Contemporary Concepts of Condensed Matter Science – serie

The goal of this Volume "Conceptual Foundations of Materials: A standard model for ground- and excited-state properties" is to present the fundamentals of electronic structure theory that are central to the understanding and prediction of materials phenomena and properties. The emphasis is on foundations and concepts. The Sections are designed to offer a broad and comprehensive perspective of the field. They cover the basic aspects of modern electronic structure approaches and highlight their applications to the structural (ground state, vibrational, dynamic and thermodynamic, etc.) and electronic (spectroscopic, dielectric, magnetic, transport, etc.) properties of real materials including solids, clusters, liquids, and nanostructure materials. This framework also forms a basis for studies of emergent properties arising from low-energy electron correlations and interactions such as the quantum Hall effects, superconductivity, and other cooperative phenomena.

Although some of the basics and models for solids were developed in the early part of the last century by figures such as Bloch, Pauli, Fermi, and Slater, the field of electronic structure theory went through a phenomenal growth during the past two decades, leading to new concepts, understandings, and predictive capabilities for determining the ground- and excited-state properties of real, complex materials from first principles. For example, theory can now be used to predict the existence and properties of materials not previously realized in nature or in the laboratory. Computer experiments can be performed to examine the behavior of individual atoms in a particular process, to analyze the importance of different mechanisms, or just to see what happen if one varies the interactions and parameters in the simulation. Also, with ab initio calculations, one can determine from first principles important interaction parameters which are needed in model studies of complex processes or highly correlated systems. Each time a new material or a novel form of a material is discovered, electronic structure theory inevitably plays a fundamental role in unraveling its properties.

Provides the foundations of the field of condensed matter physics An excellent supplementary text for classes on condensed matter physics/solid state physics Volume covers current work at the forefront Presentations are accessible to nonspecialists, with focus on underlying fundamentals

Nanoscience is of central importance in the physical and biological sciences and is now pervasive in technology. However nanomagnetism has a special role to play as magnetic properties depend uniquely on both dimensionality and lengthscales. Nanomagnetism is already central to data storage, sensor and device technologies but is increasingly being used in the life sciences and medicine. This volume aims to introduce scientists, computer scientists, engineers and technologists from diverse fields to this fascinating and technologically important new branch of nanoscience. The volume should appeal to both the interested general reader but also to the researcher wishing to obtain an overview of this fast moving field. The contributions come from acknowledged leaders in the field who each give authoritative accounts of key fundamental aspects of nanomagnetism to which they have themselves made a major contribution. After a brief introduction by the editors, Wu first surveys the fundamental properties of magnetic nanostructures. The interlayer exchange interactions within magnetic multilayer structures is next discussed by Stiles. Camley then discusses the static, dynamic and thermal properties of magnetic multilayers and nanostructures, followed by an account of the phenomenon of exchange anisotropy by Berkowitz and Kodama. This latter phenomenon is widely in current read head devices for example. The transport properties of nanostructures also are spectacular, and again underpin computer technology, as we see from the discussion of giant magnetoresistance (GMR) and tunnelling magnetoresistance (TMR) presented by Fert and his colleagues. Beyond GMR and TMR we look to the field of spintronics where new electronic devices are envisioned and for which quantumcomputing may depend as discussed in the chapter by Flatte and Jonker.The volume concludes with discussion of the recently discovered phenomenon of current induced switching of magnetization by Edwards and Mathon.* Subject is in the forefront of nanoscience* All Section authors are leading figures in this key field* Presentations are accessible to non specialists, with focus on underlying fundamentals

This volume is devoted to mostly to nanotubes, unique synthetic nanoscale quantum systems whose physical properties are often singular (i.e. record-setting). Nanotubes can be formed from a myriad of atomic or molecular species, the only requirement apparently being that the host material or "wall fabric� be configurable as a layered or sheet-like structure. Nanotubes with sp2-bonded atoms such as carbon, or boron together with nitrogen, are the champions of extreme mechanical strength, electrical response (either highly conducting or highly insulating), and thermal conductance. Carbon nanotubes can be easily produced by a variety of synthesis techniques, and for this reason they are the most studied nanotubes, both experimentally and theoretically. Boron nitride nanotubes are much more difficult to produce and only limited experimental characterization data exist. Indeed, for boron nitride nanotubes, theory is well ahead of experiment. For these reasons this volume deals largely with carbon nanotubes. Conceptually, the "building block" for a carbon nanotube is a single sheet of graphite, called graphene. Recently, it has become possible to experimentally isolate such single sheets (either on a substrate or suspended). This capability has in turn fueled many new theoretical and experimental studies of graphene itself. It is therefore fitting that this volume contains also a chapter devoted to graphene.ComprehensionOverviewHighlights in the field

The discoveries of new superconducting materials, most of them during the last 30 years, have served very much as the context for further developments in theory which continue to the present. In many of these cases, the observations of superconductivity in new materials were completely unexpected and therefore may be regarded as real discoveries. Even the most visible progress, which followed a search using, to some extent, conventional wisdom, was finally rather unexpected - the discovery of high-Tc superconductivity in copper oxides.�This book presents superconductivity in this materials context and displays some of the underlying simplicity in the materials record that provided fuel for the theoretical developments. Not only is the phenomenon deeply interesting, the metallic systems where it plays out are as well, and superconductivity gives a very interesting window from which to view the nature of electrically conducting materials. The level is not advanced, yet allows the� serious reader to access the current developments in the literature. Addresses in detail the exciting developments after 1980. Demonstrates that progress in superconductivity is to a large extent due to progress in materials synthesis and characterization. Gateway to the current developments in the literature.

The rapidly developing topic of ultracold atoms has many actual and potential applications for condensed-matter science, and the contributions to this book emphasize these connections.

Ultracold Bose and Fermi quantum gases are introduced at a level appropriate for first-year graduate students and non-specialists such as more mature general physicists. The reader will find answers to questions like: how are experiments conducted and how are the results interpreted? What are the advantages and limitations of ultracold atoms in studying many-body physics? How do experiments on ultracold atoms facilitate novel scientific opportunities relevant to the condensed-matted community?

This volume seeks to be comprehensible rather than comprehensive; it aims at the level of a colloquium, accessible to outside readers, containing only minimal equations and limited references. In large part, it relies on many beautiful experiments from the past fifteen years and their very fruitful interplay with basic theoretical ideas. In this particular context, phenomena most relevant to condensed-matter science have been emphasized.

Introduces ultracold Bose and Fermi quantum gases at a level appropriate for non-specialists Discusses landmark experiments and their fruitful interplay with basic theoretical ideas Comprehensible rather than comprehensive, containing only minimal equations