Inconsistency of the conventional theory of superconductivity

25 Apr 2020 · Hirsch J. E. ·

In a process where the temperature of a type I superconductor in a magnetic field changes, the conventional theory of superconductivity predicts that Joule heat is generated and that the final state is independent of the speed of the process. I show that these two predictions cannot be simultaneously reconciled with the laws of thermodynamics. I propose a resolution of this paradox.