Graduate Texts in Physics – serie

This textbook gradually introduces the reader to several topics related to black hole physics with a didactic approach. It starts with the most basic black hole solution, the Schwarzschild metric, and discusses the basic classical properties of black hole solutions as seen by different probes. Then it reviews various theorems about black hole properties as solutions to Einstein gravity coupled to matter fields, conserved charges associated with black holes, and laws of black hole thermodynamics. Next, it elucidates semiclassical and quantum aspects of black holes, which are relevant in ongoing and future research. The book is enriched with many exercises and solutions to assist in the learning.The textbook is designed for physics graduate students who want to start their research career in the field of black holes; postdocs who recently changed their research focus towards black holes and want to get up-to-date on recent and current research topics; advanced researchers intending to teach (or learn) basic and advanced aspects of black hole physics and the associated mathematical tools. Besides general relativity, the reader needs to be familiar with standard undergraduate physics, like thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, and statistical mechanics. Moreover, familiarity with basic quantum field theory in Minkowski space is assumed. The book covers the rest of the needed background material in the main text or the appendices.

This textbook summarizes the basic knowledge of atomic, nuclear, and radiation physics that professionals working in medical physics and biomedical engineering need for efficient and safe use of ionizing radiation in medicine. Concentrating on the underlying principles of radiation physics, the textbook covers the prerequisite knowledge for medical physics courses on the graduate and post-graduate levels in radiotherapy physics, radiation dosimetry, imaging physics, and health physics, thus providing the link between elementary undergraduate physics and the intricacies of four medical physics specialties: diagnostic radiology physics, nuclear medicine physics, radiation oncology physics, and health physics. To recognize the importance of radiation dosimetry to medical physics three new chapters have been added to the 14 chapters of the previous edition. Chapter 15 provides a general introduction to radiation dosimetry. Chapter 16 deals with absolute radiation dosimetry systems that establish absorbed dose or some other dose related quantity directly from the signal measured by the dosimeter. Three absolute dosimetry techniques are known and described in detail: (i) calorimetric; (ii) chemical (Fricke), and (iii) ionometric. Chapter 17 deals with relative radiation dosimetry systems that rely on a previous dosimeter calibration in a known radiation field. Many relative radiation dosimetry systems have been developed to date and four most important categories used routinely in medicine and radiation protection are described in this chapter: (i) Ionometric dosimetry; (ii) Luminescence dosimetry; (iii) Semiconductor dosimetry; and (iv) Film dosimetry.The book is intended as a textbook for a radiation physics course in academic medical physics graduate programs as well as a reference book for candidates preparing for certification examinations in medical physics sub-specialties. It may also be of interest to many professionals, not only physicists, who in their daily occupations deal with various aspects of medical physics or radiation physics and have a need or desire to improve their understanding of radiation physics.

Ever since their invention in 1960, lasers have assumed tremendous importance in the fields of science, engineering and technology because of their use both in basic research and in various technological applications. Lasers: Theory and Applications 2nd Edition will provide a coherent presentation of the basic physics behind the working of the laser along with some of their most important applications. Numerical examples are scattered throughout the book for helping the student gain a better appreciation of the concepts and problems at the end of each chapter and provides the student a better understanding of the basics and help in applying the concepts to practical situations. This book serves as a text in a course on lasers and their applications for students majoring in various disciplines such as Physics, Chemistry and Electrical Engineering.

The essential points of this ?rst chapter are • The de?nition of a complex system • The notion of emergence • The de?nition of a model • The notion of dynamical system This book is about the dynamics of complex systems. Roughly speaking, a system is a collection of interacting elements making up a whole such as, for instance, a mechanical clock. While many systems may be quite complicated, they are not necessarily considered to be complex. Today, most authors agree on the essential properties a system has to possess to be called complex. The ?rst section is devoted to the description of these properties. To interpret the time evolution of a system, scientists build up models, which are simpli?ed mathematical representations of the system. The exact purpose of a model and what its essential features should be is explained in the second section. The mathematical models that will be discussed in this book are dynami- 1 calsystems. A dynamical system is essentially a set of equations whose- lutiondescribesthe evolution,asafunction oftime, ofthe state ofthe system. There exist di?erent types of dynamical systems. Some of them are de?ned in the third section. 1 There is an extensive literature on mathematical modeling. The reader may, for example, consult [11,88,163,233].

Based on courses for students of science, engineering, and systems science at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences at Winterthur, this text approaches the fundamentals of thermodynamics from the point of view of continuum physics. By describing physical processes in terms of the flow and balance of physical quantities, the author achieves a unified approach to hydraulics, electricity, mechanics and thermodynamics. In this way, it becomes clear that entropy is the fundamental property that is transported in thermal processes (i.e., heat), and that temperature is the corresponding potential. The resulting theory of the creation, flow, and balance of entropy provides the foundation of a dynamical theory of heat. This extensively revised and updated second edition includes new material on dynamical chemical processes, thermoelectricity, and explicit dynamical modeling of thermal and chemical processes. To make the book more useful for courses on thermodynamics and physical chemistry at different levels, coverage of topics is divided into introductory and more advanced and formal treatments. Previous knowledge of thermodynamics is not required, but the reader should be familiar with basic electricity, mechanics, and chemistry and should have some knowledge of elementary calculus. The special feature of the first edition -- the integration of thermodynamics, heat transfer, and chemical processes -- has been maintained and strengthened. Key Features:·         First revised edition of a successful text/reference in fourteen years·         More than 25 percent new material·         Provides a unified approach to thermodynamics and heat transport in fundamental physical and chemical processes·         Includes worked examples, questions, and problem sets for use as a teaching text or to test the reader's understanding·         Includes many system dynamics models of laboratory experiments

The essential points of this ?rst chapter are • The de?nition of a complex system • The notion of emergence • The de?nition of a model • The notion of dynamical system This book is about the dynamics of complex systems. Roughly speaking, a system is a collection of interacting elements making up a whole such as, for instance, a mechanical clock. While many systems may be quite complicated, they are not necessarily considered to be complex. Today, most authors agree on the essential properties a system has to possess to be called complex. The ?rst section is devoted to the description of these properties. To interpret the time evolution of a system, scientists build up models, which are simpli?ed mathematical representations of the system. The exact purpose of a model and what its essential features should be is explained in the second section. The mathematical models that will be discussed in this book are dynami- 1 calsystems. A dynamical system is essentially a set of equations whose- lutiondescribesthe evolution,asafunction oftime, ofthe state ofthe system. There exist di?erent types of dynamical systems. Some of them are de?ned in the third section. 1 There is an extensive literature on mathematical modeling. The reader may, for example, consult [11,88,163,233].

Ever since their invention in 1960, lasers have assumed tremendous importance in the fields of science, engineering and technology because of their use both in basic research and in various technological applications. Lasers: Theory and Applications 2nd Edition will provide a coherent presentation of the basic physics behind the working of the laser along with some of their most important applications. Numerical examples are scattered throughout the book for helping the student gain a better appreciation of the concepts and problems at the end of each chapter and provides the student a better understanding of the basics and help in applying the concepts to practical situations. This book serves as a text in a course on lasers and their applications for students majoring in various disciplines such as Physics, Chemistry and Electrical Engineering.

Advanced Quantum Mechanics: Materials and Photons is a textbook which emphasizes the importance of advanced quantum mechanics for materials science and all experimental techniques which employ photon absorption, emission, or scattering. Important aspects of introductory quantum mechanics are covered in the first seven chapters to make the subject self-contained and accessible for a wide audience. The textbook can therefore be used for advanced undergraduate courses and introductory graduate courses which are targeted towards students with diverse academic backgrounds from the Natural Sciences or Engineering. To enhance this inclusive aspect of making the subject as accessible as possible, Appendices A and B also provide introductions to Lagrangian mechanics and the covariant formulation of electrodynamics. Other special features include an introduction to Lagrangian field theory and an integrated discussion of transition amplitudes with discrete or continuous initial or final states. Once students have acquired an understanding of basic quantum mechanics and classical field theory, canonical field quantization is easy. Furthermore, the integrated discussion of transition amplitudes naturally leads to the notions of transition probabilities, decay rates, absorption cross sections and scattering cross sections, which are important for all experimental techniques that use photon probes.Quantization is first discussed for the Schrödinger field before the relativistic Maxwell, Klein-Gordon and Dirac fields are quantized. Quantized Schrödinger field theory is not only important for condensed matter physics and materials science, but also provides the easiest avenue to general field quantization and is therefore also useful for students with an interest in nuclear and particle physics. The quantization of the Maxwell field is performed in Coulomb gauge. This is the appropriate and practically most useful quantization procedure in condensed matter physics,chemistry, and materials science because it naturally separates the effects of Coulomb interactions, exchange interactions, and photon scattering. The appendices contain additional material that is usually not found in standard quantum mechanics textbooks, including a completeness proof of eigenfunctions of one-dimensional Sturm-Liouville problems, logarithms of matrices, and Green's functions in different dimensions.

Statistics and Analysis of Scientific Data covers the foundations of probability theory and statistics, and a number of numerical and analytical methods that are essential for the present-day analyst of scientific data. Topics covered include probability theory, distribution functions of statistics, fits to two-dimensional datasheets and parameter estimation, Monte Carlo methods and Markov chains. Equal attention is paid to the theory and its practical application, and results from classic experiments in various fields are used to illustrate the importance of statistics in the analysis of scientific data. The main pedagogical method is a theory-then-application approach, where emphasis is placed first on a sound understanding of the underlying theory of a topic, which becomes the basis for an efficient and proactive use of the material for practical applications. The level is appropriate for undergraduates and beginning graduate students, and as a reference for the experienced researcher. Basic calculus is used in some of the derivations, and no previous background in probability and statistics is required. The book includes many numerical tables of data, as well as exercises and examples to aid the students' understanding of the topic.

Introduction to the Theory of Quantum Information Processing provides the material for a one-semester graduate level course on quantum information theory and quantum computing for students who have had a one-year graduate course in quantum mechanics. Many standard subjects are treated, such as density matrices, entanglement, quantum maps, quantum cryptography, and quantum codes. Also included are discussions of quantum machines and quantum walks. In addition, the book provides detailed treatments of several underlying fundamental principles of quantum theory, such as quantum measurements, the no-cloning and no-signaling theorems, and their consequences. Problems of various levels of difficulty supplement the text, with the most challenging problems bringing the reader to the forefront of active research.This book provides a compact introduction to the fascinating and rapidly evolving interdisciplinary field of quantum information theory, and it prepares the reader for doing active research in this area.

This book grew out of the need to provide students with a solid introduction to modern fluid dynamics.  It offers a broad grounding in the underlying principles and techniques used, with some emphasis on applications in astrophysics and planetary science.        The book comprehensively covers recent developments, methods and techniques, including, for example, new ideas on transitions to turbulence (via transiently growing stable linear modes), new approaches to turbulence (which remains the enigma of fluid dynamics), and the use of asymptotic approximation methods, which can give analytical or semi-analytical results and complement fully numerical treatments. The authors also briefly discuss some important considerations to be taken into account when developing a numerical code for computer simulation of fluid flows.       Although the text is populated throughout with examples and problems from the field of astrophysics and planetary science, the text is eminently suitable as a general introduction to fluid dynamics.   It is assumed that the readers are mathematically equipped with a reasonable knowledge in analysis, including basics of ordinary and partial differential equations and a good command of vector calculus and linear algebra.       Each chapter concludes with  bibliographical notes in which the authors briefly discuss the chapter's essential literature and give recommendations for further, deeper reading.  Included in each chapter are a number of problems, some of them relevant to astrophysics and planetary science. The book is written for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, but will also prove a valuable source of reference for established researchers.

Based on courses for students of science, engineering, and systems science at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences at Winterthur, this text approaches the fundamentals of thermodynamics from the point of view of continuum physics. By describing physical processes in terms of the flow and balance of physical quantities, the author achieves a unified approach to hydraulics, electricity, mechanics and thermodynamics. In this way, it becomes clear that entropy is the fundamental property that is transported in thermal processes (i.e., heat), and that temperature is the corresponding potential. The resulting theory of the creation, flow, and balance of entropy provides the foundation of a dynamical theory of heat. This extensively revised and updated second edition includes new material on dynamical chemical processes, thermoelectricity, and explicit dynamical modeling of thermal and chemical processes. To make the book more useful for courses on thermodynamics and physical chemistry at different levels, coverage of topics is divided into introductory and more advanced and formal treatments. Previous knowledge of thermodynamics is not required, but the reader should be familiar with basic electricity, mechanics, and chemistry and should have some knowledge of elementary calculus. The special feature of the first edition -- the integration of thermodynamics, heat transfer, and chemical processes -- has been maintained and strengthened. Key Features:·         First revised edition of a successful text/reference in fourteen years·         More than 25 percent new material·         Provides a unified approach to thermodynamics and heat transport in fundamental physical and chemical processes·         Includes worked examples, questions, and problem sets for use as a teaching text or to test the reader's understanding·         Includes many system dynamics models of laboratory experiments

This book grew out of the need to provide students with a solid introduction to modern fluid dynamics.  It offers a broad grounding in the underlying principles and techniques used, with some emphasis on applications in astrophysics and planetary science.        The book comprehensively covers recent developments, methods and techniques, including, for example, new ideas on transitions to turbulence (via transiently growing stable linear modes), new approaches to turbulence (which remains the enigma of fluid dynamics), and the use of asymptotic approximation methods, which can give analytical or semi-analytical results and complement fully numerical treatments. The authors also briefly discuss some important considerations to be taken into account when developing a numerical code for computer simulation of fluid flows.       Although the text is populated throughout with examples and problems from the field of astrophysics and planetary science, the text is eminently suitable as a general introduction to fluid dynamics.   It is assumed that the readers are mathematically equipped with a reasonable knowledge in analysis, including basics of ordinary and partial differential equations and a good command of vector calculus and linear algebra.       Each chapter concludes with  bibliographical notes in which the authors briefly discuss the chapter's essential literature and give recommendations for further, deeper reading.  Included in each chapter are a number of problems, some of them relevant to astrophysics and planetary science. The book is written for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, but will also prove a valuable source of reference for established researchers.

The revised second edition of this textbook provides the reader with a solid foundation in probability theory and statistics as applied to the physical sciences, engineering and related fields. It covers a broad range of numerical and analytical methods that are essential for the correct analysis of scientific data, including probability theory, distribution functions of statistics, fits to two-dimensional data and parameter estimation, Monte Carlo methods and Markov chains. Features new to this edition include: • a discussion of statistical techniques employed in business science, such as multiple regression analysis of multivariate datasets.• a new chapter on the various measures of the mean including logarithmic averages.• new chapters on systematic errors and intrinsic scatter, and on the fitting of data with bivariate errors.• a new case study and additional worked examples.• mathematical derivations and theoretical background material have been appropriately marked, to improve the readability of the text.• end-of-chapter summary boxes, for easy reference.As in the first edition, the main pedagogical method is a theory-then-application approach, where emphasis is placed first on a sound understanding of the underlying theory of a topic, which becomes the basis for an efficient and practical application of the material. The level is appropriate for undergraduates and beginning graduate students, and as a reference for the experienced researcher. Basic calculus is used in some of the derivations, and no previous background in probability and statistics is required. The book includes many numerical tables of data, as well as exercises and examples to aid the readers' understanding of the topic.

The pursuit of nuclear fusion as an energy source requires a broad knowledge of several disciplines. These include plasma physics, atomic physics, electromagnetics, materials science, computational modeling, superconducting magnet technology, accelerators, lasers, and health physics. Nuclear Fusion distills and combines these disparate subjects to create a concise and coherent foundation to both fusion science and technology. It examines all aspects of physics and technology underlying the major magnetic and inertial confinement approaches to developing nuclear fusion energy. It further chronicles latest developments in the field, and reflects the multi-faceted nature of fusion research, preparing advanced undergraduate and graduate students in physics and engineering to launch into successful and diverse fusion-related research.Nuclear Fusion reflects Dr. Morse’s research in both magnetic and inertial confinement fusion, working with the world’s top laboratories, and embodies his extensive thirty-five year career in teaching three courses in fusion plasma physics and fusion technology at University of California, Berkeley.

This self-contained textbook with exercises discusses a broad range of selected topics from classical mechanics and electromagnetic theory that inform key issues related to modern accelerators.Part I presents fundamentals of the Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalism for mechanical systems, canonical transformations, action-angle variables, and then linear and nonlinear oscillators. The Hamiltonian for a circular accelerator is used to evaluate the equations of motion, the action, and betatron oscillations in an accelerator.  From this base, we explore the impact of field errors and nonlinear resonances.  This part ends with the concept of the distribution function and an introduction to the kinetic equation to describe large ensembles of charged particles and to supplement the previous single-particle analysis of beam dynamics.Part II focuses on classical electromagnetism and begins with an analysis of the electromagnetic field from relativistic beams, both in vacuum and in a resistive pipe.  Plane electromagnetic waves and modes in waveguides and radio-frequency cavities are also discussed.  The focus then turns to radiation processes of relativistic beams in different conditions, including transition, diffraction, synchrotron, and undulator radiation. Fundamental concepts such as the retarded time for the observed field from a charged particle, coherent and incoherent radiation, and the formation length of radiation are introduced. We conclude with a discussion of laser-driven acceleration of charged particles and the radiation damping effect.Appendices on electromagnetism and special relativity are included, and references are given in some chapters as a launching point for further reading.This text is intended for graduate students who are beginning to explore the field of accelerator physics, but is also recommended for those who are familiar with particle accelerators but wish to delve further intothe theory underlying some of the more pressing concerns in their design and operation.

This book is intended to help advanced undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students in their daily work by offering them a compendium of numerical methods. The choice of methods pays significant attention to error estimates, stability and convergence issues, as well as optimization of program execution speeds. Numerous examples are given throughout the chapters, followed by comprehensive end-of-chapter problems with a more pronounced physics background, while less stress is given to the explanation of individual algorithms. The readers are encouraged to develop a certain amount of skepticism and scrutiny instead of blindly following readily available commercial tools. The second edition has been enriched by a chapter on inverse problems dealing with the solution of integral equations, inverse Sturm-Liouville problems, as well as retrospective and recovery problems for partial differential equations. The revised text now includes an introduction to sparse matrix methods, the solution of matrix equations, and pseudospectra of matrices; it discusses the sparse Fourier, non-uniform Fourier and discrete wavelet transformations, the basics of non-linear regression and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test; it demonstrates the key concepts in solving stiff differential equations and the asymptotics of Sturm-Liouville eigenvalues and eigenfunctions. Among other updates, it also presents the techniques of state-space reconstruction, methods to calculate the matrix exponential, generate random permutations and compute stable derivatives.

This textbook extends from the basics of femtosecond physics all the way to some of the latest developments in the field. In this updated edition, the chapter on laser-driven atoms is augmented by the discussion of two-electron atoms interacting with strong and short laser pulses, as well as by a review of ATI rings and low energy structures in photo-electron spectra. In the chapter on laser-driven molecules a discussion of 2D infrared spectroscopy is incorporated.Theoretical investigations of atoms and molecules interacting with pulsed lasers up to atomic field strengths on the order of 10^16 W/cm² are leading to an understanding of many challenging experimental discoveries. The presentation starts with a brief introduction to pulsed laser physics. The basis for the non-perturbative treatment of laser-matter interaction in the book is the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. Its analytical as well as numerical solution are laid out in some detail. The light field is treated classically and different possible gauges for the field-matter interaction are discussed. Physical phenomena, ranging from paradigmatic Rabi-oscillations in two-level systems to the ionization of atoms, the generation of high-order harmonics, the ionization and dissociation of molecules, as well as the control of chemical reactions are presented and discussed on a fundamental level. In this way, the theoretical background for state of the art experiments with strong and short laser pulses is given.The new text is augmented by several additional exercises and now contains a total of forty-eight problems, whose worked-out solutions are given in the last chapter. In addition, some detailed calculations are performed in the appendices. Furthermore, each chapter ends with references to more specialized literature.

The sixth edition of this highly successful textbook provides a detailed introduction to Monte Carlo simulation in statistical physics, which deals with the computer simulation of many-body systems in condensed matter physics and related fields of physics and beyond (traffic flows, stock market fluctuations, etc.). Using random numbers generated by a computer, these powerful simulation methods calculate probability distributions, making it possible to estimate the thermodynamic properties of various systems. The book describes the theoretical background of these methods, enabling newcomers to perform such simulations and to analyse their results. It features a modular structure, with two chapters providing a basic pedagogic introduction plus exercises suitable for university courses; the remaining chapters cover major recent developments in the field.This edition has been updated with two new chapters dealing with recently developed powerful special algorithms and with finitesize scaling tools for the study of interfacial phenomena, which are important for nanoscience. Previous editions have been highly praised and widely used by both students and advanced researchers.

This textbook provides comprehensive information on general and statistical thermodynamics. It begins with an introductory statistical mechanics course, deriving all the important formulae meticulously and explicitly, without mathematical shortcuts. In turn, the main part of the book focuses on in-depth discussions of the concepts and laws of thermodynamics, van der Waals, Kelvin and Claudius theories, ideal and real gases, thermodynamic potentials, phonons and all related aspects. To elucidate the concepts introduced and to provide practical problem-solving support, numerous carefully worked-out examples are included. The text is clearly written and punctuated with a number of interesting anecdotes. The book also provides alternative solutions to problems and second equivalent explanations of important physical concepts. This second edition has been expanded to cover the foundations of superconductivity with new chapters on Cooper pairs, the Bogoliubov transformation, and superconductivity. It is suitable as a main thermodynamics textbook for upper-undergraduate students and provides extensive coverage, allowing instructors to ‘pick and choose’ the elements that best match their class profile.

This textbook provides comprehensive information on general and statistical thermodynamics. It begins with an introductory statistical mechanics course, deriving all the important formulae meticulously and explicitly, without mathematical shortcuts. In turn, the main part of the book focuses on in-depth discussions of the concepts and laws of thermodynamics, van der Waals, Kelvin and Claudius theories, ideal and real gases, thermodynamic potentials, phonons and all related aspects. To elucidate the concepts introduced and to provide practical problem-solving support, numerous carefully worked-out examples are included. The text is clearly written and punctuated with a number of interesting anecdotes. The book also provides alternative solutions to problems and second equivalent explanations of important physical concepts. This second edition has been expanded to cover the foundations of superconductivity with new chapters on Cooper pairs, the Bogoliubov transformation, and superconductivity. It is suitable as a main thermodynamics textbook for upper-undergraduate students and provides extensive coverage, allowing instructors to ‘pick and choose’ the elements that best match their class profile.

This revised and updated edition of the well-received book by C. Klingshirn provides an introduction to and an overview of all aspects of semiconductor optics, from IR to visible and UV. It has been split into two volumes and rearranged to offer a clearer structure of the course content. Inserts on important experimental techniques as well as sections on topical research have been added to support research-oriented teaching and learning. Volume 1 provides an introduction to the linear optical properties of semiconductors. The mathematical treatment has been kept as elementary as possible to allow an intuitive approach to the understanding of results of semiconductor spectroscopy. Building on the phenomenological model of the Lorentz oscillator, the book describes the interaction of light with fundamental optical excitations in semiconductors (phonons, free carriers, excitons). It also offers a broad review of seminal research results augmented by concise descriptions of the relevant experimental techniques, e.g., Fourier transform IR spectroscopy, ellipsometry, modulation spectroscopy and spatially resolved methods, to name a few. Further, it picks up on hot topics in current research, like quantum structures, mono-layer semiconductors or Perovskites. The experimental aspects of semiconductor optics are complemented by an in-depth discussion of group theory in solid-state optics. Covering subjects ranging from physics to materials science and optoelectronics, this book provides a lively and comprehensive introduction to semiconductor optics. With over 120 problems, more than 480 figures, abstracts to each chapter, as well as boxed inserts and a detailed index, it is intended for use in graduate courses in physics and neighboring sciences like material science and electrical engineering. It is also a valuable reference resource for doctoral and advanced researchers.

In a comprehensive treatment of Statistical Mechanics from thermodynamics through the renormalization group, this book serves as the core text for a full-year graduate course in statistical mechanics at either the Masters or Ph.D. level. Each chapter contains numerous exercises, and several chapters treat special topics which can be used as the basis for student projects. The concept of scaling is introduced early and used extensively throughout the text. At the heart of the book is an extensive treatment of mean field theory, from the simplest decoupling approach, through the density matrix formalism, to self-consistent classical and quantum field theory as well as exact solutions on the Cayley tree. Proceeding beyond mean field theory, the book discusses exact mappings involving Potts models, percolation, self-avoiding walks and quenched randomness, connecting various athermal and thermal models. Computational methods such as series expansions and Monte Carlo simulations are discussed, along with exact solutions to the 1D quantum and 2D classical Ising models. The renormalization group formalism is developed, starting from real-space RG and proceeding through a detailed treatment of Wilson’s epsilon expansion. Finally the subject of Kosterlitz-Thouless systems is introduced from a historical perspective and then treated by methods  due to Anderson, Kosterlitz, Thouless and Young.Altogether, this comprehensive, up-to-date, and engaging text offers an ideal package for advanced undergraduate or graduate courses or for use in self study.

In a comprehensive treatment of Statistical Mechanics from thermodynamics through the renormalization group, this book serves as the core text for a full-year graduate course in statistical mechanics at either the Masters or Ph.D. level. Each chapter contains numerous exercises, and several chapters treat special topics which can be used as the basis for student projects. The concept of scaling is introduced early and used extensively throughout the text. At the heart of the book is an extensive treatment of mean field theory, from the simplest decoupling approach, through the density matrix formalism, to self-consistent classical and quantum field theory as well as exact solutions on the Cayley tree. Proceeding beyond mean field theory, the book discusses exact mappings involving Potts models, percolation, self-avoiding walks and quenched randomness, connecting various athermal and thermal models. Computational methods such as series expansions and Monte Carlo simulations are discussed, along with exact solutions to the 1D quantum and 2D classical Ising models. The renormalization group formalism is developed, starting from real-space RG and proceeding through a detailed treatment of Wilson’s epsilon expansion. Finally the subject of Kosterlitz-Thouless systems is introduced from a historical perspective and then treated by methods  due to Anderson, Kosterlitz, Thouless and Young.Altogether, this comprehensive, up-to-date, and engaging text offers an ideal package for advanced undergraduate or graduate courses or for use in self study.

With a new chapter on polymer synthesis, the perspective has been broadened significantly to encompass polymer science rather than “just” polymer physics. - Polymer NewsThis valuable book is ideal for those who wish to get a brief background in polymer science as well as for those who seek a further grounding in the subject.

This classroom-tested textbook is a modern primer on the rapidly developing field of quantum nano optics which investigates the optical properties of nanosized materials.The essentials of both classical and quantum optics are presented before embarking through a stimulating selection of further topics, such as various plasmonic phenomena, thermal effects, open quantum systems, and photon noise.Didactic and thorough in style, and requiring only basic knowledge of classical electrodynamics, the text provides all further physics background and additional mathematical and computational tools in a self-contained way. Numerous end-of-chapter exercises allow students to apply and test their understanding of the chapter topics and to refine their problem-solving techniques.

This classroom-tested textbook is a modern primer on the rapidly developing field of quantum nano optics which investigates the optical properties of nanosized materials.The essentials of both classical and quantum optics are presented before embarking through a stimulating selection of further topics, such as various plasmonic phenomena, thermal effects, open quantum systems, and photon noise.Didactic and thorough in style, and requiring only basic knowledge of classical electrodynamics, the text provides all further physics background and additional mathematical and computational tools in a self-contained way. Numerous end-of-chapter exercises allow students to apply and test their understanding of the chapter topics and to refine their problem-solving techniques.

Written by three leading experts in the field, this book describes and explains all essential aspects of scanning probe microscopy. Emphasis is placed on the experimental design and procedures required to optimize the performance of the various methods described. The book covers not only the physical principles behind this popular technique, but also tackles questions on instrument design, the basic features of the different imaging modes, and recurring artifacts. Novel applications and the latest research results are presented, and the book closes with a look at the future prospects of scanning probe microscopy, while also discussing related techniques in the field of nanoscience. This second edition includes essential scientific updates reflecting the latest research, as well as coverage of new breakthroughs in techniques such as submolecular imaging by atomic force microscopy (AFM), multifrequency AFM, high-speed imaging of biological matter, scanning x-ray microscopy, andtip-enhanced Raman scattering. The book serves as a general, hands-on guide for all types of classes that address scanning probe microscopy. It is ideally suited for graduate and advanced undergraduate students, either for self-study or as a textbook for a dedicated course on the topic. Furthermore, it is an essential component of any scanning probe microscopy laboratory course and a valuable resource for practicing researchers developing and using scanning probe techniques.

Written by three leading experts in the field, this book describes and explains all essential aspects of scanning probe microscopy. Emphasis is placed on the experimental design and procedures required to optimize the performance of the various methods described. The book covers not only the physical principles behind this popular technique, but also tackles questions on instrument design, the basic features of the different imaging modes, and recurring artifacts. Novel applications and the latest research results are presented, and the book closes with a look at the future prospects of scanning probe microscopy, while also discussing related techniques in the field of nanoscience. This second edition includes essential scientific updates reflecting the latest research, as well as coverage of new breakthroughs in techniques such as submolecular imaging by atomic force microscopy (AFM), multifrequency AFM, high-speed imaging of biological matter, scanning x-ray microscopy, andtip-enhanced Raman scattering. The book serves as a general, hands-on guide for all types of classes that address scanning probe microscopy. It is ideally suited for graduate and advanced undergraduate students, either for self-study or as a textbook for a dedicated course on the topic. Furthermore, it is an essential component of any scanning probe microscopy laboratory course and a valuable resource for practicing researchers developing and using scanning probe techniques.