Iron-pnictide superconductors: A Primer

For the edification and amusement of those beautiful crunchers who aspire to scientific literacy I am providing a brief guide for understanding the direction of cutting edge research in superconductivity.  The current trend is in studying iron arsenide superconductors, all of which are mostly two-dimensional or sandwich-like.  Below some of these crystal structures are illustrated along with short explanations to inform the non-expert.