This report documents the design and construction of a low temperature scanning tunneling microscope optimized for the study of superconductors. The microscope was first used to study the vortex liquid state in the cuprate high-Tc superconductor Bi2Sr2Cu06+x. This work distinguished between a homogenous superconducting gap and an additional inhomogenous 'pseudogap' which may be linked to an alternative electronic ordered state. The microscope then performed the first atomic resolution, high-field investigation of the new iron arsenic high-Tc superconductors. In particular, the vortex state was mapped in Ba(CoxFe1-x)2As2. Vortices formed a disordered lattice, uncorrelated with surface impurities, which demonstrated strong bulk pinning. Vortex core states were used to measure an electronic correlation length of 2.8 nanometers, from which an upper critical field of 43 Tesla was calculated.

A wide range of progress in materials development [single crystals, ceramics, thin films, wire and tapes] is reported in the 169 papers in this volume. The main focus of the papers is in attaining a better understanding of the relationship between microstructure and electrical properties. Invited papers cover topics such as the effects of substitution and doping; multilayers; nanostructure characterisation; electric field effects in High Tc Superconductors [HTS]; surface stability; critical currents; flux pinning and magnetooptic imaging of flux patterns; effects of irradiation induced defects; properties and preparation of materials; microwave properties and electronic devices. A clearly broadened basis for understanding processes and mechanisms in [HTS] is portrayed. Appreciable progress has been achieved in the reproducible manufacturing of high quality materials supported by very efficient methods in microstructural analysis. This essential improvement is reflected in the increased number of practical devices encouraging the use of HTS in applications for electronics and power engineering, all of which are reviewed in depth in this work.

Studies of High Temperature Superconductors, Volume 48 - Vortex Physics & Flux Pinning