Condensed Matter Books

Solid State Physics

Neil W. Ashcroft, N. David Mermin

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Good intro to a growing science 4 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

The 20th century saw the birth of quantum mechanics, and its connection with physics, chemistry and engineering to form the discipline collectively known as solid state science. Dealing with the properties of solids at the atomic-scale, the advances in this field have made the entire Digital Age possible. As such, the literature, both educational and scientific, in this field has grown exponentially over the past 50 years. One of the best books in this field is Solid State Physics by Ashcroft and Mermin. This extremely thorough book covers the field from basic crystallography and bonding models up through magnetic, optical, and superconducting properties. The book includes lots of derivations, sample problems, and all the important equations. Also, the book covers both experimental techniques used in solid state science, and the growing field of computer simulations, especially those using density functional theory. All in all a great book to read for those working in or planning to work in this field.

Editorial Review:

This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the field of solid state physics for undergraduate students in physics, chemistry, engineering, and materials science.

Optical Properties of Solids (Oxford Master Series in Physics)

Mark Fox

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

good basic introduction 4 out of 5 stars.
13 of 13 people found this review helpful.

I thought this book was a good basic introduction to the field of optical properties of solids. The strong point of this book is that it is well organized and gives many examples. It starts with the basics of Maxwell's equation, then moves on to talk about luminescence, excitons, quantum wells, luminescence centers ... I enjoyed reading about the examples given. It gives many basic descriptions of how optoelectronics device work such as light emitting diodes and Ti:sapphire lasers.

This book is geared toward anybody who has taken one semester of basic quantum and one semester of electricity and magnetism. It is easy to read and contains many diagrams. Chapters end with a useful list of references that go into more details. This book is not a reference for graduate level treatment of optical properties of solids. The nonlinear optics part is short and shallow. The quantum mechanical description is basic.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anybody that is learning for the first time about optical properties of solids. Solid state physics textbooks by Ashcroft & Mermin and Kittel do not contain a useful and up-to-date section on optical properties of solids. This book fills the gap.

Editorial Review:

Gives an introduction to the optical properties of solids, including many new topics that have not been previously covered in other solid state texts at this level. Softcover. Hardcover available.

Concepts in Thermal Physics

Stephen Blundell, Katherine Blundell

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

What were they thinking? 2 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Where do I begin? We had switched to using this textbook for our second course in statistical mechanics at the undergraduate level; I wish we hadn't. The chapters are short which makes reading them easy. However, because of the short chapters, I don't feel that it goes as in depth as I would like it to. Perhaps it could explain things a lot better if it didn't use the word "hence" in every sentence. The authors should have written this book with a thesaurus.
One of the biggest flaws is that the book is filled with many mistakes. There is an errata for this book, but only covers a tiny fraction of the mistakes. Many of the end of chapter problems are stated unclear, and have many errors. For example, it asks you to derive something, and the equation it wants you to derive is wrong. In the appendix, it gives mathematical derivations to some special functions, like the volume of a hypersphere, and the derivation is wrong! Also, the end of chapter problems are nothing more than mathematical manipulations and derivations. None of the questions help develop a concept for the material.
I recommend not getting this book.

Editorial Review:

An understanding of thermal physics is crucial to much of modern physics, chemistry and engineering. This book provides a modern introduction to the main principles that are foundational to thermal physics, thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. The key concepts are carefully presented in a clear way, and new ideas are illustrated with copious worked examples as well as a description of the historical background to their discovery. Applications are presented to subjects as diverse as stellar astrophysics, information and communication theory, condensed matter physics and climate change. Each chapter concludes with detailed exercises.

Computer Simulation of Liquids

M. P. Allen, D. J. Tildesley

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

I recommend it with no hesitation. 5 out of 5 stars.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful.

It's the book to have if you want to learn computer simulation. It covers both Monte Carlo and Molecular Dynamics, from the start for the beginner. It also includes more advanced topics, but is definitely focused on studying fluids and not solids. The code is written in Fortran. If you program in C I suggest Rapaport's book, but this one is a definite must read.

Editorial Review:

A first in its field, this book is both an introduction to computer simulation of liquids for upper level undergraduates and a how-to guide for specialists. The authors discuss the latest simulation techniques of molecular dynamics and the Monte Carlo methods as well as how to avoid common programming pitfalls. Theoretical concepts and practical programming advice are amply reinforced with examples of computer simulation in action and samples of Fortran code. The authors have also included a wide selection of programs and routines on microfiche to aid chemists, physicists, chemical engineers, and computer scientists, as well as graduate and advanced students in chemistry.

Renormalization Methods: A Guide For Beginners

William David McComb

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

This book is unique in occupying a gap between standard undergraduate texts and more advanced texts on quantum field theory. It covers a range of renormalization methods with a clear physical interpretations (and motivation), including mean fields theories and high-temperature and low-density expansions. It then process by each steps to the famous epsilon expansion, ending up with the first-order corrections to critical exponents beyond mean-field theory. Nowadays there is widespread interest in applications of renormalization methods to various topics ranging over soft condensed matter,engineering dynamics, traffic queuing and fluctuations in the stock market. Hence macroscopic systems are also included with particular emphasis on the archetypal problem of fluid turbulence. The book is also unique in making this material accessible to readers other than theoretical physics, as it requires only the basic physics and mathematics which should be known to most scientists, engineers and mathematicians.

Quantum Optics: An Introduction (Oxford Master Series in Physics, 6)

Mark Fox

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Excellent Introduction to Quantum Optics 5 out of 5 stars.
14 of 14 people found this review helpful.

I developed an interest in quantum optics in my last year of undergraduate school but I became discouraged with it since every book that I picked up on the subject was esoteric and too involved for an introduction. It seemed as if NONE of the quantum optics textbooks available were appropriate as an introduction. But then I found this book.

Although not as mathematically intensive as I was hoping for it to be, it explains the physics very well. And although it doesn't compensate for many years of post-graduate study, I was able to better understand research papers in quantum optics due to this book.

The book follows a rather traditional approach to developing quantum optics...first starting off with a discussion of important results in electromagnetism, classical optics, and quantum mechanics...then progressing to the theory of photons (discussing photon statistics, coherent states, and second quantization (with regard to photon number states)). Furthermore, it discusses the essential "backbone" of quantum optics (light-matter interactions) and then applications of quantum optics (quantum computing, quantum entanglement, etc.).

I broke the rules and skipped ahead to the applications section and I must say that everything seems to make sense because of Fox's ability to convey difficult ideas in a simple, easy-to-understand manner.

For anybody just starting to take an interest in quantum optics (like I was at one point), I would strongly suggest this book. It's not as mathematically sophisticated as Loudon's "The Quantum Theory of Light" (which is another must-have for quantum optics), but it's an excellent introduction.

Editorial Review:

Most previous texts on quantum optics have been written primarily for the graduate student market at PhD level and above. Quantum optics: an introduction aims to introduce a wide range of topics at a lower level suitable for advanced undergraduate and masters level students in physics. The text is divided into four main parts, covering modern topics in both pure and applied quantum optics: I Introduction and background material. II. Photons. III. Atom-photon interactions. IV. Quantum information processing. The emphasis of the subject development is on intuitive physical understanding rather than mathematical arguments, although many derivations are included where appropriate. The text includes numerous illustrations, with a particular emphasis on the experimental observations of quantum optical phenomena. Each chapter includes worked examples, together with 10-15 exercises with solutions. Six appendices are included to supplement the main subject material.

Many Particle Physics (Physics of Solids and Liquids)

Gerald D. Mahan

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Containing too many misprints. 3 out of 5 stars.
15 of 15 people found this review helpful.

Unfortunately, the 3rd edition of Mahan's book contains enormous number of misprints. Sometimes, it is impossible to understand what is meant by the author without consulting the previous edition. For example, in Sec. 4.1.5. the author refers in the text to the equation which apparently should be between Eqs. (4.126) and (4.127) but which had been omitted. At the same time, some evident drawbacks of the previous edition have not been corrected. For example, the definition of the thermodynamic average used in Sec. 3.6 is different from that used in the previous sections, although it is not mentioned in the text. Despite the book is an excellent introduction into the field of Many-Particle Physics, I would recommend to the customer to either buy the previous edition or to wait for a new one.

Editorial Review:

This comprehensive textbook utilizes Green's functions and the equations derived from them to solve real physical problems in solid-state theoretical physics. Green's functions are used to describe processes in solids and quantum fluids and to address problems in areas such as electron gas, polarons, electron transport, optical response, superconductivity and superfluidity. The updated third edition features several new chapters on different mean-free paths, Hubbard model, Coulomb blockade, and the quantum Hall effect. New sections have been added, while original sections have been modified to include recent applications. This text is ideal for third- or fourth-year graduate students and includes numerous study problems and an extensive bibliography.

Photonic Crystals: Molding the Flow of Light (Second Edition)

John D. Joannopoulos, Steven G. Johnson, Joshua N. Winn, Robert D. Meade

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Since it was first published in 1995, Photonic Crystals has remained the definitive text for both undergraduates and researchers on photonic band-gap materials and their use in controlling the propagation of light. This newly expanded and revised edition covers the latest developments in the field, providing the most up-to-date, concise, and comprehensive book available on these novel materials and their applications.

Starting from Maxwell's equations and Fourier analysis, the authors develop the theoretical tools of photonics using principles of linear algebra and symmetry, emphasizing analogies with traditional solid-state physics and quantum theory. They then investigate the unique phenomena that take place within photonic crystals at defect sites and surfaces, from one to three dimensions. This new edition includes entirely new chapters describing important hybrid structures that use band gaps or periodicity only in some directions: periodic waveguides, photonic-crystal slabs, and photonic-crystal fibers. The authors demonstrate how the capabilities of photonic crystals to localize light can be put to work in devices such as filters and splitters. A new appendix provides an overview of computational methods for electromagnetism. Existing chapters have been considerably updated and expanded to include many new three-dimensional photonic crystals, an extensive tutorial on device design using temporal coupled-mode theory, discussions of diffraction and refraction at crystal interfaces, and more. Richly illustrated and accessibly written, Photonic Crystals is an indispensable resource for students and researchers.

• Extensively revised and expanded
• Features improved graphics throughout
• Includes new chapters on photonic-crystal fibers and combined index-and band-gap-guiding
• Provides an introduction to coupled-mode theory as a powerful tool for device design
• Covers many new topics, including omnidirectional reflection, anomalous refraction and diffraction, computational photonics, and much more.

Electronic Properties of Materials

Rolf E. Hummel

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

This book on electrical, optical, magnetic and thermal properties of materials differs from other introductory texts in solid state physics. First, it is written for engineers, particularly materials and electrical engineers, who want to gain a fundamental understanding of semiconductor devices, magnetic materials, lasers, alloys, and so forth. Second, it stresses concepts rather than mathematical formalism. Third, it is not an encyclopedia: The topics are restricted to material considered to be essential and which can be covered in one 15-week semester. The book is divided into five parts. The first part, "Fundamentals of Electron Theory," introduces the essential quantum mechanical concepts needed for understanding materials science; the other parts may be read independently of each other. Many practical applications are discussed to provide students with an understanding of electronic devices currently in use. The solutions to the numerical problems are given in the appendix. Previous editions have been well received by students and teachers alike. This third edition has again been thoroughly revised and brought up to date to take into account the explosive developments in electrical, optical, and magnetic materials and devices. In particular, the book contains expanded sections on flat-panel displays (liquid crystals, electroluminescent devices, and field-emission and plasma displays) as well as discussions of recent developments in ferro- and piezoelectricity, magneto-optical memories, photonic and magnetoresistive devices, blue- and green-emitting LED's, and dielectric and thermoelectric properties. Rolf E. Hummel is Professor of Materials Science at the University of Florida, Gainesville. He received his Ph.D. in 1963 from the University of Stuttgart, Germany, and the Max-Planck Institute for Materials Research, also in Stuttgart. His previous publications include Optical Properties of Metals and Alloys (1971) Electro- and Thermo-transport in Metals and Alloys (1977), the two-volume Handbook of Optical Properties (ed.) (1996) and Understanding Materials Science (1998).

FROM THE REVIEWS:

HARPER'S REVIEW "This book will provide an excellent fundamental understanding of materials for the wide range of electrical and electronic appliances."

Basic Solid State Chemistry

Anthony R. West

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

excellent source of crystal chemistry material 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 14 people found this review helpful.

Professor West's magnum opus:

This book was the bible in the inorganic chemistry department of the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, where Prof. West taught during my undergraduate years.

He was/is a very likeable man, always helpful to his undergraduate and postdoctoral students, and the presentation is user-friendly and clear. The department is world-class, and again, it is hard to outdo this book for clarity and scope of inorganic/crystal chemistry.

Topics: crystal structure, crystallography, phase diagrams, electrical properties, magnetic/optical properties, etc...

Editorial Review:

Basic Solid State Chemistry, Second Edition is a thorough revision of this best selling introductory text. This new edition provides the reader with an up to date account of the essential topics in this exciting and developing area. Whilst the structure of the first edition has been retained, introducing topics in a logical and coherent way, the text has been revised to include latest developments and concepts. There is a new chapter on Synthetic Methods covering solid state, precursor, chemie douce, intercalation, gas phase (MOCVD, vapour phase transport), hydrothermal and other methods. In addition there is new material on fullerenes, spinels and applications of phase diagrams. The coverage of solid solutions has been expanded and many of the diagrams have been considerably improved, as have the examples and problems.