Transition metal oxides form a series of compounds with a uniquely wide range of electronic properties. They have important applications as dielectrics,semiconductors, and metals, and as materials for magnetic and optical uses. The recent discovery of `high temperature'' superconductors has brought the attention of a wide scientific community to this area and has highlighted the problems involved in trying to understand transition metal oxides. The present book is not primarily about Tc superconductors, although their main properties are discussed in the final sections. The main aim is to describe the varied electronic behaviour shown by transition metal oxides, and to discuss the different types of theoretical model that have been proposed to interpret it. It is intended to provide an introduction to this fascinating and difficult field, at a level suitable for graduate students and other research workers with a background in solid- state chemistry or physics.
