Abstract: A type I superconductor expels a magnetic field from its interior to a surface layer of thickness λL, the London penetration depth. λL is a function of temperature, becoming smaller as the temperature decreases. Here we analyze the process of cooling (or heating) a type I superconductor in a magnetic field, with the system remaining always in the superconducting state. We show that the conventional theory of superconductivity cannot describe this process in a consistent way. We conclude that the conventional theory of superconductivity is internally inconsistent. Instead, we suggest that the alternative theory of hole superconductivity may be able to resolve this problem.
The paper was rejected for publication by Physical Review B, and a shorter version was rejected by PRL. Read them at your own risk. For referees' reports and responses see links below