Thomas F. George - Böcker

This book, the first of this kind, provides a comprehensive introduction to ultrafast phenomena, covering the fundamentals of ultrafast spin and charge dynamics, femtosecond magnetism, all-optical spin switching, and high-harmonic generation. It covers the experimental tools, including ultrafast pump-probe experiments, and theoretical methods including quantum chemistry and density functional theory, both time-independent and time-dependent. The authors explain in clear language how an ultrafast laser pulse is generated experimentally, how it can induce rapid responses in electrons and spins in molecules, nanostructures and solids (magnetic materials and superconductors), and how it can create high-harmonic generation from atoms and solids on the attosecond timescale. They also show how this field is driving the next generation of magnetic storage devices through femtomagnetism, all-optical spin switching in ferrimagnets and beyond, magnetic logic in magnetic molecules, and ultrafast intense light sources, incorporating numerous computer programs, examples, and problems throughout, to show how the beautiful research can be done behind the scene.Key features:· Provides a clear introduction to modern ultrafast phenomena and their applications in physics, chemistry, materials sciences, and engineering.· Presents in detail how high-harmonic generation occurs in atoms and solids.· Explains ultrafast demagnetization and spin switching, a new frontier for development of faster magnetic storage devices.· Includes numerous worked-out examples and problems in each chapter, with real research codes in density functional theory and quantum chemical calculations provided in the chapters and in the Appendices.This book is intended for undergraduate and graduate students, researchers in physics, chemistry, biology, materials sciences, and engineering.

This book deals with a "bottom-up" approach to building nanostructured systems, where one starts with atoms and molecules, which constitute the molecular building blocks (MBBs), and assembles them to build a nanostructured material. Nanotechnology MBBs are distinguished for their unique properties. They include, for example, graphite, fullerene, carbon nanotubes, diamondoids, nanowires, nanocrystals and amino acids. All these MBBs, and more, are candidates for various applications in nanotechnology. These building blocks have quite unique properties not found in small molecules. Some of these MBBs are electrical conductors, some are semiconductors, some are photonic, and the characteristic dimension of each is a few nanometers. The examples covered in this book by the sixteen chapters written by authorities all around the world include: (1) carbon nanotubes, which are five times lighter and five times stronger than steel; (2) nanowires, which can be made of metals, semiconductors, or even different types of semiconductors within a single wire; and (3) diamondoids, a form of pure carbon materials which provide excellent building blocks for positional (or robotic) assembly as well as for self-assembly.The applications of MBBs as presented in this book should enable the practitioner of nanotechnology to design and build systems on a nanometer scale. The controlled synthesis of MBBs and their subsequent assembly (self-assembly, self-replication or positional-assembly) into nanostructures is a fundamental theme of nanotechnology. These promising nanotechnology concepts with far-reaching implications (from mechanical to chemical processes; from electronic components to ultra-sensitive sensors; from medical applications to energy systems; and from pharmaceuticals to agricultural and food chains) will impact every aspect of our future.

Some of the most exciting developments in the optics and processing of nanostructured materials can be found in applied science and engineering. The topics covered in this book are at the cutting edge of research.

Along with its inherent interdisciplinary character, chemical physics is also a recognized science on its own. Its foundations consist of understanding chemical phenomena in terms of the most fundamental laws of physics. This book focuses on the concepts on which this science is founded rather than on the applications. The subject is presented starting from the main ideas of physics (classical, quantum and statistical) relevant to the description of phenomena of interest from the chemical point of view. The authors have taken an individual approach in their presentation of the essence of a connected theory rather than mere explanations of apparently unrelated facts.

Chemistry is a subject that many students with differing goals have to tackle. This unique general chemistry textbook is tailored to more mathematically-oriented engineering or physics students. The authors emphasize the principles underlying chemistry rather than chemistry itself and the almost encyclopedic completeness appearing in a common textbook of general chemistry is sacrificed for an emphasis to these principles. Contained within 300 pages, it is suitable for a one-semester course for students who have a strong background in calculus. Over 200 problems with answers are provided so that the students can check their progress.

Chemistry is a subject that many students with differing goals have to tackle. This unique general chemistry textbook is tailored to more mathematically-oriented engineering or physics students. The authors emphasize the principles underlying chemistry rather than chemistry itself and the almost encyclopedic completeness appearing in a common textbook of general chemistry is sacrificed for an emphasis to these principles. Contained within 300 pages, it is suitable for a one-semester course for students who have a strong background in calculus. Over 200 problems with answers are provided so that the students can check their progress.

This book deals with a "bottom-up" approach to building nanostructured systems, where one starts with atoms and molecules, which constitute the molecular building blocks (MBBs), and assembles them to build a nanostructured material. Nanotechnology MBBs are distinguished for their unique properties. They include, for example, graphite, fullerene, carbon nanotubes, diamondoids, nanowires, nanocrystals and amino acids. All these MBBs, and more, are candidates for various applications in nanotechnology. These building blocks have quite unique properties not found in small molecules. Some of these MBBs are electrical conductors, some are semiconductors, some are photonic, and the characteristic dimension of each is a few nanometers. The examples covered in this book by the sixteen chapters written by authorities all around the world include: (1) carbon nanotubes, which are five times lighter and five times stronger than steel; (2) nanowires, which can be made of metals, semiconductors, or even different types of semiconductors within a single wire; and (3) diamondoids, a form of pure carbon materials which provide excellent building blocks for positional (or robotic) assembly as well as for self-assembly.The applications of MBBs as presented in this book should enable the practitioner of nanotechnology to design and build systems on a nanometer scale. The controlled synthesis of MBBs and their subsequent assembly (self-assembly, self-replication or positional-assembly) into nanostructures is a fundamental theme of nanotechnology. These promising nanotechnology concepts with far-reaching implications (from mechanical to chemical processes; from electronic components to ultra-sensitive sensors; from medical applications to energy systems; and from pharmaceuticals to agricultural and food chains) will impact every aspect of our future.

This book, the first of this kind, provides a comprehensive introduction to ultrafast phenomena, covering the fundamentals of ultrafast spin and charge dynamics, femtosecond magnetism, all-optical spin switching, and high-harmonic generation. It covers the experimental tools, including ultrafast pump-probe experiments, and theoretical methods including quantum chemistry and density functional theory, both time-independent and time-dependent. The authors explain in clear language how an ultrafast laser pulse is generated experimentally, how it can induce rapid responses in electrons and spins in molecules, nanostructures and solids (magnetic materials and superconductors), and how it can create high-harmonic generation from atoms and solids on the attosecond timescale. They also show how this field is driving the next generation of magnetic storage devices through femtomagnetism, all-optical spin switching in ferrimagnets and beyond, magnetic logic in magnetic molecules, and ultrafast intense light sources, incorporating numerous computer programs, examples, and problems throughout, to show how the beautiful research can be done behind the scene.Key features:· Provides a clear introduction to modern ultrafast phenomena and their applications in physics, chemistry, materials sciences, and engineering.· Presents in detail how high-harmonic generation occurs in atoms and solids.· Explains ultrafast demagnetization and spin switching, a new frontier for development of faster magnetic storage devices.· Includes numerous worked-out examples and problems in each chapter, with real research codes in density functional theory and quantum chemical calculations provided in the chapters and in the Appendices.This book is intended for undergraduate and graduate students, researchers in physics, chemistry, biology, materials sciences, and engineering.

This textbook provides ample opportunities for practice and real experimental demonstrations. Conceptual understanding and mastering key techniques are enhanced by rigorous derivations, numerous worked examples, more than 300 exercises, about 150 problems and 16 computer codes. The preface summarizes all of the key concepts and formulas, along with a detailed schedule for teaching. The first three chapters introduce the quantum idea, wave-particle duality, operators and measurement. The Noether theorem is invoked to introduce the Schrödinger equation, followed by applications to infinite and finite quantum wells, quantum tunneling, harmonic oscillators, Heisenberg equation of motion, uncertainty principle, blackbody radiation and photoelectric effect. Chapters 4 and 5 are on angular momentum, the hydrogen atom and time-independent approximate methods. Chapters 6 and 7 are on spin and time-dependent perturbation theory. Chapters 8, 9 and 10 are on molecular orbitals, energy bands, quantum transport, scanning tunneling microscopy, lattice vibrations, Berry phase and quantum computing. The book is intended for a one-semester or one-year course and is also appropriate for researchers in related fields.

This textbook, aimed at advanced undergraduate and graduate students, introduces the basic knowledge required for nanomedicine and nanotechnology, and emphasizes how the combined use of chemistry and light with nanoparticles can serve as treatments and therapies for cancer. This includes nanodevices, nanophototherapies, nanodrug design, and laser heating of nanoparticles and cell organelles. In addition, the book covers the emerging fields of nanophotonics and nanoplasmonics, which deal with nanoscale confinement of radiation and optical interactions on a scale much smaller than the wavelength of the light. The applications of nanophotonics and nanoplasmonics to biomedical research discussed in the book range from optical biosensing to photodynamic therapies.Cutting-edge and reflective of the multidisciplinary nature of nanomedicine, this book effectively combines knowledge and modeling from nanoscience, medicine, biotechnology, physics, optics, engineering, and pharmacy in an easily digestible format. Among the topics covered in-depth are:• The structure of cancer cells and their properties, as well as techniques for selective targeting of cancer and gene therapy.• Nanoplasmonics: Lorentz-Mie simulations of optical properties of nanoparticles and the use of plasmonic nanoparticles in diagnosis and therapy.• Nanophotonics: short and ultrashort laser pulse interactions with nanostructures, time and space simulations of thermal fields in and around the nanobioparticles, and nanoclusters heated by radiation.• Modeling of soft and hard biological tissue ablation by activated nanoparticles, as well as optical, thermal, kinetic, and dynamic modeling.• Detection techniques, including the design and methods of activation of nanodrugs and plasmon resonance detection techniques.• Design and fabrication of nanorobots and nanoparticles.• Effective implementation of nanotherapy treatments.• Nanoheat transfer, particularly the heating and cooling kinetics of nanoparticles.• …and more!Each chapter contains a set of lectures in the form of text for student readers and PowerPoints for use by instructors, as well as homework exercises. Selected chapters also contain computer practicums, including Maple codes and worked-out examples. This book helps readers become more knowledgeable and versant in nanomedicine and nanotechnology, inspires readers to work creatively and go beyond the ideas and topics presented within, and is sufficiently comprehensive to be of value to research scientists as well as students.

This important book is a collection of articles discussing computational studies of new materials. It is intended not only for workers in computational materials science, but also for people with a broader interest in the materials being discussed. The emphasis, therefore, is on the materials, and not primarily on the development of new computational tools. The specific topics covered are: surface-induced optical effects; adsorbates; crystals; semiconductors; clusters; fullerenes; fractals; and liquid helium.