The theory of hole superconductivity (also known
in some circles as 'The holistic
theory of superconductivity') asserts that superconductivity
can only occur when 'hole' carriers exist in the normal state of
a metal. A 'hole' is the
absence of an electron, and hole carriers exist when an electronic
energy band is almost full.
Holes
are different from
electrons
, as the picture to the right clearly shows.
A hole in a full band has difficulty
propagating due to the disruption it causes in its environment.
Superconductivity occurs due to pairing
of hole carriers, and is driven by the fact that paired holes
can propagate more easily (have a smaller effective mass) than single
holes. As a consequence, their
kinetic energy is lowered.
In contrast, single electrons can move easily and so they
don't pair. 'Dynamic Hubbard models'
describe the different physics of
electron and hole carriers in metals.
The different mobility of holes and electrons can
be illustrated by a garage analogy.
The reason for the increased mobility of holes upon pairing is that
they 'undress'
when they pair, and turn into electrons.
This leads to a new understanding of
superconductors, that a superconductor is a
giant atom
.
If the theory is correct it implies that the electron-phonon
interaction is irrelevant to superconductivity, that
BCS theory is incorrect
and that
London theory is incorrect.
The theory also explains the Meissner effect
[1],
[2],
and predicts a
Spin Meissner effect
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81) The fundamental role of charge asymmetry in superconductivity , cond-mat/0407642 (Los Alamos), J. Phys. Chem. Solids 67, p.21 (2006), SNS'2004, Sitges,Spain, July 11-16,2004
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83) Why holes are not like electrons. II. The role of the electron-ion interaction. , Phys.Rev. B 71, 104522 (2005), cond-mat/0504013 (2005).
84) Explanation of the Tao effect, cond-mat/0502626 (2005), Phys.Rev.Lett. 94, 187001 (2005).
85) Spin currents, relativistic effects and the Darwin interaction in the theory of hole superconductivity , cond-mat/0508471 (2005), Phys.Lett. A 345, 453 (2005).
86) Pair production in superconductors , cond-mat/0508529 (2005)
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88) Do superconductors violate Lenz's law? Body rotation under field cooling and theoretical implications, Phys.Lett. A366, 615 (2007).
89) Spin Meissner Effect in Superconductors and the Origin of the Meissner Effect , arXiv:0710.0876 (2007), Europhys. Lett. 81, 67003 (2008).
90) Electrodynamics of spin currents in superconductors , arXiv:0803.1198 (2008), Ann. Phys. (Berlin) 17, 380 (2008).
91) The missing angular momentum of superconductors , arXiv:0803.2054, (2008), J. Phys. Cond. Matt. 20, 235233 (2008).
92) Hole superconductivity in Arsenic-Iron compounds . With F. Marsiglio , arXiv:0804.0002, (2008), Physica C 468, 1047 (2008).