Copper oxide superconductors possess multi-layered structures with a layer sequence of -CuO2
-(Q-CuO2
)n
-1
-AO-(MO1±
)m
-AO- or -CuO2
-B-(O2
-B)s
-1
-CuO2
-AO-(MO1±
)m
-AO- along the elongated c
axis. Based on this layer sequence, the known copper oxide structures are categorized as members of the homologous series, Mm
Ar
Qn
-1
Cun
Om
+r
+2n
±
(M-mr
(n
-1)n
; category A) or Mm
A2k
Bs
Cu1+k
Om
+4k
+2s
±
(M-m
(2k
)s
(1+k
); category B). Stabilization of such structures especially in the case of high values of the n
/s
parameter, i.e. the higher members of the homologous series, has been demonstrated to be apparently promoted under high pressures and/or strongly oxidizing conditions. Consequently, techniques for applying both high oxygen gas pressures (10-2000 atm) and ultra-high solid-medium pressures (2-8 GPa) have been advantageously utilized in synthesizing various superconductive copper oxide phases. Especially the ultra-high solid-medium pressure synthesis carried out in the so-called cubic-anvil/belt-type apparatus has proven to be extremely successful in synthesizing novel superconductive phases. In order to achieve high partial pressures of oxygen in the solid-medium environment, `external' oxygen-generating oxides such as KClO4
, KClO3
and Ag2
O2
are commonly added to the precursor mixtures. It is emphasized that in some cases it is possible to utilize `internal' oxidizing agents alone, i.e. highly oxidized precursors such as BaCuO2+
and Ba2
Cu3
O5+
containing metal constituents common with the desired copper oxide phase only. In the present paper, the potential and applications of high-pressure techniques in synthesizing multi-layered copper oxides and related structures are reviewed and discussed with emphasis on the important `historical' discoveries of novel phases and the present status of controlled production of high-quality samples of such phases.