This review consists of three parts. The first part provides basic information about the physics and materials science of high-temperature superconductors for applications in magnet and energy technology. It addresses more than is required by a newcomer in this field, by putting together information from very different areas such as physical chemistry, materials science and condensed matter physics, which otherwise would have to be collected from various textbooks and original literature. In an introductory chapter potential applications are presented and the limitations of the materials are discussed. Part I closes with a final chapter on the present state of the art, where the latest results in this field are briefly reviewed. Parts II and III contain the most recent results on the preparation and characterization of Bi-2212 (Bi2Sr2CaCu2O5) wires and tapes, and Bi-2223

Since the discovery of high temperature superconductors the scientific com nmnity has been very active in research on material and system development as well as on the basic understanding of the mechanism of superconductiv ity at high transition temperatures. Industrial groups joined in very soon as with these new materials the prospects for commercial application of super conductivity seemed to be more promising than ever. Materials processing was divided into film deposition and bulk preparation techniques, the latter including conductor fabrication and melt growth of monolithic samples as well. Because of the high impact of possible applications in energy technol ogy, wire and tape fabrication of the BSCCO superconductors is one of the most important fields, in addition to thin film technology for mobile comuni cation. Only since processes like IBAD and RABiTS TM were invented have film deposition techniques also become important for energy technology. In order to produce suitable conductors with material properties which meet the challenge imposed by energy technology, detailed understanding of the phase formation and physical properties of the high temperature super conductors is necessary. The goal of this book is on one hand to provide the basic information on phase formation and physical properties, and to give a short overview of the state of the art in conductor preparation and character ization. On the other hand it contains the author's own results in the field of preparation and characterization.