Condensed Matter Physics / Materials : oso

The Theory of Materials Failure

Richard M. Christensen — 2013-05-23

Author:: Richard M. Christensen
ISBN:: 9780199662111
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199662111.001.0001
Published in print:: 2013
Published Online:: 2013-05-23

This book provides a complete and comprehensive development of failure theory for homogeneous materials. The resultant failure criteria to be used for applications with isotropic materials are calibrated by only two properties: the uniaxial tensile and compressive strengths, T and C. From these data the entire family of failure envelopes can be generated for all states of stress. The account begins with a historical survey that includes the efforts of many of history’s greatest scientists. The complete inadequacy for general applications of all the historical forms are detailed. The center point of the book is the derivation of the failure theory for isotropic materials. The new and enabling technical insight is that of an organizing principle whereby the entire spectrum of isotropic materials types can be characterized by their strengths ratio, T/C, with stress being non-dimensionalized by C. Two coordinated but competitive failure criteria then emerge. One of several unique features of the book is a full and complete treatment of ductile versus brittle behavior for isotropic materials. Along with the experimental evaluation of the failure theory, many examples of failure behavior and applications are presented. The relationship to fracture mechanics is also included. The overall coverage is very broad, but with no compromise in quality or rigor. Reasonably extensive treatments are given for fiber composites failure as well as investigations into microscale and nanoscale aspects of failure. The book is completed with a probe into damage models and a fairly complete derivation of probabilistic failure and life prediction.

Quantum Cascade Lasers

Jérôme Faist — 2013-05-23

Author:: Jérôme Faist
ISBN:: 9780198528241
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198528241.001.0001
Published in print:: 2013
Published Online:: 2013-05-23

This book provides an introduction to quantum cascade lasers, including the basic underlying models used to describe the devices. It aims at giving a synthetic view of the topic including the aspects of the physics, the technology, and the use of the device. It should also provide a guide for the application engineer to use this device in systems. The book is based on lecture notes of a class given for Masters and beginning PhD students. The idea is to provide an introduction to the new and exciting developments that intersubband transitions have brought to the use of the mid-infrared and terahertz region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The book provides an introductory part to each topic so that it can be used in a self-contained way, while references to the literature will allow deeper studies for further research.

Electronic and Optical Properties of Conjugated Polymers

William Barford — 2013-05-23

Author:: William Barford
ISBN:: 9780199677467
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199677467.001.0001
Published in print:: 2013
Published Online:: 2013-05-23

Since the discovery of the light emitting properties of the phenyl-based organic semiconductors in 1990 there has been a huge growth of interest in conjugated polymers. The potential device applications are enormous, ranging from optical switching to solar cells and light emitting devices. They are also active components in many important biological processes.Progress in our understanding of the fundamental physics of conjugated polymers, which provides a crucial underpinning to the technological applications, has also been large. This progress has been driven by experimental, theoretical and computational developments.The aim of this book is to describe and explain the electronic and optical properties of conjugated polymers. It focuses on the three key roles of electron-electron interactions, electron-nuclear coupling, and disorder in determining the character of the electronic states. The strategy is to develop a theoretical understanding of the character of excited states by solving progressively more realistic and sophisticated model Hamiltonians. It then relates these properties to experimental observations in real systems, particularly to linear polyenes and the phenyl-based light emitting polymers.A number of important optical and electronic processes in conjugated polymers are also described, including non-linear optical properties, exciton transfer and migration, and dispersion interactions.There are numerous appendices containing more detailed technical explanations of the core material.

Dislocations, Mesoscale Simulations and Plastic Flow

Ladislas Kubin — 2013-05-23

Author:: Ladislas Kubin
ISBN:: 9780198525011
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198525011.001.0001
Published in print:: 2013
Published Online:: 2013-05-23

In the past twenty years, new experimental approaches, improved models and progress in simulation techniques have brought new insights into longstanding issues concerning dislocation-based plasticity in crystalline materials. During this period, three-dimensional dislocation dynamics (DD) simulations appeared and reached maturity. Their major objective is to contribute to the multiscale modelling of plastic flow by bridging the gap between atomic-scale studies of dislocation core properties and continuum models. Three-dimensional DD simulations are now becoming accessible to a wide range of users. This book presents to students and researchers in materials science and mechanical engineering a comprehensive coverage of the physical body of knowledge on which they are based and of current unsolved issues that deserve further investigation. The contents include classical studies, which are too often ignored, recent experimental and theoretical advances, and a discussion of selected applications on various topics. As the field is very broad, an extensive bibliography is provided. Chapter 1 presents an introduction to the topics discussed in the ensuing chapters. Chapters 2 and 3 are devoted to crystal plasticity, from elementary core and elastic dislocation properties to the mechanical response. The first of these discusses essentially FCC metals, and the second discusses BCC metals, some transition HCP metals and silicon. Chapter 4 presents basic elements that are common to all three-dimensional DD simulations, as well as characteristic features of each existing code, and Chapter 5 provides a synthesis of applications of DD simulations to large-scale crystals and to size effects in small-scale crystals.

Acids and Bases

Brian G. Cox — 2013-05-23

Author:: Brian G. Cox
ISBN:: 9780199670512
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199670512.001.0001
Published in print:: 2013
Published Online:: 2013-05-23

Acids and bases are ubiquitous in chemistry. Our understanding of them, however, is dominated by their behaviour in water. Transfer to non-aqueous solvents leads to profound changes in acid-base strengths and to the rates and equilibria of many processes: for example, synthetic reactions involving acids, bases, and nucleophiles; isolation of pharmaceutical actives through salt formation; formation of zwitter-ions in amino acids; and chromatographic separation of substrates. This book seeks to enhance our understanding of acids and bases by reviewing and analysing their behaviour in non-aqueous solvents. The behaviour is related where possible to that in water, but correlations and contrasts between solvents are also presented. Fundamental background material is provided in the initial chapters: quantitative aspects of acid–base equilibria, including definitions and relationships between solution pH and species distribution; the influence of molecular structure on acid strengths; and acidity in aqueous solution. Solvent properties are reviewed, along with the magnitude of the interaction energies of solvent molecules with (especially) ions; the ability of solvents to participate in hydrogen bonding and to accept or donate electron pairs is seen to be crucial. Experimental methods for determining dissociation constants are described in detail. In the remaining chapters, dissociation constants of a wide range of acids in three distinct classes of solvent are discussed: protic solvents, such as alcohols, which are strong hydrogen-bond donors; basic, polar aprotic solvents, such as dimethylformamide; and low-basicity and low-polarity solvents, such as acetonitrile and tetrahydrofuran. Dissociation constants of individual acids vary over more than twenty orders of magnitude among the solvents, and there is a strong differentiation between the response of neutral and charged acids to solvent change. Ion-pairing and hydrogen-bonding equilibria, such as between phenol and phenoxide ions, play an increasingly important role as the solvent polarity decreases, and their influence on acid–base equilibria and salt formation is described.

Non-equilibrium Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics

Phil Attard — 2013-01-24

Author:: Phil Attard
ISBN:: 9780199662760
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199662760.001.0001
Published in print:: 2012
Published Online:: 2013-01-24

This book builds from basic principles to advanced techniques, and covers the major phenomena, methods, and results of time-dependent systems. The book treats time-dependent systems by close analogy with their static counterparts, with most of the familiar equilibrium results being generalised to the non-equilibrium case. The book is notable for its unified treatment of thermodynamics, hydrodynamics, stochastic processes, and statistical mechanics; for its coherent derivations of a variety of theorems; and for its quantitative tests against experimental measurements and computer simulations. Systems that evolve over time are more common than static systems, and yet until recently, they lacked any over-arching theory. This book provides a unified presentation of the theory of non-equilibrium systems, which has now reached the stage of quantitative experimental and computational verification. The novel perspective and deep understanding that this book brings offers the opportunity for new direction and growth in the study of time-dependent phenomena.

Multifunctional Oxide Heterostructures

Evgeny Y. Tsymbal, Elbio R. A. Dagotto, Chang-Beom Eom, and Ramamoorthy Ramesh — 2013-01-24

Author:: Evgeny Y.TsymbalCharles Bessey Professor of Physics, University of Nebraska-LincolnElbio R. A.DagottoDistinguished Professor of Physics, University of TennesseeChang-BeomEomHarvey D. Spangler Distinguished Professor, University of Wisconsin-MadisonRamamoorthyRameshPlato Malozemoff Professor of Materials Science and Physics, University of California-Berkeley
ISBN:: 9780199584123
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199584123.001.0001
Published in print:: 2012
Published Online:: 2013-01-24

This book is devoted to the rapidly developing field of research on oxide thin-films and heterostructures. Recent advances in thin-film deposition and characterization techniques made possible the experimental realization of such heterostructures, where two or more complex oxides are combined with atomic-scale precision. Especially notable advances have been made over the past few years, driven by the discovery of fascinating new physical phenomena in oxide heterostructures. The fundamental science underlying these phenomena is rich and exciting and promises novel functionalities and device concepts. The book consists of a set of chapters on topics that represent some of the key innovations in the field over recent years. It starts from fundamentals that include two chapters discussing physics of strongly correlated electronic materials and magnetoelectric coupling in multiferroic materials. Part II of the book is devoted to the growth and characterization of oxide heterostructures and includes four chapters on these subjects comprising key experimental developments in advanced deposition and characterization techniques. Part III of the book addresses functional properties of oxide heterostructures, including two-dimensional electron gases at oxide interfaces, manganite multilayers, and thermoelectric phenomena. Part IV of the book is focused on existing and potential applications of oxide heterostructures, including high-k dielectric materials, ferroelectric field effect transistors (FeFET) and ferroelectric random access memories (FeRAM), and new concepts of oxide electronics. Overall, this book covers the core principles of oxide electronic materials, describes experimental approaches to fabricate and characterize oxide thin-films and heterostructures, demonstrates new functional properties of these materials, and provides an overview of novel applications, as well as the challenges and opportunities in the field.

Fractured Porous Media

Pierre M. Adler, Jean-François Thovert, and Valeri V. Mourzenko — 2013-01-24

Author:: Pierre M. Adler, Jean-François Thovert, Valeri V. Mourzenko
ISBN:: 9780199666515
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199666515.001.0001
Published in print:: 2012
Published Online:: 2013-01-24

This book aims to estimate the macroscopic properties of fractures, fracture networks and fractured porous media from easily measurable quantities. Attention is focused on geological media where rocks are necessarily fractured at various scales by the slow but constant motion of continental masses. This book is situated between three disciplines. First, geology and geophysics provide most of the data and most applications; a characteristic feature is that one never has a complete knowledge of the studied objects — such as an oil reservoir — in contrast with a laboratory experiment where every quantity can be measured. Second, engineering develops the main tools of analysis for one- and two-phase flows, and calculations of permeability (absolute and relative). Third, statistical physics plays a major role in concepts such as the excluded volume, dimensionless density, percolation threshold and power laws. In view of this interdisciplinary character, the general results presented in this book may have unexpected applications in many different domains. This book is based on courses which have been taught in several countries at Master and Ph.D. levels in universities, in research centers and at conferences. It should provide, in a compact form, all the necessary tools to achieve the general objective. The mathematical level in this book has been kept as low as possible. The interested reader can always go further, thanks to the references that are provided, where the mathematical level is not restricted. The colloquial aspect of a course has been preserved where one tries to explain abstract concepts in simple terms.

Fluid Mechanics and the SPH Method

Damien Violeau — 2012-09-20

Author:: Damien Violeau
ISBN:: 9780199655526
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199655526.001.0001
Published in print:: 2012
Published Online:: 2012-09-20

This book aims at presenting the SPH method for fluid modelling from a theoretical and applied viewpoint. It comprises two parts that refer to each other. The first, dealing with the fundamentals of Hydraulics, is based on the elementary principles of Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics. The specific laws governing a system of macroscopic particles are built, then the large systems involving dissipative processes are explained. The continua are then discussed; lastly, a fairly exhaustive account of turbulence is given. The second part discloses the bases of the SPH Lagrangian numerical method from the continuous equations, as well as from discrete variational principles, setting out the method's specific properties of conservativity and invariance. Various numerical schemes are compared, permanently referring to physics as dealt with in the first part. Applications to schematic instances are then discussed; ultimately, practical applications to the dimensioning of coastal and fluvial structures are considered. Despite the rapid growth in the SPH field, this book is the first to present this method in a comprehensive way for fluids. It should serve as a rigorous introduction to SPH and a reference for fundamental mathematical fluid dynamics.

Electronic Structure Methods for Complex Materials

Wai-Yim Ching and Paul Rulis — 2012-09-20

Author:: Wai-Yim Ching, Paul Rulis
ISBN:: 9780199575800
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199575800.001.0001
Published in print:: 2012
Published Online:: 2012-09-20

The aim of this book is to broadly introduce a robust method for electronic structure calculation that is particularly well suited for application to large complex systems. This method, called the orthogonalized linear combination of atomic orbitals (OLCAO) method, is an all-electron density functional theory (DFT) based method that uses local atomic orbitals in the basis expansion. The book endeavors to illustrate its utility by presenting a large number of examples of how it has been applied to many complex systems and different types of materials. These results are based on the authors’ work, culled from research conducted over the last thirty five years up to and including current projects. A brief historical account and description of the background of the method is included before the formal definition of the method and the modes of property calculation are provided. A series of extended discussions follows. The topics include semiconductors, insulators, crystalline metals and alloys, complex crystals, non-crystalline solids and liquids, microstructure containing systems and those containing impurities, defects, and surfaces, biomolecular systems, the technique of ab initio core level spectroscopy calculation, and areas of future development for the OLCAO program and its underlying approach. The last component of the book is a basic manual for practical understanding of the operation of the OLCAO method.

Layered Superconductors

Richard A. Klemm — 2012-05-24

Author:: Richard A. Klemm
ISBN:: 9780199593316
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199593316.001.0001
Published in print:: 2011
Published Online:: 2012-05-24

Layered Superconductors, Volume I, describes the chemistry and physics of all layered superconductors. Although widespread interest in the subject did not really arise until the discovery of high-temperature superconductivity in the cuprates, it has a much longer history, and is still evolving rapidly. This book describes the chemical syntheses, crystal structures, calculations and measurements of the Fermi surfaces, and measurements of the normal state physical properties and of the upper and lower critical fields of all classes of layered superconductors. At present, the large classes of layered superconductors are the graphite intercalation compounds, the transition metal dichalcogenides, the intercalated transition metal dichalcogenides, the organic layered superconductors,various artificial superconducting superlattices, the cuprates, binary and ternary intermetallics with the AlB2 structure, ternary and quaternary intermetallics of the ThCr2Si2 structure, the borocarbides, the iron pnictides, the iron oxypnictides, and the iron chalcogenides. Each of the stoichiometric compounds Sr2RuO4, MgB2, La3Ni2B2N3, and Ag5Pb2O6 are layered superconductors, as are intercalated β-ZrNCl and β-HfNCl. Many of these materials exhibit electronic instabilities such as charge-density waves, spin-density waves, magnetism, and “pseudogaps”, which may have closely related origins, and which compete with the superconductivity. Some of these materials are extremely anisotropic, while others are nearly isotropic in their normal and superconducting behaviours. To characterize the superconductivity, three phenomenological models are presented: the anisotropic London model, the anisotropic Ginzburg-Landau model, and the Lawrence-Doniach model. These models are used to calculate the upper and lower critical fields of layered superconductors. Experimental verification of these and selected microscopic models is provided.

Theory of Molecular Fluids

Christopher G. Gray, Keith E. Gubbins, and Christopher G. Joslin — 2012-01-19

Author:: Christopher G. Gray, Keith E. Gubbins, Christopher G. Joslin
ISBN:: 9780198556213
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198556213.001.0001
Published in print:: 2011
Published Online:: 2012-01-19

Existing texts on the theory of liquids treat only simple, spherical molecules. However, nearly all fluids of practical interest are composed of non-spherical molecules that are often dipolar or exhibit other kinds of electrostatic forces. This book describes the statistical mechanical theory of fluids of non-spherical molecules at equilibrium, and its application to the calculation of physical properties, and is a sequel to Theory of Molecular Fluids: Vol. 1: Fundamentals by C.G. Gray and K.E. Gubbins. The emphasis is on the new and diverse phenomena that arise due to the non-spherical nature of the molecules and of their intermolecular forces, such as new phase transitions, interfacial phenomena, structural features, and dielectric effects. In addition to application of perturbation theories and integral equation theories to physical property calculation, new theory is introduced as needed; for example, the theory of hard non-spherical particles, Kirkwood–Buff theory of mixtures,, the theory of associating liquids, density functional theory of inhomogeneous fluids, scattering theory of the structure factor, and the theory of dielectric phenomena and equilibrium spectral properties are treated. Throughout, tests of the theory against molecular simulation and experimental results are emphasized. The book contains chapters on the thermodynamic properties of pure and mixed fluids surface properties. X-ray and neutron diffraction structure factors dielectric properties, and spectroscopic properties. The book is aimed at senior undergraduates, graduate students, and research workers in chemistry, physics, life sciences, materials science, and engineering.

Principles of Electron Tunneling Spectroscopy

E. L. Wolf — 2012-01-19

Author:: E. L. Wolf
ISBN:: 9780199589494
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199589494.001.0001
Published in print:: 2011
Published Online:: 2012-01-19

This second edition of this book fully embraces the advances represented by the scanning tunnelling microscope and, especially, scanning tunnelling spectroscopy. The book includes images of single atoms and spectral images of impurity states in high temperature superconductors. The background and current status are provided for the applications of scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy, to single atoms and molecules, including the determination of bonding energies and vibrational frequencies. The adaptation of the McMillan–Rowell analysis, based on the Eliashberg theory of superconductivity, to include proximity electron tunnelling spectroscopy PETS, is described. The applications to high temperature superconductivity HTC of cuprate and iron-based materials are carefully introduced and the current status is described. A new section covers the astounding advances in instrumentation, which now routinely provide atomic resolution, and, in addition, developments in imaging and image processing, such as Fourier transform scanning tunneling spectroscopy.

Advanced Ferroelectricity

Robert Blinc — 2012-01-19

Author:: Robert Blinc
ISBN:: 9780199570942
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199570942.001.0001
Published in print:: 2011
Published Online:: 2012-01-19

The field of ferroelectricity has greatly expanded and changed recently. In addition to classical organic and inorganic ferroelectrics as well as composite ferroelectrics new fields and materials have appeared, important for both basic science and application and showing technological promise for novel multifunctional devices. Most of these fields were unknown or inactive 20 to 40 years ago. Such new fields are multiferroic magnetoelectric systems, where the spontaneous polarization and the spontaneous magnetization are allowed to coexist, incommensurate ferroelectrics, where the periodicity of the order parameter is incommensurate to the periodicity of the underlying basic crystal lattice, ferroelectric liquid crystals, dipolar glasses, relaxor ferroelectrics, ferroelectric thin films and nanoferroelectrics. These new fields are in addition to basic physical interest also of great technological importance and allow for new memory devices, spintronic applications and electro‐optic devices. They are also important for applications in acoustics, robotics, telecommunications and medicine. New developments in relaxors allow for giant electromechanical and electrocaloric effects. The book is primarily intended for material scientists working in research or industry. It is also intended for graduate and doctoral students and can be used as a textbook in graduate courses. Finally, it should be useful for everybody following the development of modern solid‐state physics.

Viscoelastic Behavior of Rubbery Materials

C. Michael Roland — 2011-09-22

Author:: C. Michael Roland
ISBN:: 9780199571574
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199571574.001.0001
Published in print:: 2011
Published Online:: 2011-09-22

This book describes the relaxation dynamics of rubbery materials, with the objective of providing a molecular basis for many physical properties. As the term comprises any amorphous, flexible macromolecule above its glass-transition temperature, rubber includes a broad class of substances, with a richness of behavior rivaled by few materials. The focus is mainly on the phenomenology, emphasizing anomalies and aspects that are incompletely understood and thus productive avenues for future research. Rubber is especially interesting because it has unique properties. It can exist in a state of equilibrium, unlike glassy or semicrystalline plastics, thermosetting resins, fibers, etc. These polymers have path-dependent morphologies and process-specific properties, which frustrate scientific inquiry, notwithstanding their practical utility. Among all materials only rubber exhibits high elasticity—the ability to recover from very large deformations. This property underlies most applications of elastomers and gave rise to its own field of study. Despite these singular characteristics, rubber is arguably the prototype for relaxation in soft matter. By copolymerizing different monomers, an enormous variety of chemical structures are available that, along with the ease of avoiding crystallization, makes make rubber ideal for the study of the glass transition, a major unsolved problem in condensed-matter physics. In the glassy state or when vitrification is imminent, polymers cannot easily be distinguished from molecular liquids, and the correspondence of many phenomena makes distinctions between molecular and polymeric liquids artificial. Accordingly, the scope of this book is not limited to polymer science, with the discussion often extending to small-molecule compounds, including simple liquids and liquid crystals.

Nanocomposites with Biodegradable Polymers

Vikas Mittal — 2011-09-22

Author:: VikasMittalPolymer Engineer, BASF Polymer Research, Ludwigshafen, Germany
ISBN:: 9780199581924
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199581924.001.0001
Published in print:: 2011
Published Online:: 2011-09-22

Polymer nanocomposites with practically all the commercial polymer matrices have been synthesized and nano-scale filler dispersion has been achieved with varying degrees of success. The commercial polymer nanocomposites studied to a great extent are unfortunately non-biodegradable like polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene etc. To a small extent, these nanocomposites are reformed or recycled into other products after one life cycle, however, the properties of such recycled materials are very poor. Therefore, subject of bio-based nanocomposites and biodegradable nanocomposites has become topic of interest in the recent years and a number of suitable bio-based and biodegradable polymer matrices have been developed and their property enhancement have been reported after the incorporation of the inorganic filler materials. These systems include poly(lactic acid), poly(butyl succinate), alginate, cellulosic plastics, gelatine, starch, soy protein based polymers, plant oil based polymers, poly(hydroxyalkanoates), bio based epoxies, etc. Various inorganic filler systems like clay, spherical particles as well as nanotubes have been incorporated in these matrices. The various properties which have been enhanced include mechanical performance, thermal properties, gas diffusion resistance, flammability, rheological performance, biodegradation etc. Though the commercial applications of these bio-nanocomposites are in infancy, but these materials have a huge commercial potential. The book provides the description of the subject as a whole, from the basic introduction to the more specific systems and advancements. The use of such nanocomposites for packaging as well as for sensors has been depicted.

Semiconductor Nanostructures

Thomas Ihn — 2010-02-01

Author:: Thomas Ihn
ISBN:: 9780199534425
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199534425.001.0001
Published in print:: 2009
Published Online:: 2010-02-01

This book presents the physics of semiconductor nanostructures with emphasis on their electronic transport properties. At its heart are five fundamental transport phenomena: quantized conductance, tunneling transport, the Aharonov–Bohm effect, the quantum Hall effect, and the Coulomb blockade effect. The book starts out with basics of solid state and semiconductor physics, such as crystal structure, band structure, and effective mass approximation, including spin-orbit interaction effects important for research in semiconductor spintronics. It deals with material aspects such as band engineering, doping, gating, and a selection of nanostructure fabrication techniques. The book discusses the Drude–Boltzmann–Sommerfeld transport theory as well as conductance quantization and the Landauer–Büttiker theory. These concepts are extended to mesoscopic interference phenomena and decoherence, magnetotransport, and interaction effects in quantum-confined systems, guiding the reader from fundamental effects to specialized state-of-the-art experiments.

Acoustic Microscopy

Andrew Briggs and Oleg Kolosov — 2010-02-01

Author:: Andrew Briggs, Oleg Kolosov
ISBN:: 9780199232734
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199232734.001.0001
Published in print:: 2009
Published Online:: 2010-02-01

Acoustic microscopy enables you to image and measure the elastic properties of materials with the resolution of a good microscope. By using frequencies in the microwave range, it is possible to make the acoustic wavelength comparable with the wavelength of light, and hence to achieve a resolution comparable with an optical microscope. The contrast gives information about the elastic properties and structure of the sample. Since acoustic waves can propagate in materials, acoustic microscopy can be used for interior imaging, with high sensitivity to defects such as delaminations. Solids can support both longitudinal and transverse acoustic waves. At surfaces a combination of the two known as Rayleigh waves can propagate, and in many circumstances these dominate the contrast in acoustic microscopy. Contrast theory accounts for the variation of signal with defocus, V(z). Acoustic microscopy can image and measure properties such as anisotropy and features such as surface boundaries and cracks. A scanning probe microscope can be used to detect ultrasonic vibration of a surface with resolution in the nanometre range, thus beating the diffraction limit by operating in the extreme near‐field. This 2nd edition of Acoustic Microscopy has a major new chapter on the technique and applications of acoustically exited probe microscopy.

The Universe in a Helium Droplet

Grigory E. Volovik — 2010-01-01

Author:: Grigory E. Volovik
ISBN:: 9780199564842
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials, Particle Physics / Astrophysics / Cosmology
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199564842.001.0001
Published in print:: 2009
Published Online:: 2010-01-01

There are fundamental relations between three vast areas of physics: particle physics, cosmology, and condensed matter physics. The fundamental links between the first two areas — in other words, between micro- and macro-worlds — have been well established. There is a unified system of laws governing the scales from subatomic particles to the cosmos and this principle is widely exploited in the description of the physics of the early universe. This book aims to establish and define the connection of these two fields with condensed matter physics. According to the modern view, elementary particles (electrons, neutrinos, quarks, etc.) are excitations of a more fundamental medium called the quantum vacuum. This is the new ‘aether’ of the 21st century. Electromagnetism, gravity, and the fields transferring weak and strong interactions all represent different types of the collective motion of the quantum vacuum. Among the existing condensed matter systems, a quantum liquid called superfluid 3He-A most closely represents the quantum vacuum. Its quasiparticles are very similar to the elementary particles, while the collective modes are analogues of photons and gravitons. The fundamental laws of physics, such as the laws of relativity (Lorentz invariance) and gauge invariance, arise when the temperature of the quantum liquid decreases.

Theories of Molecular Reaction Dynamics

Niels E. Henriksen and Flemming Y. Hansen — 2010-01-01

Author:: Niels E. Henriksen, Flemming Y. Hansen
ISBN:: 9780199203864
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199203864.001.0001
Published in print:: 2008
Published Online:: 2010-01-01

This book deals with a central topic at the interface of chemistry and physics — the understanding of how the transformation of matter takes place at the atomic level. Building on the laws of physics, the book focuses on the theoretical framework for predicting the outcome of chemical reactions. The style is highly systematic with attention to basic concepts and clarity of presentation. Molecular reaction dynamics is about the detailed atomic-level description of chemical reactions. Based on quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics or, as an approximation, classical mechanics, the dynamics of uni- and bi-molecular elementary reactions are described. The first part of the book is on gas-phase dynamics and it features a detailed presentation of reaction cross-sections and their relation to a quasi-classical as well as a quantum mechanical description of the reaction dynamics on a potential energy surface. Direct approaches to the calculation of the rate constant that bypasses the detailed state-to-state reaction cross-sections are presented, including transition-state theory, which plays an important role in practice. The second part gives a comprehensive discussion of basic theories of reaction dynamics in condensed phases, including Kramers and Grote–Hynes theory for dynamical solvent effects. Examples and end-of-chapter problems are included in order to illustrate the theory and its connection to chemical problems. The book has nine appendices with useful details, e.g. on statistical mechanics including the Boltzmann distribution, quantum mechanics, stochastic dynamics and various coordinate transformations including normal-mode and Jacobi coordinates.

Structure Determination from Powder Diffraction Data

W.I.F. David, K. Shankland, L.B. McCusker, and C. Bärlocher — 2010-01-01

Author:: W.I.F.DavidISIS Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, DidcotK.ShanklandISIS Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, DidcotL.B.McCuskerLaboratory of Crystallography, ETH Zurich, SwitzerlandC.BärlocherLaboratory of Crystallography, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
ISBN:: 9780199205530
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199205530.001.0001
Published in print:: 2006
Published Online:: 2010-01-01

The art of solving a structure from powder diffraction data has developed rapidly over the last ten years to the point where numerous crystal structures, both organic and inorganic, have been solved directly from powder data. However, it is still an art and, in contrast to its single crystal equivalent, is far from routine. The art lies not only in the correct application of a specific experimental technique or computer program, but also in the selection of the optimal path for the problem at hand.

Simple Models of Magnetism

Ralph Skomski — 2010-01-01

Author:: Ralph Skomski
ISBN:: 9780198570752
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198570752.001.0001
Published in print:: 2008
Published Online:: 2010-01-01

For hundreds of years, models of magnetism have been pivotal in the understanding and advancement of science and technology, from the Earth's interpretation as a magnetic dipole to quantum mechanics, statistical physics, and modern nanotechnology. This book is the first to envision the field of magnetism in its entirety. It complements a rich literature on specific models of magnetism and provides an introduction to simple models, including some simple limits of complicated models. The book is written in an easily accessible style, with a limited amount of mathematics, and covers a wide range of models on quantum mechanics, finite temperature, micromagnetics, and dynamics. It deals not only with basic magnetic quantities, such as moment, Curie temperature, anisotropy, and coercivity, but also with modern areas such as nanomagnetism and spintronics, and with ‘exotic’ themes, as exemplified by the polymer analogy of magnetic phase transitions. Throughout the book, a sharp line is drawn between simple and simplistic models, and much space is devoted to discussing the merits and failures of the individual model approaches.

Relaxation Processes in Micromagnetics

Harry Suhl — 2010-01-01

Author:: Harry Suhl
ISBN:: 9780198528029
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198528029.001.0001
Published in print:: 2007
Published Online:: 2010-01-01

Electrons in solids behave like microscopic bar magnets, and in certain solids these align to produce macroscopic magnetizations. This book deals with the dynamics of this magnetization field. It addresses questions of microscopic mechanism only to the extent that residual interactions of the magnetic moments with other degrees of freedom of the host solid affect the dynamics, particularly the dissipative aspects. Several of these damping mechanisms are evaluated here for their effect on the equations of the magnetization dynamics. These dynamics are intrinsically nonlinear. This is important in the applications, particularly magnetic recording, which involves very large motion of the magnetization, well beyond the validity of linearized (small motion) approximations or limited extensions thereof. Therefore nonlinear solution methods are emphasized, but with only minimal use of numerical simulation.

Quasielastic Neutron Scattering and Solid State Diffusion

Rolf Hempelmann — 2010-01-01

Author:: Rolf Hempelmann
ISBN:: 9780198517436
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198517436.001.0001
Published in print:: 2000
Published Online:: 2010-01-01

The book provides an account of quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) which has made many important contributions to the atomistic elucidation of diffusion processes in solids. The unique feature of QENS is that it probes the diffusion process on atomistic scales of space and time simultaneously. The aim of this book is to inform of the potential of QENS. Chapters 3-6 present the derivation of all equations in great details. Chapter 2 deals with neutron sources, and Chapter 7 with some experimental details of QENS. The second part addresses the expert and summarizes the scientific applications of quasielastic neutron scattering to special solid state material systems, as for example to diffusion in metals or to diffusion in solid state ionic conductors. By far the most favourable element for QENS is hydrogen: hydrogen is very mobile in metals and ceramics, so the restricted energy/time resolution of QENS is no limitation; hydrogen has a huge scattering cross section, so the limited intensity of existing neutron sources is no limitation; hydrogen leads to almost purely incoherent scattering which facilitates the theoretical treatment and interpretation of neutron scattering events appreciably.

Quantum Hall systems

Lucjan Jacak, Piotr Sitko, Konrad Wieczorek, and Arkadiusz Wójs — 2010-01-01

Author:: Lucjan Jacak, Piotr Sitko, Konrad Wieczorek, Arkadiusz Wójs
ISBN:: 9780198528708
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials, Theoretical, Computational, and Statistical Physics
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198528708.001.0001
Published in print:: 2003
Published Online:: 2010-01-01

The book presents the wide range of topics in two-dimensional physics of quantum Hall systems, especially fractional quantum Hall states. It starts with the fundamental problems of quantum statistics in two dimensions and the corresponding braid group formalism. The braid group formalism of anyons (previously known) is developed for composite fermions. The effective formalism used in many-body quantum Hall theories — the Chern–Simons theory is also presented. The Chern–Simons theory of anyons (particles obeying fractional statistics) and composite fermions (related to Hall systems) is given, in detail. Numerical studies, which play the important role in quantum Hall analyses, are presented for spherical systems (Haldane sphere). The composite fermion theory is tested in numerical studies. The concept of the hierarchy of condensed states of composite fermion excitations is introduced (in analogy to the Haldane hierarchy). The hierarchies of odd-denominator states and even-denominator states are presented. The BCS paired Hall state is also discussed. An introduction to multi-component quantum Hall systems and spin quantum Hall systems is sketched.

Principles and Applications of Ferroelectrics and Related Materials

M. E. Lines and A. M. Glass — 2010-01-01

Author:: M. E. Lines, A. M. Glass
ISBN:: 9780198507789
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198507789.001.0001
Published in print:: 2001
Published Online:: 2010-01-01

The book develops the modern theory of ferroelectricity in terms of soft modes and lattice dynamics and also describes modern techniques of measurement, including X-ray, optic, and neutron scattering, infrared absorption, and magnetic resonance. It includes a discussion of the related phenomena of antiferroelectricity, pyroelectricity, and ferroelasticity and seconds on domains, thin films, ceramics, and polymers, leading to a comprehensive survey of potential and actual device capabilities for pyroelectric detection, memories, display, and modulation. It provides an authoritative account for those engaged in research or graduate study of ferroelectric or pyroelectric devices.

NMR Imaging of Materials

Bernhard Blumich — 2010-01-01

Author:: Bernhard Blumich
ISBN:: 9780198526766
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198526766.001.0001
Published in print:: 2003
Published Online:: 2010-01-01

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging of materials is a field of increasing importance. Applications range from fundamental science such as the characterisation of fluid transport in porous rocks, catalyst pellets, and hemodialysers to various fields of engineering for process optimisation and product and quality control, for example, of polymer materials, biomaterials, elastomers, and ceramics. While the results of NMR imaging are being appreciated in a growing community, the methods of imaging are far more diverse for materials applications than for medical imaging of humans. This book provides an introduction to NMR imaging of materials covering solid-state NMR spectroscopy, imaging methods for liquid and solid samples, and unusual NMR in terms of special approaches to spatial resolution like an NMR surface scanner. Special attention is paid to the large variety of ways to generate image contrast — the most prominent feature of NMR.

Kinetic Theory of Granular Gases

Nikolai V. Brilliantov and Thorsten Pöschel — 2010-01-01

Author:: Nikolai V. Brilliantov, Thorsten Pöschel
ISBN:: 9780198530381
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198530381.001.0001
Published in print:: 2004
Published Online:: 2010-01-01

Kinetic Theory of Granular Gases provides an introduction to the rapidly developing theory of dissipative gas dynamics — a theory which has mainly evolved over the last decade. The book is aimed at readers from the advanced undergraduate level upwards and leads on to the present state of research. Throughout, special emphasis is put on a microscopically consistent description of pairwise particle collisions which leads to an impact-velocity-dependent coefficient of restitution. The description of the many-particle system, based on the Boltzmann equation, starts with the derivation of the velocity distribution function, followed by the investigation of self-diffusion and Brownian motion. Using hydrodynamical methods, transport processes and self-organized structure formation are studied. An appendix gives a brief introduction to event-driven molecular dynamics. A second appendix describes a novel mathematical technique for derivation of kinetic properties, which allows for the application of computer algebra. The text is self-contained, requiring no mathematical or physical knowledge beyond that of standard physics undergraduate level. The material is adequate for a one-semester course and contains chapter summaries as well as exercises with detailed solutions. The molecular dynamics and computer-algebra programs can be downloaded from a companion web page.

Helium Three

Roland Dobbs — 2010-01-01

Author:: Roland Dobbs
ISBN:: 9780198506409
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198506409.001.0001
Published in print:: 2001
Published Online:: 2010-01-01

The condensed phases of helium three provide an exciting laboratory for many fundamental questions in condensed matter physics. Due to its light mass and weak interatomic potential, the condensed phases of helium display quantum effects more dramatically than any other atomic system. Intuition based on classical experience is often misleading in these phases: the solid phase for instance is less ordered at low temperature than the liquid phase. The book covers all the low temperature properties of helium three as liquid, superfluid, and solid. It provides an introduction to the extensive literature on helium three from the point of view of an experimentalist, and includes the analogy of its properties with the cosmological ‘big bang’.

Experimental Techniques for Low-Temperature Measurements

Jack Ekin — 2010-01-01

Author:: Jack Ekin
ISBN:: 9780198570547
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198570547.001.0001
Published in print:: 2006
Published Online:: 2010-01-01

This book presents an integrated, step-by-step approach to the design and construction of low-temperature measurement apparatus. It is effectively two books in one: a textbook on cryostat design techniques and an appendix data handbook that provides materials-property data for carrying out that design. The main text encompasses a wide range of information. After summarizing cooling methods, Part I provides core information in an accessible style on techniques for cryostat design and fabrication — including heat-transfer design, selection of materials, construction, wiring, and thermometry, accompanied by many graphs, data, and clear examples. Part II gives a practical user's perspective of sample mounting techniques and contact technology. Part III applies the information from Parts I and II to the measurement and analysis of superconductor critical currents, including in-depth measurement techniques and the latest developments in data analysis and scaling theory. The appendix is a ready reference handbook for cryostat design, encompassing seventy tables compiled from the contributions of experts and over fifty years of literature.

Brownian Motion

Robert M. Mazo — 2010-01-01

Author:: Robert M. Mazo
ISBN:: 9780199556441
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199556441.001.0001
Published in print:: 2008
Published Online:: 2010-01-01

Brownian motion is the incessant motion of small particles immersed in an ambient medium. It is due to fluctuations in the motion of the medium particles on the molecular scale. The name has been carried over to other fluctuation phenomena. This book treats the physical theory of Brownian motion. The extensive mathematical theory, which treats the subject as a subfield of the general theory of random processes, is touched on but not presented in any detail. Random or stochastic process theory and statistical mechanics are the primary tools. The first eight chapters treat the stochastic theory and some applications. The next six present the statistical mechanical point of view. Then follows chapters on applications to diffusion, noise, and polymers, followed by a treatment of the motion of interacting Brownian particles. The book ends with a final chapter treating simulation, fractals, and chaos.

Advances in the Casimir Effect

2009-09-01

Author:: Michael Bordag, Galina Leonidovna Klimchitskaya, Umar Mohideen, Vladimir Mikhaylovich Mostepanenko
ISBN:: 9780199238743
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials, Atomic, Laser, and Optical Physics
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199238743.001.0001
Published in print:: 2009
Published Online:: 2009-09-01

The subject of this book is the Casimir effect, i.e., a manifestation of zero-point oscillations of the quantum vacuum in the form of forces acting between closely spaced bodies. It is a purely quantum effect. There is no force acting between neutral bodies in classical electrodynamics. The Casimir effect has become an interdisciplinary subject. It plays an important role in various fields of physics such as condensed matter physics, quantum field theory, atomic and molecular physics, gravitation and cosmology, and mathematical physics. Most recently, the Casimir effect has been applied to nanotechnology and for obtaining constraints on the predictions of unification theories beyond the Standard Model. The book assembles together the field-theoretical foundations of this phenomenon, the application of the general theory to real materials, and a comprehensive description of all recently performed measurements of the Casimir force, including the comparison between experiment and theory. There is increasing interest in forces of vacuum origin. Numerous new results have been obtained during the last few years which are not reflected in the literature, but are very promising for fundamental science and nanotechnology. The book provides a source of information which presents a critical assessment of all of the main results and approaches contained in published journal papers. It also proposes new ideas which are not yet universally accepted but are finding increasing support from experiment.

Complex Dynamics of Glass-Forming Liquids

Wolfgang Götze — 2009-05-01

Author:: Wolfgang Götze
ISBN:: 9780199235346
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199235346.001.0001
Published in print:: 2008
Published Online:: 2009-05-01

The book presents a self-contained exposition of the mode-coupling theory for the evolution of glassy dynamics in liquids. This theory is based on polynomial expressions for the correlations of force fluctuations in terms of those of density fluctua-tions. These mode-coupling polynomials are motivated as descriptions of the cage-effect-induced transient localization of particles in condensed matter. It is proven that the implied regular mode-coupling equations of motion determine uniquely models for a correlation-function description of the dynamics. This holds for all choices of the polynomial coefficients, which serve as coupling constants. The arrested parts of the correlations are solutions of fixed-point equations. They exhibit spontaneous singularities, which are equivalent to the bifurcation singularities of the real roots of real polynomials. They deal with idealized liquid-glass and glass-glass transitions. Driving the coupling constants towards their critical values, the correlation functions exhibit the evolution of complex dynamics. Its subtleties are due to the interplay of nonlinearities and divergent retardation effects. The book discusses that the relaxation features are similar to those observed in experimental and molecular-dynamics-simulation studies of con-ventional liquids and colloids. Asymptotic expansions are derived for the mode-coupling-theory functions for small frequencies and small separations of the coupling constants from the transition values. The leading-order asymptotic contributions provide an understanding of the essential facets of the scenarios. The leading-asymptotic corrections are deduced and applied to quantify the evolution of the leading-order description.

Granular Patterns

Igor Aranson and Lev Tsimring — 2009-01-01

Author:: Igor Aranson, Lev Tsimring
ISBN:: 9780199534418
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199534418.001.0001
Published in print:: 2008
Published Online:: 2009-01-01

This book is a systematic introduction to the new and rapidly evolving field of patterns in granular materials. Granular matter is usually defined as a collection of discrete macroscopic solid particles (grains) with a typical size large enough that thermal fluctuations are negligible. Despite this seeming simplicity, properties of granular materials set them apart from conventional solids, liquids, and gases due to the dissipative and highly nonlinear nature of forces among grains. The last decade has seen an explosion of interest to nonequilibrium phenomena in granular matter among physicists, both on experimental and theoretical sides. Among these phenomena, one of the most intriguing is the ability of granular matter upon mechanical excitation to form highly ordered patterns of collective motion, such as ripples, avalanches, waves, or bands of segregated materials. This book combines a review of experiments with exposition of theoretical concepts and models introduced to understand the mechanisms of pattern formation in granular materials. The unique feature of this book is a strong effort to extend concepts and ideas developed in granular physics beyond the traditionally defined boundaries of the granular physics towards emergent fields, especially in biology, such as cytoskeleton dynamics, molecular motors transport, ordering of cells and other active (self-propelled) particles, dynamic self-assembly, etc.

Applications of Neutron Powder Diffraction

Erich H. Kisi and Christopher J. Howard — 2009-01-01

Author:: Erich H. Kisi, Christopher J. Howard
ISBN:: 9780198515944
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198515944.001.0001
Published in print:: 2008
Published Online:: 2009-01-01

This book covers the theory, practicalities, and the extensive applications of neutron powder diffraction in materials science, physics, chemistry, mineralogy, and engineering. Various highlight applications of neutron powder diffraction are outlined in the introduction, then the theory is developed and instrumentation described sufficient for a return to the applications. The book covers the use of neutron powder diffraction in the solution (hard) and refinement (more straightforward) of crystal and magnetic structures, applications of powder diffraction in quantitative phase analysis, extraction of microstructural information from powder diffraction patterns, and the applications of neutron diffraction in studies of elastic properties and for the measurement of residual stress. Additional theory to underpin these various applications is developed as required.

Ionic Transport Processes

Kyösti Kontturi, Lasse Murtomäki, and José A. Manzanares — 2008-09-01

Author:: Kyösti Kontturi, Lasse Murtomäki, José A. Manzanares
ISBN:: 9780199533817
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199533817.001.0001
Published in print:: 2008
Published Online:: 2008-09-01

Modelling of heterogeneous processes, such as electrochemical reactions, extraction, or ion-exchange, usually requires solving the transport problem associated with the process. Since the processes at the phase boundary are described by scalar quantities and transport quantities are vectors or tensors, the coupling of them can take place only via conservation of mass, charge, or momentum. In this book transport of ionic species is addressed in a versatile manner, emphasizing the mutual coupling of fluxes in particular. Treatment is based on the formalism of irreversible thermodynamics, i.e., on linear (ionic) phenomenological equations, from which the most frequently used Nernst-Planck equation is derived. Limitations and assumptions made are discussed in detail. The Nernst-Planck equation is applied to selected problems at the electrodes and in membranes. Mathematical derivations are presented so that the reader can learn the methodology of solving transport problems. Each chapter contains a large number of exercises.

Problems of Condensed Matter Physics

Alexei L. Ivanov and Sergei G. Tikhodeev — 2008-05-01

Author:: Alexei L.IvanovSchool of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff UniversitySergei G.TikhodeevA M Prokhorov General Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow
ISBN:: 9780199238873
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199238873.001.0001
Published in print:: 2007
Published Online:: 2008-05-01

The book, which is dedicated to Prof. Leonid V. Keldysh on his 75th anniversary, is a collection of review papers written by experts in condensed matter physics such as V. M. Agranovich, B. L. Altshuler, E. Burstein, V. L. Ginzburg, K. Von Klitzing, P. B. Littlewood, M. Pepper, A. Pinczuk, L. P. Pitaevskii, E. I. Rashba, T. M. Rice, etc. This is a guide-book of modern condensed matter physics, where the most important and hot topics of the field are reviewed. Topics covered include spintronics and quantum computation, Bose-Einstein condensation of excitons and the excitonic insulator, electron-hole liquid, metal-dielectric transition, coherent optical phenomena in semiconductor nanostructures, composite fermions and the quantum Hall effect, semiconductor and organic quantum wells, microcavities and other nanostructures, disordered systems in condensed matter, many-body theory and the Keldysh diagram technique, resonant acousto-optics, and inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy.

Molecules and Models

Arne Haaland — 2008-05-01

Author:: Arne Haaland
ISBN:: 9780199235353
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199235353.001.0001
Published in print:: 2008
Published Online:: 2008-05-01

The book opens with three chapters describing the properties of atoms. The first chapter deals with the application of quantum mechanics to hydrogen and other one-electron atoms; the second with the use of the atomic orbital model to describe He and other two-electron atoms; the third gives an overview of the electron configurations, ground state energies, ionization energies, electronegativity coefficients, and atomic sizes of poly-electron atoms. The following six chapters deal with the properties of diatomic molecules, in particular their bond distances, dissociation energies, electric dipole moments, and estimated net atomic charges. The molecular structures of compounds of the elements in Groups 2 and 12, and in Groups 13 through 18 are described in separate chapters, with particular emphasis on hydrogen, methyl, and halogen derivatives. The main emphasis is on equilibrium structures, but bond energies are included in the discussion whenever available, and large amplitude motion like the inversion of amines, pseudorotation in five-coordinate species, or intermolecular rearrangements through rapid dissociation and recombination are discussed. The structures of electron deficient molecules and of electron donor-acceptor complexes are described in separate chapters. The final chapter discusses the structures and bonding in oxides and oxoacids of carbon, sulfur, nitrogen phosphorus, and chlorine. Throughout the book, models concepts like the spherical ion model, the electron pair bond, Lewis structures, atomic bonding radii, the valence shell electron pair repulsion (VSEPR) model, or the molecular orbital model are introduced as the need arises. Attention is paid to both the successes and failures of each model.

Instabilities and Self-Organization in Materials

Nasr Ghoniem and Daniel Walgraef — 2008-05-01

Author:: Nasr Ghoniem, Daniel Walgraef
ISBN:: 9780199298686
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199298686.001.0001
Published in print:: 2008
Published Online:: 2008-05-01

In materials, critical phenomena such as phase transitions, plastic deformation and fracture are intimately related to self-organization. Understanding the origin of spatio-temporal order in systems far from thermal equilibrium and the selection mechanisms of spatial structures and their symmetries is a major theme of present day research on the structure of continuous matter. Furthermore, the development of methods for producing spatially-ordered and self-assembled microstructure in solids by non-equilibrium methods opens the door to many technological applications. In order to describe and understand the behaviour of such materials, dynamical concepts related to non-equilibrium phenomena, irreversible thermodynamics, nonlinear dynamics, and bifurcation theory, are required. The generic presence of defects and their crucial influence on pattern formation and critical phenomena in extended systems is now well-established. Similar to observations in hydrodynamical, liquid crystal, and laser systems, defects in materials have a profound effect. This book is divided into two volumes. The first volume is devoted to the most basic concepts of the physics, mechanics, and mathematical theory utilized in the analysis of non-equilibrium materials. The book presents a background on material deformation, defect theory, transport processes, and the statistical mechanics and thermodynamics of phase transitions. Mathematical concepts of non-linear dynamics, such as bifurcation and instability theory, the dynamics of complex systems near pattern forming instabilities, the generic aspects of pattern formation, selection and stability are presented. Stochastic and numerical methods used in this field are also introduced. The methods and techniques developed in the first volume are applied in the second volume to specific problems in various advanced technologies.

Advanced Tomographic Methods in Materials Research and Engineering

John Banhart — 2008-05-01

Author:: JohnBanhartDepartment of Materials Science, Hahn-Meitner-Institute, Berlin
ISBN:: 9780199213245
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199213245.001.0001
Published in print:: 2008
Published Online:: 2008-05-01

Tomography provides three-dimensional images of heterogeneous materials or engineering components, and offers an unprecedented insight into their internal structure. By using X-rays generated by synchrotrons, neutrons from nuclear reactors, or electrons provided by transmission electron microscopes, hitherto invisible structures can be revealed which are not accessible to conventional tomography based on X-ray tubes. This book provides detailed descriptions of the recent developments in this field, especially the extension of tomography to materials research and engineering. The book is grouped into four parts: a general introduction into the principles of tomography, image analysis and the interactions between radiation and matter, and one part each for synchrotron X-ray tomography, neutron tomography, and electron tomography. Within these parts, individual chapters written by different authors describe important versions of tomography, and also provide examples of applications to demonstrate the capacity of the methods.

Tribology on the Small Scale

C. Mathew Mate — 2008-01-01

Author:: C. Mathew Mate
ISBN:: 9780198526780
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198526780.001.0001
Published in print:: 2007
Published Online:: 2008-01-01

Friction, lubrication, adhesion, and wear are prevalent physical phenomena in everyday life and in many key technologies. This book incorporates a bottom-up approach to friction, lubrication, and wear. This is done by focusing on how these tribological phenomena occur on the small scale — the atomic to the micrometer scale — a field often called nanotribology. The book covers the microscopic origins of the common tribological concepts of roughness, elasticity, plasticity, friction coefficients, and wear coefficients. Some macroscale concepts (like elasticity) scale down well to the micro- and atomic-scale, while other macroscale concepts (like hydrodynamic lubrication) do not. In addition, this book also has chapters on topics not typically found in tribology texts: surface energy, surface forces, lubrication in confined spaces, and the atomistic origins of friction. These chapters cover tribological concepts that have become increasingly important at the small scale: capillary condensation, disjoining pressure, contact electrification, molecular slippage at interfaces, and atomic scale stick-slip. Numerous examples are provided throughout the book on how a nanoscale understanding of tribological phenomena is essential to the proper engineering of important new technologies such as MEMS, disk drives, and nanoimprinting.

Smart Structures

Vinod K. Wadhawan — 2008-01-01

Author:: Vinod K. Wadhawan
ISBN:: 9780199229178
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199229178.001.0001
Published in print:: 2007
Published Online:: 2008-01-01

A structure is an assembly that serves an engineering function. A smart structure is one that serves this function smartly, i.e., by responding adaptively in a pre-designed useful and efficient manner to changing environmental conditions. Smartness is normally associated with living beings, because they have the tendency to adapt themselves to changing situations. Artificial smart structures are designed to mimic biological structures to a small or large extent. This book gives a modern and comprehensive account of how this can be done. Adaptive behaviour of one or more materials constituting a smart structure requires nonlinear response. This book describes the three main types of nonlinear-response materials: ferroic materials, soft materials, and nanostructured materials. Information processing by biological and artificial smart structures is also discussed. A smart structure typically has sensors, actuators, and a control and communication system. Progress in all these aspects of smart structures has leant heavily on mimicking Nature, and the all-important notion in this context has been that of evolution. Artificial Darwinian and Lamarckian evolution holds the key to the development of truly smart structures. Modestly intelligent robots are already on the horizon. Projections about the low-cost availability of adequate computing power and memory size indicate that the future really belongs to smart structures. This book covers in a compact format the entire gamut of concepts relevant to smart structures. It should be of interest to a wide range of students and professionals in science and engineering.

Quantum Liquids

Anthony James Leggett — 2008-01-01

Author:: Anthony James Leggett
ISBN:: 9780198526438
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198526438.001.0001
Published in print:: 2006
Published Online:: 2008-01-01

Starting from first principles, this book introduces the closely related phenomena of Bose condensation and Cooper pairing, in which a very large number of single particles or pairs of particles are forced to behave in exactly the same way. Their consequences in condensed matter systems are also explored. Eschewing advanced formal methods, the book uses simple concepts and arguments to account for the various qualitatively new phenomena which occur in Bose-condensed and Cooper-paired systems, including but not limited to the spectacular macroscopic phenomena of superconductivity and superfluidity. The physical systems discussed include liquid 4-He, the BEC alkali gases, “classical” superconductors, superfluid 3-He, “exotic” superconductors, and the recently stabilized Fermi alkali gases.

Ions and electrons in liquid helium

Armando Francesco Borghesani — 2008-01-01

Author:: Armando Francesco Borghesani
ISBN:: 9780199213603
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199213603.001.0001
Published in print:: 2007
Published Online:: 2008-01-01

In liquid helium, an electron is surrounded by a cavity called an electron bubble of 20 Ångstroms in diameter. A positive helium ion is solvated by an electrostriction induced solid helium-ice shell called a snowball of 7 Ångstroms in diameter. By studying their transport properties, these objects are well suited for the testing of the microscopic properties of superfluidity. At low temperatures and with small electric fields, the drift velocity of the charges depends on their interaction with the elementary excitations of the superfluid: phonons, rotons, and 3He atomic impurities. At higher fields, ions produce quantized vortex rings and vortex lines and studying these sheds light on quantum hydrodynamics. In the fermionic liquid, the 3He isotope ion transport properties display important pieces of information on the coupling of a charge to a Fermi liquid and on the richer topological structure of the superfluid phases appearing at ultralow temperatures. In the normal liquid phases of both isotopes, ions and electrons are used to probe classical hydrodynamics at the λ-transition and at the liquid-vapor transition at which long-range critical fluctuations of the appropriate order parameter occur. Several experiments have investigated the structure of electron bubbles. Electron drift velocity measurements in dense helium gas have elucidated the dynamics of electron bubble formation. This book provides a review of the more than forty-year-long experimental and theoretical research on the transport properties of electrons and ions in liquid and gaseous helium.

Essential Quantum Mechanics

Gary Bowman — 2008-01-01

Author:: Gary Bowman
ISBN:: 9780199228928
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199228928.001.0001
Published in print:: 2007
Published Online:: 2008-01-01

Quantum mechanics — central not only to physics, but also to chemistry, materials science, and other fields — is notoriously abstract and difficult. This book is a concise, explanatory book that focuses on the fundamental structure, concepts, and methods of quantum mechanics, filling the gap between introductory and advanced studies, between popularizations and technical treatises. Although physical understanding is emphasized, the mathematical sophistication necessary to achieve that understanding is also developed. A modern perspective is adopted throughout, the goal being to gain entry into quantum mechanics as used by practicing scientists. This perspective includes a focus on quantum states generally, not just wavefunctions, and a strong emphasis on Dirac notation. Many standard topics are developed, such as the Schrödinger equation, quantum states, operators, and matrix mechanics. Some non-standard topics are also discussed, such as the complex nature of quantum states, and various interpretations of the uncertainty relations. Discussion of applications is limited, and focuses on elucidating the structure of quantum mechanics.

Theory of Fluctuations in Superconductors

Anatoly Larkin (late) and Andrei Varlamov — 2007-09-01

Author:: Anatoly Larkin (late), Andrei Varlamov
ISBN:: 9780198528159
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198528159.001.0001
Published in print:: 2005
Published Online:: 2007-09-01

This book presents itself as both an encyclopedia and a textbook of fluctuation phenomena in superconductors. The first half presents the phenomenological methods of the Ginzburg-Landau theory and microscopical methods of the quantum field theory in the description of fluctuations. The second half provides a wide panorama of the superconductive fluctuations manifestated in different observables: their role in fields such as high temperature superconductivity, nano-superconductivity, the physics of Josephson junctions and granular superconductors, and strongly disordered superconductors. Other textbooks on this subject postulate that the BCS theory of superconductivity is an exact one. This book dispels this, indicating the limits of the applicability of the mean field theory and demonstrating the existence of a wide circle of interesting phenomena beyond its confines.

Theory of Defects in Solids

A. M. Stoneham — 2007-09-01

Author:: A. M. Stoneham
ISBN:: 9780198507802
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198507802.001.0001
Published in print:: 2001
Published Online:: 2007-09-01

This book discusses the theory of defects in semiconductors and insulators. It focuses on the electronic structure of point defects in insulators and semiconductors, with discussions of underlying assumptions, methods, and how to calculate what is observed experimentally. The most important types of defects and impurities are analysed, with full comparisons of theory and experiment. For many topics, it is the only comprehensive and critical discussion of approaches and the use of theory alongside experiment.

The Structure of Physical Chemistry

C. N. Hinshelwood — 2007-09-01

Author:: C. N. Hinshelwood
ISBN:: 9780198570257
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198570257.001.0001
Published in print:: 2005
Published Online:: 2007-09-01

This book is by C. N. Hinshelwood, the distinguished author and Nobel Laureate (1956). Physical chemistry is a difficult and diversified subject. Based on the experience of university teaching, this book lays emphasis on the structure and continuity of the whole subject and tries to show the relation of its various parts to one another. Certain themes run through physical chemistry and these have been used to unify the composition. The treatment is neither historical nor formally deductive, but at each stage the author tries to indicate the route by which an inquiring mind might most simply and naturally proceed in order to understand physical chemistry.

The Structure and Properties of Water

D Eisenberg and W Kauzmann — 2007-09-01

Author:: D Eisenberg, W Kauzmann
ISBN:: 9780198570264
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198570264.001.0001
Published in print:: 2005
Published Online:: 2007-09-01

This book has correlated many experimental observations and theoretical discussions from scientific literature on water. Topics covered include the water molecule and forces between water molecules; the thermodynamic properties of steam; the structures of the ices; the thermodynamic, electrical, spectroscopic, and transport properties of the ices and of liquid water; hydrogen bonding in ice and water; and models for liquid water. The main emphasis of the book is on relating the properties of ice and water to their structures. Some background material in physical chemistry has been included.

Quantum Transport in Mesoscopic Systems

Pier A. Mello and Narendra Kumar — 2007-09-01

Author:: Pier A. Mello, Narendra Kumar
ISBN:: 9780198525820
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198525820.001.0001
Published in print:: 2004
Published Online:: 2007-09-01

This book presents a statistical theory of complex wave scattering and quantum transport in a class of physical systems of current interest having chaotic classical dynamics (e.g., microwave cavities and quantum dots) or possessing quenched randomness (e.g., disordered conductors). The emphasis here is on mesoscopic fluctuations of the sample-specific transport. The universal character of the statistical behaviour of these phenomena is revealed in a natural way through a novel maximum-entropy approach (MEA). The latter leads to the most probable distribution for the set of random matrices that describe the ensemble of disordered/chaotic samples, which are macroscopically identical but differ in microscopic details. Here, the Shannon information entropy associated with these random matrices is maximized subject to the symmetries and the constraints which are physically relevant. This non-perturbative information-theoretic approach is reminiscent of, but distinct from, the standard random-matrix theory, and indeed forms the most distinctive feature of the book.

Quantum Theory of Solids

R. E. Peierls — 2007-09-01

Author:: R. E. Peierls
ISBN:: 9780198507819
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198507819.001.0001
Published in print:: 2001
Published Online:: 2007-09-01

This book develops the quantum theory of solids from the basic principles of quantum mechanics. The emphasis is on a single statement of the ideas underlying the various approximations that have to be used in the study of this subject. Care is taken to separate sound arguments from conjecture. The treatment covers the electron theory of metals as well as the dynamics of crystals, including the author's work on the thermal conductivity of crystals.

Quantum Physics in One Dimension

Thierry Giamarchi — 2007-09-01

Author:: Thierry Giamarchi
ISBN:: 9780198525004
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198525004.001.0001
Published in print:: 2003
Published Online:: 2007-09-01

This book presents correlated systems in one dimension. Recent progress in nanotechnology and material research has made one-dimensional systems a crucial part of today's physics. After an introduction to the basic concepts of correlated systems, the book gives a step-by-step description of the techniques needed to treat one-dimension systems, and discusses the resulting physics. Then, specific experimental realizations of one-dimensional systems such as spin chains, quantum wires, nanotubes, and organic superconductors are examined.

Molecular Nanomagnets

Dante Gatteschi, Roberta Sessoli, and Jacques Villain — 2007-09-01

Author:: Dante Gatteschi, Roberta Sessoli, Jacques Villain
ISBN:: 9780198567530
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198567530.001.0001
Published in print:: 2006
Published Online:: 2007-09-01

Nanomagnetism is a rapidly expanding area of research in nanoscience, opening perspectives of novel applications. Magnetic molecules are at the very bottom of the possible size of nanomagnets, and they provide a unique opportunity to observe the coexistence of quantum and classical properties. The discovery in the early 1990s that a cluster comprising twelve manganese ions shows magnetic hysteresis of molecular origin accompanied by quantum tunnelling of the magnetization opened a new research, which is flourishing through the collaboration of chemists and physicists. The field is often indicated as single molecule magnets (SMM). This book attempts to cover in detail the area of molecular nanomagnetism — a branch of molecular magnetism — using a language which should be understood by both the physical and chemical communities. The book starts from the development of theory needed to understand the nature of the properties of molecular nanomagnets, including magnetic coupling and magnetic anisotropy. The most common experimental techniques needed to investigate the properties of molecular nanomagnets are covered to allow the reader to understand how sophisticated instrumentation can provide unique information on SMM. Particular attention is devoted to magnetic relaxation, highlighting the interplay of classical and quantum behaviours. Appendices cover topics which would require too many digressions in the main text, ranging from systems of units to master equations for the density matrix.

Introduction to Scanning Tunneling Microscopy

C. Julian Chen — 2007-09-01

Author:: C. Julian Chen
ISBN:: 9780199211500
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199211500.001.0001
Published in print:: 2007
Published Online:: 2007-09-01

The scanning tunneling microscope (STM) and the atomic force microscope (AFM), both capable of visualizing and manipulating individual atoms, are the cornerstones of nanoscience and nanotechnology today. The inventors of STM, Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer, were awarded with the Nobel Prize of physics in 1986. Both microscopes are based on mechanically scanning an atomically sharp tip over a sample surface, with quantum-mechanical tunneling or atomic forces between the tip and the atoms on the sample as the measurable quantities. This book presents the principles of STM and AFM, and the experimental details. Part I presents the principles from a unified point of view: the Bardeen theory of tunneling phenomenon, and the Herring-Landau theory of covalent-bond force. The similarity between those two theories, both rooted from the Heisenberg-Pauling concept of quantum-mechanical resonance, points to the equivalence of tunneling and covalent-bond force. The Tersoff-Hamann model of STM is presented, including the original derivation. The mechanisms of atomic-scale imaging of both STM and AFM are discussed. Part II presents the instrumentation and experimental techniques of STM and AFM, including piezoelectric scanners, vibration isolation, electronics and control, mechanical design, tip treatment and characterization, scanning tunneling spectroscopy, and atomic force detection techniques. Part II ends with illustrative applications of STM and AFM in various fields of research and technology.

Intense Terahertz Excitation of Semiconductors

Sergey Ganichev and Willi Prettl — 2007-09-01

Author:: Sergey Ganichev, Willi Prettl
ISBN:: 9780198528302
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198528302.001.0001
Published in print:: 2005
Published Online:: 2007-09-01

This book presents high-power terahertz applications to semiconductors and semiconductor structures. It aims to bridge the gap between optics and microwave physics. It focuses on a core topic of semiconductor physics, providing a full description of the state of art of the field. The book introduces new physical phenomena which occur in the terahertz frequency range at the transition from semi-classical physics with a classical field amplitude to the fully quantized limit with photons. It covers tunneling in high-frequency fields, nonlinear absorption of radiation and radiation heating, nonlinear optics in the classical sense, Bloch-oscillations and ponderomotive forces of the terahertz radiation on free carriers, photon drag and photogalvanic effects, and terahertz spin dependent phenomena being of importance in the field of spintronics. Background information for future work and references of current literature are given. The book also discusses various experimental aspects like the generation of high-power coherent terahertz radiation, properties of materials with respect to their application in optical components, and detection schemes of short intense terahertz pulses.

The Equilibrium Theory of Inhomogeneous Polymers

Glenn Fredrickson — 2007-09-01

Author:: Glenn Fredrickson
ISBN:: 9780198567295
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198567295.001.0001
Published in print:: 2005
Published Online:: 2007-09-01

This book provides an introduction to the field-theoretic methods and computer simulation techniques used in the design of structured polymeric fluids for a wide variety of applications. By such methods, the principles that dictate equilibrium self-assembly in systems ranging from block and graft copolymers, to polyelectrolytes, liquid crystalline polymers, and polymer nanocomposites can be established. Building on an introductory discussion of single-polymer statistical mechanics, the book provides a detailed treatment of analytical and numerical techniques for addressing the statistical properties of polymers subjected to spatially-varying potential fields. This problem is shown to be central to the field-theoretic description of interacting polymeric fluids, and models for a number of important polymer systems are elaborated. Self-consistent field theory is treated in detail, which is a collection of analytical and numerical techniques for obtaining solutions of polymer field theory models in the mean-field approximation. The book concludes with a discussion of analytical methods for going beyond the mean-field approximation and an introduction to the exciting new field of field-theoretic polymer simulations — the direct numerical simulation of polymer field theory models.

Electrons and Phonons

J.M. Ziman — 2007-09-01

Author:: J.M. Ziman
ISBN:: 9780198507796
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198507796.001.0001
Published in print:: 2001
Published Online:: 2007-09-01

This book is a study of the theory of electrical and thermal conduction in metals, semiconductors, and insulators. The basic ideas of crystal lattice dynamics, electron zone structure, and transport theory are developed from first principles, and formulae for the macroscopic coefficients are deduced by self-contained mathematical arguments. Interpretation in terms of electronic structure, chemical purity, crystal structure, and crystal perfection is emphasized as a tool for further investigation but detailed discussion of individual means or alloys is avoided.

Electrons and Disorder in Solids

V. F. Gantmakher and Lucia I. Man — 2007-09-01

Author:: V. F. Gantmakher, Lucia I. Man
ISBN:: 9780198567561
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198567561.001.0001
Published in print:: 2005
Published Online:: 2007-09-01

This book contains modern concepts about the physics of electrons in solids. It is written using a minimum of mathematics, with the emphasis on various physical models aimed at stimulating creative thinking. The book aims to aid in the choice of the most efficient scheme of an experiment or the optimal algorithm of a calculation. Boltzmann and hopping types of conductivity are compared. The qualitative theory of weak localization is presented and its links with the true localization and metal-insulator transitions. Processes that determine the structure of impurity bands are revealed. The concepts introduced in this book are applied to descriptions of granular metals and quasicrystals, as well as the integer quantum Hall effect, emphasizing their universality.

Concepts in Spin Electronics

Sadamichi Maekawa — 2007-09-01

Author:: SadamichiMaekawaInstitute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Japan
ISBN:: 9780198568216
Publisher:: Oxford University Press
Subjects:: Physics, Condensed Matter Physics / Materials
DOI:: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198568216.001.0001
Published in print:: 2006
Published Online:: 2007-09-01

Nowadays, information technology is based on semiconductor and ferromagnetic materials. Information processing and computation are performed using electron charge in semiconductor transistors and integrated circuits, and the information is stored by electron spins on magnetic high-density hard disks. Recently, a new branch of physics and nanotechnology, called magneto-electronics, spintronics, or spin electronics, has emerged, which aims to exploit both the charge and the spin of electrons in the same device. A broader goal is to develop new functionality that does not exist separately in a ferromagnet or a semiconductor. This book presents new directions in the development of spin electronics in both the basic physics and the technology which will become the foundation of future electronics.