The main goal of solid-state physics is investigation of the properties of the matter including the mechanical, electrical, optical, magnetic, and so on with the aim of developing new materials with defined characteristics. Nowadays, the synthesis of superconductors with high critical temperature it consists of or fabrication of new heterostructures on the base of semiconductors, in cre- ation of layered, amorphous, organic, or nanofabricated structures and many others. To do all of these, the various methods of investigation are developed during the past. Because it is impossible to find an...

Various experimental techniques for point contact production are described. Examples of point-contact spectra are presented for pure metals, alloys and compounds, as well as for semimetals and semiconductors, heavy fermion systems, Kond-lattices, mixed valence compounds and more. Superconducting point contacts are considered in respect to Andreev reflection and Josephson effects. Special attention is paid to contact conductance fluctuation, and new trends of research are outlined.