Major advances in the years leading up to publication of this 2002 book in high-temperature superconductor (HTS) research resulted in the increased use of HTS materials in commercial and precommercial applications. These materials have in common the complexity of their multicomponent chemistry. Consequently, it is not surprising that many aspects of the interplay among microscopic structure, macroscopic properties and processing are still not fully understood. This book offers a comprehensive status review of high-temperature superconductors from the near-term commercialization of the first-generation BSCCO tapes, to the continuing advancement of the second-generation YBCO-coated conductors, to the development of the new MgB2 material. Fundamental material properties studies, new growth methods, device and materials integration research, and developments in designing and growing new materials, all involving epitaxial superconducting thin films, are featured.