy and the observation of the Josephson effect. IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, 23(2):380–389. https://doi.org/10.1109/TMAG.1987.1065153
Juri Matisoo (IBM Research Laboratories): Superconducting Electronics
John Hulm (Westinghouse Corporation): Chair – Large-Scale Applications
George Yntema (Bolton CT): Nb Supermagnets
Yntema G (1987) Niobium superconducting magnets. IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, 23(2):390–395. https://doi.org/10.1109/TMAG.1987.1065154
John E. “Gene” Kunzler (ret. AT&T Bell Laboratories): Nb3Sn: High Current at High Magnetic Fields
Kunzler J (1987) Recollection of events associated with the discovery of high field-high current superconductivity. IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, 23(2):396–402. https://doi.org/10.1109/TMAG.1987.1065155
Ted Berlincourt (Office of Naval Research): Type II Superconductivity
Berlincourt T (1987) Type II superconductivity: Quest for understanding. IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, 23(2):403–412. https://doi.org/10.1109/TMAG.1987.1065156
John Purcell (Cryogenic Designs Inc.): The Argonne Bubble Chamber Supermagnet
Purcell J (1987) The Argonne bubble chamber supermagnet. IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, 23(2):413–415. https://doi.org/10.1109/TMAG.1987.1065157
View the complete YouTube videos
Tape 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gk8Av2M5KYI
Chairs: Deaver, Bardeen
Speakers: DeBruyn Ouboter, Pippard, Cooper
Tape 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TJSZr-GwZ4
Speakers: Bardeen, Rowell, Matisoo
Tape 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JGP5mHfJvU
Speakers: Yntema, Kunzler, Berlincourt, Purcell
Edited highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgMVTw3ZSHI