Experimental resutls on enhancement of superconductivity in thin films are surveyed especially in connection with the new mechanism of the high critical temperature superconductivity. Most of experiments reviewed were made on composite thin films prepared by low temperature co-deposition of metals with other materials or by alternate deposition of two metals or metals and dielecrics.
The enhancement im thin films of soft metals are ascribed mainly to the mechanism of lattice softening due to the large surface to volume ratio and the lattice disorder in thin films by low temperature deposition. There are also other mechanisms proposed; the effect of electronic density of states in transition metals, the effect of spins and the effect of electric field.
Superconductivity in intercalated layer compounds are also introduced as the extreme case of thin films.
In all the results mentioned, the confirmed evidence of the new mechanism of superconductivity has not been found yet.
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