Cuprate complexes are heavily researched because they often superconduct at high temperatures. Cuprate superconductors include copper oxide layers within the unit cell, and the movement of electrons within this layer is what is believed to generate superconductive qualities. In this layer, the copper is in a 2+ oxidation state while oxygen is 2-. The figure shows Cu dx^2-y^2 orbitals overlapping with O orbitals to form a sigma bond (B). Many superconducting cuprates have tetragonal unit cells although they can be orthorhombic.  The unit cells of various superconductors are shown in the figure as well (A).  Mercury barium copper oxide has a tetragonal unit cell, which is similar to a simple cubic but elongated. In addition to the copper atoms occupying the corners and oxygen atoms along the edges which appear in each of these examples, there are barium atoms within the body and mercury atoms on the edges. Thallium barium copper oxide's unit cell consists of thallium along the edges and in the body. It also includes barium along the edges and in the body, copper in the corners and the center of the body, and oxygen along the edges and in the body. 

Because superconductivity necessitates exceptionally low temperatures, cryogenic fluids are often used to cool superconductive materials to below their critical temperatures; however, these fluids are expensive making it difficult to utilize superconductivity for practical purposes in a way that is cost-efficient. The discovery of yttrium barium copper oxide (YBCO) was significant because its critical temperature (92 K) is above the temperature of liquid nitrogen the cheapest cryogenic fluid. YBCO has an orthorhombic unit cell with yttrium and barium in the body, copper in the corners and edges, and oxygen along the edges and faces. For every 2 copper atoms in the +2 oxidation state, there is a copper atom in the while the copper atom is in the +3 oxidation state. This means that the compound is electrically neutral since the yttrium exists in the +3 oxidation state, barium exists in the +2 oxidation state, and oxygen has an oxidation state of -2. The unit cells image depicts the superconductor unit cell (c) and its insulating form (b). The addition of oxygen atoms on the edges of the unit cell distinguishes the two forms. This difference is likely because the spacing between copper oxide planes has an effect on the way the crystal lattice vibrates, which can impact the formation of Cooper pairs.

Niobium tin is another high-temperature superconductor with a critical temperature of 18.1 K. Its unit cell is a type of body-centered cubic called an A3B unit cell, the name of which refers to its chemical formula. The cubic structure has 2 niobium atoms on each of its 6 faces, and a tin atom on each corner as well as an additional tin atom in its body; this means that the unit cell contains 6 niobium atoms and 2 tin atoms resulting in a 3:1 ratio. Unfortunately, the structure of its unit cell makes it brittle and difficult to make wire out of; however, the niobium tin superconductor does not have the benefit of being able to withstand strong magnetic fields and currents.

122 irons arsenides contain alkaline earth metals, irons, and pnictides in a 1:2:2 ratio and have a body-centered tetragonal structure. They are high-temperature superconductors that include iron pnictide layers. Electronic correlation is likely weaker in iron pnictides than in cuprate superconductors, and spin fluctuations are suspected to play a role in superconductivity. In some cases, superconductivity in 122 iron arsenides is attained using doping. Hole doping in 122 iron arsenides has been executed by replacing some of the alkaline earth metals with potassium. Another method of doping has involved replacing some of the iron with cobalt.