<PAGE>   1

    As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November __, 1999
                                            Registration No. 333-____________
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                             ----------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                             ----------------------

                        SUPERCONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGIES INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                DELAWARE                                77-0158076
                --------                                ----------
         (State of Incorporation)                   (I.R.S. Employer
                                                   Identification No.)

                             460 Ward Drive, Suite F
                      Santa Barbara, California 93111-2310
          (Address, including zip code, of principal executive offices)

                             ----------------------

                                 1999 STOCK PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                             ----------------------

                                 M. Peter Thomas
                      President and Chief Executive Officer
                             460 Ward Drive, Suite F
                      Santa Barbara, California 93111-2310
                     (Name and address of agent for service)


                                 (805) 683-7646
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                             ----------------------

                                   Copies to:
                               JOHN V. ROOS, ESQ.
                       WILSON, SONSINI, GOODRICH & ROSATI
                            Professional Corporation
                               650 Page Mill Road
                           Palo Alto, California 94304

================================================================================

<PAGE>   2
                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
===============================================================================================================
 Title of                Amount                  Proposed                Proposed            Amount of
Securities to            to be                Maximum Offering       Maximum Aggregate      Registration
be Registered         Registered(1)          Price Per Share(2)      Offering Price(2)          Fee
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                   <C>                    <C>                     <C>                    <C>
Common Stock,
no par value           1,000,000                  $3.1437              $3,134,748.65           $877.11
===============================================================================================================
</TABLE>


        (1)    Includes 1,000,000 shares to be registered under the 1999 Stock
               Plan (the "Stock Plan").

        (2)    The Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Share was estimated in
               part pursuant to Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act, and, in
               part, pursuant to Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act. With
               respect to 150,350 shares which are subject to outstanding
               options to purchase Common Stock under the 1999 Stock Plan the
               Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Share was estimated pursuant
               to Rule 457(h) under which Rule the per share price of options to
               purchase stock under an employee stock option plan may be
               estimated by reference to the exercise price of such options. The
               weighted average exercise price of the 150,350 shares subject to
               outstanding options under the 1999 Stock Plan is $3.2497. With
               respect to 849,650 shares of Common Stock available for future
               grant under the 1999 Stock Plan, the Proposed Maximum Offering
               price per Share was estimated pursuant to Rule 457(c) whereby the
               per share price was determined by reference to the average
               between the high and low price reported in the Nasdaq National
               Market on October 29, 1999, which average was $3.125. The number
               referenced above in the table entitled "Proposed Maximum Offering
               Price Per Share" represents a weighted average of the foregoing
               estimates calculated in accordance with Rules 457(h) and 457(c).


<PAGE>   3


                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

        There are hereby incorporated by reference in this Registration
Statement the following documents and information heretofore filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission:

        (a) The Registrant's latest annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
year ended December 31, 1998, pursuant to Section 13 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act").

        (b) the Registrant's report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on May 18, 1999.

        (c) the Registrant's latest report on Form 10-Q filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on August 17, 1999.

        (d) The description of the Registrant's Common Stock to be offered
hereby is contained in the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 4, 1993 pursuant to
Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act, including any amendment or report filed for
the purpose of updating such description.

        All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been
sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed
to be incorporated by reference in this registration statement and to be part
hereof from the date of filing such documents.

ITEM 4. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

        Not applicable.

ITEM 5. INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

        Not applicable.

ITEM 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

        The Registrant's Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
limits the liability of directors to the maximum extent permitted by Delaware
law. Delaware law provides that directors of a company will not be personally
liable for monetary damages for breach of their fiduciary duties as directors
except for liability (i) for any breach of their duty of loyalty to the company
or its stockholders,

                                      II-1
<PAGE>   4

(ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional
misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) for unlawful payments of
dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions as provided in Section
174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or (iv) for any transaction from
which any director derived an improper personal benefit.

        The Registrant's Bylaws provide that the Registrant will indemnify its
directors and officers and may indemnify its employees and agents to the fullest
extent permitted by Delaware law. The Registrant has entered into agreements to
indemnify its directors and officers, in addition to the indemnification
provided for in the Registrant's Bylaws.

ITEM 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

         Not applicable.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit
Number
-------
<S>        <C>
 4.1       1999 Stock Plan
 4.2       Form of 1999 Stock Option Agreement
 5.1       Opinion of Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati, P.C.,
           as to legality of securities being registered
23.1       Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
23.2       Consent of Counsel (contained in Exhibit 5.1)
24.1       Power of Attorney (see Page II-4)
</TABLE>

ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

        (a)  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

               (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement to include any
material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously
disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such
information in the registration statement.

               (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

               (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

                                      II-2
<PAGE>   5


        (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

        (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the
Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities
Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                      II-3
<PAGE>   6




                                   SIGNATURES

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration
statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Santa Barbara, State of California, on November 2,
1999.

                                    SUPERCONDUCTOR  TECHNOLOGIES  INC.



                                    By: /s/ M. Peter Thomas
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                            M. Peter Thomas, President and Chief
                                            Executive Officer

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

        KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints M. Peter Thomas, their true and lawful
attorney and agent, with full power of substitution, with power to act alone, to
sign and execute on behalf of the undersigned any amendment or amendments to
this Registration Statement on Form S-8 and to perform any acts necessary in
order to file such amendments, and each of the undersigned does hereby ratify
and confirm all that said attorney and agent, or his or her substitutes, shall
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

                                      II-4
<PAGE>   7




        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
       SIGNATURE                                TITLE                                DATE
       ---------                                -----                                ----
<S>                                    <C>                                      <C>
 /s/ M. Peter Thomas                   President, Chief Executive               November 2, 1999
-------------------------------        Officer (Principal
(M. Peter Thomas)                      Executive Officer) and Director


 /s/ M. Peter Thomas                   Vice President, Chief Financial          November 2, 1999
-------------------------------        Officer  and Secretary (Principal
(M. Peter Thomas.)                     Financial and Accounting Officer)


 /s/ Glenn E. Penisten                 Director                                 November 2, 1999
-------------------------------
(Glenn E. Penisten)

 /s/ E. Ray Cotten                     Director                                 November 2, 1999
-------------------------------
(E. Ray Cotten)


 /s/ Robert P. Caren                   Director                                 November 2, 1999
-------------------------------
(Robert P. Caren)

 /s/ Dennis Horowitz                   Director                                 November 2, 1999
-------------------------------
(Dennis Horowitz)

 /s/ John D. Lockton                   Director                                 November 2, 1999
-------------------------------
(John D. Lockton)

 /s/ J. Robert Schrieffer              Director                                 November 2, 1999
-------------------------------
(J. Robert Schrieffer)
</TABLE>


                                      II-5
<PAGE>   8

<TABLE>
<S>                                    <C>                                      <C>
 /s/ Joseph C. Manzinnger              Director                                 November 2, 1999
-------------------------------
(Joseph C. Manzinnger)

 /s/ Richard M. Johnston               Director                                 November 2, 1999
-------------------------------
(Richard M. Johnston)
</TABLE>

                                      II-6
<PAGE>   9




                        SUPERCONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGIES INC.
                       REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-8

                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit
Number         Description
------         -----------
<S>            <C>
 4.1           1999 Stock Plan.

 4.2           Form of 1999 Stock Option Agreement.

 5.1           Opinion of Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich &
               Rosati, P.C., as to legality of securities
               being registered.

23.1           Consent PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

23.2           Consent of Counsel (contained in Exhibit 5.1).

24.1           Power of Attorney (see Page II-4).
</TABLE>

                                      II-7
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 15835}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "SUPERCONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGIES INC", "cik": "0000895665", "assigned-sic": "8731", "irs-number": "770153076", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-90293", "film-number": "99740887"}, "business-address": {"street1": "460 WARD DR", "street2": "STE F", "city": "SANTA BARBARA", "state": "CA", "zip": "93111", "phone": "8056837646"}}
1

    As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November __, 1999
                                            Registration No. 333-____________
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                             ----------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                             ----------------------

                        SUPERCONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGIES INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                DELAWARE                                77-0158076
                --------                                ----------
         (State of Incorporation)                   (I.R.S. Employer
                                                   Identification No.)

                             460 Ward Drive, Suite F
                      Santa Barbara, California 93111-2310
          (Address, including zip code, of principal executive offices)

                             ----------------------

                                 1999 STOCK PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                             ----------------------

                                 M. Peter Thomas
                      President and Chief Executive Officer
                             460 Ward Drive, Suite F
                      Santa Barbara, California 93111-2310
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (805) 683-7646
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                             ----------------------

                                   Copies to:
                               JOHN V. ROOS, ESQ.
                       WILSON, SONSINI, GOODRICH & ROSATI
                            Professional Corporation
                               650 Page Mill Road
                           Palo Alto, California 94304

================================================================================
2
                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
===============================================================================================================
 Title of                Amount                  Proposed                Proposed            Amount of
Securities to            to be                Maximum Offering       Maximum Aggregate      Registration
be Registered         Registered(1)          Price Per Share(2)      Offering Price(2)          Fee
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock,
no par value           1,000,000                  $3.1437              $3,134,748.65           $877.11
===============================================================================================================
(1)    Includes 1,000,000 shares to be registered under the 1999 Stock
               Plan (the "Stock Plan").

        (2)    The Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Share was estimated in
               part pursuant to Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act, and, in
               part, pursuant to Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act. With
               respect to 150,350 shares which are subject to outstanding
               options to purchase Common Stock under the 1999 Stock Plan the
               Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Share was estimated pursuant
               to Rule 457(h) under which Rule the per share price of options to
               purchase stock under an employee stock option plan may be
               estimated by reference to the exercise price of such options. The
               weighted average exercise price of the 150,350 shares subject to
               outstanding options under the 1999 Stock Plan is $3.2497. With
               respect to 849,650 shares of Common Stock available for future
               grant under the 1999 Stock Plan, the Proposed Maximum Offering
               price per Share was estimated pursuant to Rule 457(c) whereby the
               per share price was determined by reference to the average
               between the high and low price reported in the Nasdaq National
               Market on October 29, 1999, which average was $3.125. The number
               referenced above in the table entitled "Proposed Maximum Offering
               Price Per Share" represents a weighted average of the foregoing
               estimates calculated in accordance with Rules 457(h) and 457(c).
3

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

        There are hereby incorporated by reference in this Registration
Statement the following documents and information heretofore filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission:

        (a) The Registrant's latest annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
year ended December 31, 1998, pursuant to Section 13 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act").

        (b) the Registrant's report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on May 18, 1999.

        (c) the Registrant's latest report on Form 10-Q filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on August 17, 1999.

        (d) The description of the Registrant's Common Stock to be offered
hereby is contained in the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 4, 1993 pursuant to
Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act, including any amendment or report filed for
the purpose of updating such description.

        All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been
sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed
to be incorporated by reference in this registration statement and to be part
hereof from the date of filing such documents.

ITEM 4. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

        Not applicable.

ITEM 5. INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

        Not applicable.

ITEM 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

        The Registrant's Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
limits the liability of directors to the maximum extent permitted by Delaware
law. Delaware law provides that directors of a company will not be personally
liable for monetary damages for breach of their fiduciary duties as directors
except for liability (i) for any breach of their duty of loyalty to the company
or its stockholders,

                                      II-1
4

(ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional
misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) for unlawful payments of
dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions as provided in Section
174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or (iv) for any transaction from
which any director derived an improper personal benefit.

        The Registrant's Bylaws provide that the Registrant will indemnify its
directors and officers and may indemnify its employees and agents to the fullest
extent permitted by Delaware law. The Registrant has entered into agreements to
indemnify its directors and officers, in addition to the indemnification
provided for in the Registrant's Bylaws.

ITEM 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

         Not applicable.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.
Exhibit
Number
-------
4.1       1999 Stock Plan
 4.2       Form of 1999 Stock Option Agreement
 5.1       Opinion of Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati, P.C.,
           as to legality of securities being registered
23.1       Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
23.2       Consent of Counsel (contained in Exhibit 5.1)
24.1       Power of Attorney (see Page II-4)
ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

        (a)  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

               (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement to include any
material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously
disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such
information in the registration statement.

               (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

               (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

                                      II-2
5

        (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

        (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the
Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities
Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                      II-3
6

                                   SIGNATURES

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration
statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Santa Barbara, State of California, on November 2,
1999.

                                    SUPERCONDUCTOR  TECHNOLOGIES  INC.

                                    By: /s/ M. Peter Thomas
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                            M. Peter Thomas, President and Chief
                                            Executive Officer

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

        KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints M. Peter Thomas, their true and lawful
attorney and agent, with full power of substitution, with power to act alone, to
sign and execute on behalf of the undersigned any amendment or amendments to
this Registration Statement on Form S-8 and to perform any acts necessary in
order to file such amendments, and each of the undersigned does hereby ratify
and confirm all that said attorney and agent, or his or her substitutes, shall
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

                                      II-4
7

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.
SIGNATURE                                TITLE                                DATE
       ---------                                -----                                ----
/s/ M. Peter Thomas                   President, Chief Executive               November 2, 1999
-------------------------------        Officer (Principal
(M. Peter Thomas)                      Executive Officer) and Director

 /s/ M. Peter Thomas                   Vice President, Chief Financial          November 2, 1999
-------------------------------        Officer  and Secretary (Principal
(M. Peter Thomas.)                     Financial and Accounting Officer)

 /s/ Glenn E. Penisten                 Director                                 November 2, 1999
-------------------------------
(Glenn E. Penisten)

 /s/ E. Ray Cotten                     Director                                 November 2, 1999
-------------------------------
(E. Ray Cotten)

 /s/ Robert P. Caren                   Director                                 November 2, 1999
-------------------------------
(Robert P. Caren)

 /s/ Dennis Horowitz                   Director                                 November 2, 1999
-------------------------------
(Dennis Horowitz)

 /s/ John D. Lockton                   Director                                 November 2, 1999
-------------------------------
(John D. Lockton)

 /s/ J. Robert Schrieffer              Director                                 November 2, 1999
-------------------------------
(J. Robert Schrieffer)
II-5
8
/s/ Joseph C. Manzinnger              Director                                 November 2, 1999
-------------------------------
(Joseph C. Manzinnger)

 /s/ Richard M. Johnston               Director                                 November 2, 1999
-------------------------------
(Richard M. Johnston)
II-6
9

                        SUPERCONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGIES INC.
                       REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-8

                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Exhibit
Number         Description
------         -----------
4.1           1999 Stock Plan.

 4.2           Form of 1999 Stock Option Agreement.

 5.1           Opinion of Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich &
               Rosati, P.C., as to legality of securities
               being registered.

23.1           Consent PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

23.2           Consent of Counsel (contained in Exhibit 5.1).

24.1           Power of Attorney (see Page II-4).
II-7