Gerald D. Mahan – författare

This textbook is for a course in advanced solid-state theory. It is aimed at graduate students in their third or fourth year of study who wish to learn the advanced techniques of solid-state theoretical physics. The method of Green's functions is introduced at the beginning and used throughout. Indeed, it could be considered a book on practical applications of Green's functions, although I prefer to call it a book on physics. The method of Green's functions has been used by many theorists to derive equations which, when solved, provide an accurate numerical description of many processes in solids and quantum fluids. In this book I attempt to summarize many of these theories in order to show how Green's functions are used to solve real problems. My goal, in writing each section, is to describe calculations which can be compared with experiments and to provide these comparisons whenever available. The student is expected to have a background in quantum mechanics at the level acquired from a graduate course using the textbook by either L. I. Schiff, A. S. Davydov, or I. Landau and E. M. Lifshiftz. Similarly, a prior course in solid-state physics is expected, since the reader is assumed to know concepts such as Brillouin zones and energy band theory. Each chapter has problems which are an important part of the lesson; the problems often provide physical insights which are not in the text. Sometimes the answers to the problems are provided, but usually not.

During the past decade the theoretical physics community has learned how to evaluate accurately polarizabilities and susceptibilities for many-electron systems such as atoms, solids, and liquids. The most accurate numerical technique employs a method often called the Time-Dependent Local Density Approximation, which is abbreviated TDLDA. The present volume is a review of recent research on the theory of po­ larizabilities and susceptibilities. Both authors have been doing these cal­ culations. However, this review surveys the entire field, summarizing the research of many contributors. The application of an external field, either ac or de, will induce a dipole moment which can be calculated and compared with experiment. For mod­ erately strong fields, both linear and nonlinear processes contribute to the moment. We cover topics such as polarizability, hyperpolarizability, pho­ toionization, phonons, and piezoelectricity. Density functional theory in the Local Density Approximation (LDA) has been shown to be a very accurate method for calculating ground state prop­ erties of electronic system. For static external fields, the induced moments are properties of the ground state. Then the calculation of the polarizability · is very accurate. For ac fields, the moment is not part of the ground state. However, the TDLDA methods are still very accurate.

In order to equip hopeful graduate students with the knowledge necessary to pass the qualifying examination, the authors have assembled and solved standard and original problems from major American universities – Boston University, University of Chicago, University of Colorado at Boulder, Columbia, University of Maryland, University of Michigan, Michigan State, Michigan Tech, MIT, Princeton, Rutgers, Stanford, Stony Brook, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, and the University of Wisconsin at Madison – and Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. A wide range of material is covered and comparisons are made between similar problems of different schools to provide the student with enough information to feel comfortable and confident at the exam. Guide to Physics Problems is published in two volumes: this book, Part 2, covers Thermodynamics, Statistical Mechanics and Quantum Mechanics; Part 1, covers Mechanics, Relativity and Electrodynamics.Praise for A Guide to Physics Problems: Part 2: Thermodynamics, Statistical Physics, and Quantum Mechanics:"… A Guide to Physics Problems, Part 2 not only serves an important function, but is a pleasure to read. By selecting problems from different universities and even different scientific cultures, the authors have effectively avoided a one-sided approach to physics. All the problems are good, some are very interesting, some positively intriguing, a few are crazy; but all of them stimulate the reader to think about physics, not merely to train you to pass an exam. I personally received considerable pleasure in working the problems, and I would guess that anyone who wants to be a professional physicist would experience similar enjoyment. … This book will be a great help to students and professors, as well as a source of pleasure and enjoyment." (From Foreword by Max Dresden)"An excellent resource for graduate studentsin physics and, one expects, also for their teachers." (Daniel Kleppner, Lester Wolfe Professor of Physics Emeritus, MIT)"A nice selection of problems … Thought-provoking, entertaining, and just plain fun to solve." (Giovanni Vignale, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Missouri at Columbia)"Interesting indeed and enjoyable. The problems are ingenious and their solutions very informative. I would certainly recommend it to all graduate students and physicists in general … Particularly useful for teachers who would like to think about problems to present in their course." (Joel Lebowitz, Rutgers University)"A very thoroughly assembled, interesting set of problems that covers the key areas of physics addressed by Ph.D. qualifying exams. … Will prove most useful to both faculty and students. Indeed, I plan to use this material as a source of examples and illustrations that will be worked into my lectures." (Douglas Mills, University of California at Irvine)

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. This text should be of interest to third or fourth-year graduate students and includes numerous study problems and an extensive bibliography.

This is a textbook for a two-semester graduate course in mathematical methods in physics. Most universities give this course, which is often taught jointly with the engineering or mathematics departments. General topics include: group theory; linear equations; matrices; series; functions of complex variables; conformal mapping; special functions; and partial differential equations. Each chapter has numerous homework problems. The section on transforms includes those on Fourier and Laplace, as well as the modern topic of wavelets. The chapters on partial differential equations include: Laplace's; Poisson's; Helmholtz; diffusion; and wave equations. Problems are treated in one, two, and three dimensions.

Covering the fundamentals as well as many special topics of current interest, this is the most concise, up-to-date, and accessible graduate-level textbook on quantum mechanics available. Written by Gerald Mahan, a distinguished research physicist and author of an acclaimed textbook on many-particle physics, Quantum Mechanics in a Nutshell is the distillation of many years' teaching experience. Emphasizing the use of quantum mechanics to describe actual quantum systems such as atoms and solids, and rich with interesting applications, the book proceeds from solving for the properties of a single particle in potential; to solving for two particles (the helium atom); to addressing many-particle systems. Applications include electron gas, magnetism, and Bose-Einstein Condensation; examples are carefully chosen and worked; and each chapter has numerous homework problems, many of them original. Quantum Mechanics in a Nutshell expertly addresses traditional and modern topics, including perturbation theory, WKBJ, variational methods, angular momentum, the Dirac equation, many-particle wave functions, Casimir Force, and Bell's Theorem.And it treats many topics--such as the interactions between photons and electrons, scattering theory, and density functional theory--in exceptional depth. A valuable addition to the teaching literature, Quantum Mechanics in a Nutshell is ideally suited for a two-semester course. * The most concise, up-to-date, and accessible graduate textbook on the subject * Contains the ideal amount of material for a two-semester course * Focuses on the description of actual quantum systems, including a range of applications * Covers traditional topics, as well as those at the frontiers of research * Treats in unprecedented detail topics such as photon-electron interaction, scattering theory, and density functional theory * Includes numerous homework problems at the end of each chapter

Condensed Matter in a Nutshell is the most concise, accessible, and self-contained introduction to this exciting and cutting-edge area of modern physics. This premier textbook covers all the standard topics, including crystal structures, energy bands, phonons, optical properties, ferroelectricity, superconductivity, and magnetism. It includes in-depth discussions of transport theory, nanoscience, and semiconductors, and also features the latest experimental advances in this fast-developing field, such as high-temperature superconductivity, the quantum Hall effect, graphene, nanotubes, localization, Hubbard models, density functional theory, phonon focusing, and Kapitza resistance. Rich in detail and full of examples and problems, this textbook is the complete resource for a two-semester graduate course in condensed matter and material physics. * Covers standard topics like crystal structures, energy bands, and phonons * Features the latest advances like high-temperature superconductivity and more * Full of instructive examples and challenging problems * Solutions manual (available only to teachers)

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.

This textbook is for a course in advanced solid-state theory. It is aimed at graduate students in their third or fourth year of study who wish to learn the advanced techniques of solid-state theoretical physics. The method of Green's functions is introduced at the beginning and used throughout. Indeed, it could be considered a book on practical applications of Green's functions, although I prefer to call it a book on physics. The method of Green's functions has been used by many theorists to derive equations which, when solved, provide an accurate numerical description of many processes in solids and quantum fluids. In this book I attempt to summarize many of these theories in order to show how Green's functions are used to solve real problems. My goal, in writing each section, is to describe calculations which can be compared with experiments and to provide these comparisons whenever available. The student is expected to have a background in quantum mechanics at the level acquired from a graduate course using the textbook by either L. I. Schiff, A. S. Davydov, or I. Landau and E. M. Lifshiftz. Similarly, a prior course in solid-state physics is expected, since the reader is assumed to know concepts such as Brillouin zones and energy band theory. Each chapter has problems which are an important part of the lesson; the problems often provide physical insights which are not in the text. Sometimes the answers to the problems are provided, but usually not.

This volume is a textbook for a year-long graduate level course in All research universities have applied mathematics for scientists and engineers. such a course, which could be taught in different departments, such as mathematics, physics, or engineering. I volunteered to teach this course when I realized that my own research students did not learn much in this course at my university. Then I learned that the available textbooks were too introduc­ tory. While teaching this course without an assigned text, I wrote up my lecture notes and gave them to the students. This textbook is a result of that endeavor. When I took this course many, many, years ago, the primary references were the two volumes of P. M. Morse and H. Feshbach, Methods of Theoretical Physics (McGraw-Hill, 1953). The present text returns the contents to a similar level, although the syllabus is quite different than given in this venerable pair of books.