One of the major challenges of science in the last few years of the second millennium is learning how to design materials which can fulfill specific tasks. Ambitious as it may be, the possibilities of success are not ne li ble provided that all the different expertises merge to overcome the limits of eXIsting disciplines and forming new paradigms science. The NATO Advanced Research Workshop on "Magnetic Molecular Materials" was organized with the above considerations in mind in order to determine which are the most appropriate synthetic strategies, experimental techniques of investigation, and theoretical models which are needed in order to develop new classes of magnetic materials which are based on molecules rather than on metallic or ionic lattices. Why molecules? The answer may be obvious: molecular chemistry in principle fine can tune the structures and the properties of complex aggregates, and nature already provides a large number of molecular aggregates which can perform the most disparate functions. The contributions collected in this book provide a rather complete view of the current research accomplishments of magnetic molecular materials. There are several different synthetic approaches which are followed ranging from purely organic to inorganic materials. Some encouraging successes have already been achieved, even if the critical temperatures below which magnetic order is observed still are in the range requiring liquid helium.

Diffusion in solids at moderate temperatures is a well-known phenomenon. However, direct experimental evidence about the responsible atomic-scale mechanisms has been scarce, due to difficulties in probing the relevant length- and time-scales. The present thesis deals with the application of X-ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (XPCS) for answering such questions. This is an established method for the study of slow dynamics on length-scales of a few nanometres. The scattered intensity in the diffuse regime, i.e. corresponding to atomic distances, is very low, however, and so it has so far been considered impossible to use XPCS for this problem. Threefold progress is reported in this work: It proposes a number of systems selected for high diffuse intensity, it optimizes the photon detection and data evaluation procedures, and it establishes theoretical models for interpretating the results. Together these advances allowed the first successful atomic-scale XPCS experiment, which elucidated the role of preferred configurations for atomic jumps in a copper-gold alloy. The growth in available coherent X-ray intensity together with next-generation X-ray sources will open up a wide field of application for this new method.

Mesoscopic physics has made great strides in the last few years. It is an area of research that is attractive to many graduate students of theoretical condensed matter physics. The techniques that are needed to understand it go beyond the conventional perturbative approaches that still form the bulk of the graduate lectures that are given to students. Even when the non-perturbative techniques are presented, they often are presented within an abstract context. It is important to have lectures given by experts in the field, which present both theory and experiment in an illuminating and inspiring way, so that the impact of new methodology on novel physics is clear. It is an apt time to have such a volume since the field has reached a level of maturity. The pedagogical nature of the articles and the variety of topics makes it an important resource for newcomers to the field. The topics range from the newly emerging area of quantum computers and quantum information using Josephson junctions to the formal mathematical methods of conformal field theory which are applied to the understanding of Luttinger liquids. Electrons which interact strongly can give rise to non-trivial ground states such as superconductivity, quantum Hall states and magnetism. Both their theory and application are discussed in a pedagogical way for quantum information in mesoscopic superconducting devices, skyrmions and magnetism in two dimensional electron gases, transport in quantum wires, metal-insulator transitions and spin electronics.

About half a century ago Landau formulated the central principles of the phe nomenological second-order phase transition theory which is based on the idea of spontaneous symmetry breaking at phase transition. By means of this ap proach it has been possible to treat phase transitions of different nature in altogether distinct systems from a unified viewpoint, to embrace the aforemen tioned transitions by a unified body of mathematics and to show that, in a certain sense, physical systems in the vicinity of second-order phase transitions exhibit universal behavior. For several decades the Landau method has been extensively used to an alyze specific phase transitions in systems and has been providing a basis for interpreting experimental data on the behavior of physical characteristics near the phase transition, including the behavior of these characteristics in systems subject to various external effects such as pressure, electric and magnetic fields, deformation, etc. The symmetry aspects of Landau's theory are perhaps most effective in analyzing phase transitions in crystals because the relevant body of mathemat ics for this symmetry, namely, the crystal space group representation, has been worked out in great detail. Since particular phase transitions in crystals often call for a subtle symmetry analysis, the Landau method has been continually refined and developed over the past ten or fifteen years."

This collection of lectures and tutorial reviews focuses on the common computational approaches in use to unravel the static and dynamical behaviour of complex physical systems at the interface of physics, chemistry and biology. Prominent consideration is given to rugged free-energy landscapes. The authors aim to provide a common basis and technical language for the (computational) technology transfer between the fields and systems considered.

This book is an outcome of the International Workshop on Electronic Density Functional Theory, held at Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia, in July 1996. Density functional theory, standing as it does at the boundary between the disciplines of physics, chemistry, and materials science, is a great mixer. Invited experts from North America, Europe, and Australia mingled with students from several disciplines, rapidly taking up the informal style for which Australia is famous. A list of participants is given at the end of the book. Density functional theory (DFT) is a subtle approach to the very difficult problem of predicting the behavior of many interacting particles. A major application is the study of many-electron systems. This was the workshop theme, embracing inter alia computational chemistry and condensed matter physics. DFT circumvents the more conceptually straightforward (but more computationally intensive) approach in which one solves the many-body Schrodinger equation. It relies instead on rather delicate considerations involving the electron number density. For many years the pioneering work of Kohn and Sham (the Local Density Ap proximation of 1965 and immediate extensions) represented the state of the art in DFT. This approach was widely used for its appealing simplicity and computability, but gave rather modest accuracy. In the last few years there has been a renaissance of interest, quite largely due to the remarkable success of the new generation of gradient functionals whose initiators include invitees to the workshop (Perdew, Parr, Yang)."

The ability to arrange precisely designed patterns of nanoparticles into a desired spatial configuration is the key to creating novel nanoscale devices that take advantage of the unique properties of nanomaterials. While two-dimensional arrays of nanoparticles have been demonstrated successfully by various techniques, a controlled way of building ordered arrays of three-dimensional (3D) nanoparticle structures remains challenging. This book describes a new technique called the 'nanoscopic lens' which is able to produce a variety of 3D nano-structures in a controlled manner. This ebook describes the nanoscopic lens technique and how it can serve as the foundation for device development that is not limited to a variety of optical, magnetic and electronic devices, but can also create a wide range of bio-nanoelectronic devices.

Soft X-rays are a powerful probe of matter. They interact selectively with electrons in atoms and molecules and can be used to study atomic physics, chemical reactions, surfaces and solids, and biological entities. Over the past 20 years, synchrotrons have emerged as powerful sources of soft X-rays for experimental use. A new, third generation of synchrotron light sources is scheduled to start operation over the next few years, beginning in 1993. These facilities are distinguished by their ultra-low emittance electron beams and by their undulators - precisely engineered magnetic devices that cause the electrons passing through them to produce highly coherent X-rays and ultraviolet light of unprecedented spectral brightness. The book should prove a useful addition to the library of any scientist who needs information on the world's most advanced imaging and spectroscopic techniques.

Materials sciences relate the macroscopic properties of materials to their microscopic structure and postulate the need for holistic multiscale research. The investigation of shape memory alloys is a prime example in this regard. This particular class of materials exhibits strong coupling of temperature, strain and stress, determined by solid state phase transformations of their metallic lattices. The present book presents a collection of simulation studies of this behaviour. Employing conceptually simple but comprehensive models, the fundamental material properties of shape memory alloys are qualitatively explained from first principles. Using contemporary methods of molecular dynamics simulation experiments, it is shown how microscale dynamics may produce characteristic macroscopic material properties. The work is rooted in the materials sciences of shape memory alloys and covers thermodynamical, micro-mechanical and crystallographical aspects. It addresses scientists in these research fields and their students.

The vast expansion of the sensor and actuator field in recent years has necessitated the creation of a handbook series to clarify scientific developments.

First in the new series, Handbook of Sensors and Actuators, which will examine a broad range of topics across the discipline, this volume explores thick-film technology. The area has already achieved a high rank in the families of advanced solid sensor technologies but there has been limited acknowledgement of its future potential. This publication aims to increase the involvement of internationally recognised sensor experts by suggesting possible directions for further investigation. In this pursuit, it disseminates the data identifying the actual performances and applications of thick-film sensors manufactured all over the world and presents ideas underlying current activities in the research and development of new devices.

Three major areas are explored in which thick film technology contributes as a sensor technology, namely: hybrid circuits for signal processing (in combination with either thick-film sensing elements or transducing elements derived from other technologies), creation of architectural structures (eg. multilayer structures, integrated chips with chemical sensing elements, sensor arrays) and transducing elements derived from thick-film pastes. However, the unique properties and chances offered by thick-film technology for sensor manufacture might not be appreciated without emphasis on both scientific and technological features which are either common or distinguished from those of the major alternative technologies, namely silicon, thin films and ceramic. These are therefore also considered, enabling the volume to offer a balanced view of the state-of-the-art in this exciting field.

Optical Properties of Metal Clusters deals with the electronic structure of metal clusters determined optically. Clusters - as state intermediate between molecules and the extended solid - are important in many areas, e.g. in air pollution, interstellar matter, clay minerals, photography, heterogeneous catalysis, quantum dots, and virus crystals. This book extends the approaches of optical molecular and solid-state methods to clusters, revealing how their optical properties evolve as a function of size. Cluster matter, i.e. extended systems of many clusters - the most frequently occuring form - is also treated. The combination of reviews of experimental techniques, lists of results and detailed descriptions of selected experiments will appeal to experts, newcomers and graduate students in this expanding field.

The NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Coherent Optical Processes in Semiconductors was held in Cambridge, England on August 11-14,1993. The idea of holding this Workshop grew from the recent upsurge in activity on coherent transient effects in semiconductors. The development of this field reflects advances in both light sources and the quality of semiconductor structures, such that tunable optical pulses are now routinely available whose duration is shorter than the dephasing time for excitonic states in quantum wells. It was therefore no surprise to the organisers that as the programme developed, there emerged a heavy emphasis on time-resolved four-wave mixing, particularly in quantum wells. Nevertheless, other issues concerned with coherent effects ensured that several papers on related problems contributed some variety. The topics discussed at the workshop centred on what is a rather new field of study, and benefited enormously by having participants representing many of the principal groups working in this area. Several themes emerged through the invited contributions at the Workshop. One important development has been the careful examination of the two-level model of excitonic effects; a model which has been remarkably successful despite the expected complexities arising from the semiconductor band structure. Indeed, modest extensions to the two level model have been able to offer a useful account for some of the complicated polarisation dependence of four-wave mixing signals from GaAs quantum wells. This work clearly is leading to an improved understanding of excitons in confined systems.

The 1952 Nobel physics laureate Felix Bloch (1905-83) was one of the titans of twentieth-century physics. He laid the fundamentals for the theory of solids and has been called the "father of solid-state physics." His numerous, valuable contributions include the theory of magnetism, measurement of the magnetic moment of the neutron, nuclear magnetic resonance, and the infrared problem in quantum electrodynamics.Statistical mechanics is a crucial subject which explores the understanding of the physical behaviour of many-body systems that create the world around us. Bloch's first-year graduate course at Stanford University was the highlight for several generations of students. Upon his retirement, he worked on a book based on the course. Unfortunately, at the time of his death, the writing was incomplete.This book has been prepared by Professor John Dirk Walecka from Bloch's unfinished masterpiece. It also includes three sets of Bloch's handwritten lecture notes (dating from 1949, 1969 and 1976), and details of lecture notes taken in 1976 by Brian Serot, who gave an invaluable opinion of the course from a student's perspective. All of Bloch's problem sets, some dating back to 1933, have been included.The book is accessible to anyone in the physical sciences at the advanced undergraduate level or the first-year graduate level.

This impressive thesis offers a comprehensive scientific study of the alkaline earth niobates and describes their nonlinear optical properties for the first time. It explores the crystal structure, electrical properties, optical absorption properties, hot carrier dynamics, nonlinear optical property and strain-induced metal to insulator transition of alkaline earth niobates using advanced experimental techniques. These alkaline earth niobates can have a strong plasmon resonance in the visible range due to their large carrier density, and this unique property gives rise to the emergent phenomenon of photocatalysis and nonlinear optical properties. This series of intrinsic plasmonic materials based on niobates, can be used as a photocatalyst to split water under sunlight, a novel saturable absorber in the high-power ultrashort pulsed laser system, and as a sensor in microelectromechanical systems.

Since the major discovery of 'giant magnetoresistance' (GMR) in 1988, spin-dependent transport phenomena in magnetic nanostructures have received much attention from an academic and a technological point of view. This cutting-edge book, edited by two of the world's leading authorities, introduces and explains the basics physics and applications of a variety of spin-dependent transport phenomena in magnetic nanostructures with particular emphasis on magnetic multilayers and magnetic tunnel junctions.

This book presents an up-to-date formalism of non-equilibrium Green's functions covering different applications ranging from solid state physics, plasma physics, cold atoms in optical lattices up to relativistic transport and heavy ion collisions. Within the Green's function formalism, the basic sets of equations for these diverse systems are similar, and approximations developed in one field can be adapted to another field. The central object is the self-energy which includes all non-trivial aspects of the system dynamics. The focus is therefore on microscopic processes starting from elementary principles for classical gases and the complementary picture of a single quantum particle in a random potential. This provides an intuitive picture of the interaction of a particle with the medium formed by other particles, on which the Green's function is built on.

This series of books, which is published at the rate of about one per year, addresses fundamental problems in materials science. The contents cover a broad range of topics from small clusters of atoms to engineering materials and involves chemistry, physics, materials science and engineering, with length scales ranging from Angstroms up to millimeters. The emphasis is on basic science rather than on applications. Each book focuses on a single area of current interest and brings together leading experts to give an up to date discussion of their work and the work of others. Each article contains enough references that the interested reader can access the relevant literature. Thanks are given to the Center for Fundamental Materials Research at Michigan State University for supporting this series. M. F. Thorpe, Series Editor E mail: thorpe@pa. msu. edu V PREFACE This book records invited lectures given at the workshop on Physics of Manganites, held at Michigan State University, July 26 29, 1998. Doped manganites are an interesting class of compounds that show both metal insulator and ferromagnetic to paramagnetic transitions at the same temperature. This was discovered in the early 1950s by Jonker and van Santen and basic theoretical ideas were developed by Zener (1951), Anderson and Hasegawa (1955), and deGennes (1960) to explain these transitions and related interesting observations."

This book collects several contributions presented at the 2019 meeting of the Italian Synchrotron Radiation Society (SILS), held in Camerino, Italy, from 9 to 11 September 2019. Topics included are recent developments in synchrotron radiation facilities and instrumentation, novel methods for data analysis, applications in the fields of materials physics and chemistry, Earth and environmental science, coherence in x-ray experiments. The book is intended for advanced students and researchers interested in synchrotron-based techniques and their application in diverse fields.

This edited book, based on material presented at the EU Spec Training School on Multiple Scattering Codes and the following MSNano Conference, is divided into two distinct parts. The first part, subtitled "basic knowledge", provides the basics of the multiple scattering description in spectroscopies, enabling readers to understand the physics behind the various multiple scattering codes available for modelling spectroscopies. The second part, "extended knowledge", presents "state- of-the-art" short chapters on specific subjects associated with improving of the actual description of spectroscopies within the multiple scattering formalism, such as inelastic processes, or precise examples of modelling.

This book presents an account of the course "Advances in Nonradiative Processes in Solids" held in Erice, Italy, from June 15 to 29, 1989. This meeting was organized by the International School of Atomic and Molecular Spectroscopy of the "Ettore Majorana" Centre for Scientific Culture. An area of solid state research that continues to attract the attention of experimental and theoretical physicists is that of nonradiative relaxation processes of excited solids. The interest in these processes stems from their technological relevance, and from the difficulty in the quantitative characterization and differentiation of their various pathways. The decay channels leading to the ground state include the conversion of electronic excitation energy into phonon energy, nonradiative transfer of excitation energy, upconversion processes, etc. Considerable advances have been achieved in understanding and modeling the radiative process that follow the electronic excitations of solids; the progress in this field has been instrumental in the development of new solid-state devices and laser materials. On the other hand, these advances have underscored the inadequacy in the understanding of the nonradiative relaxation processes. This course dealt with the advances in physical modeling, mathematical formalisms and experimental techniques relevant to the quantitative characterization of the various pathways of nonradiative relaxation of solids in excited electronic states.

In the last two decades low-dimensional (low-d) physics has matured into a major branch of science. Quite generally we may define a system with restricted dimensionality d as an object that is infinite only in one or two spatial directions (d = 1 and 2). Such a definition comprises isolated single chains or layers, but also fibres and thin layers (films) of varying but finite thickness. Clearly, a multitude of physical phenomena, notably in solid state physics, fall into these categories. As examples, we may mention: * Magnetic chains or layers (thin-film technology). * Metallic films (homogeneous or heterogeneous, crystalline, amorphous or microcristalline, etc.). * I-d or 2-d conductors and superconductors. * Intercalated systems. * 2-d electron gases (electrons on helium, semiconductor interfaces). * Surface layer problems (2-d melting of monolayers of noble gases on a substrate, surface problems in general). * Superfluid films of ~He or 'He. * Polymer physics. * Organic and inorganic chain conductors, superionic conductors. * I-d or 2-d molecular crystals and liquid crystals. * I-d or 2-d ferro- and antiferro electrics.

Contents:
Part I Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics 1. Introduction 2. Governing Equations 3. Classification of Partial Differential Equations 4. Well Posed Problems 5. Numerical Methods 6. The Finite Difference Method
Part II The Finite Analytic Method 7. Basic Principles 8. The One-Dimensional Case 9. The Two-Dimensional Case 10. The Tree-Dimensional Case 11. Stability of Convergence 12. Hyperbolic PDEs 13. Explicit Finite Analytic Method
Part III 14. Introduction to Grid Generation 15. Elliptic Grid Generation 16. Equations in E and n Coordinates 17. Diagonal Cartesian Method 18. FA Method on Diagonal Cartesian Coordinates
Part IV Computational Considerations 19. Velocity , Pressure and Staggered Grids 20. Non-staggered Grid Methods 21. Boundary Conditions
Applications of the FA Method 22. Turbulent Flows 23. Turbulent Heat Transfer 24. Complex Domain Flows 25. Conjugate Heat Transfer
A The One-Dimensional Case
B The Two-Dimensional Case

Jonathan Scragg documents his work on a very promising material suitable for use in solar cells. Copper Zinc Tin Sulfide (CZTS) is a low cost, earth-abundant material suitable for large scale deployment in photovoltaics. Jonathan pioneered and optimized a low cost route to this material involving electroplating of the three metals concerned, followed by rapid thermal processing (RTP) in sulfur vapour. His beautifully detailed RTP studies - combined with techniques such as XRD, EDX and Raman - reveal the complex relationships between composition, processing and photovoltaic performance. This exceptional thesis contributes to the development of clean, sustainable and alternative sources of energy

Just over 25 years ago the first laser-excited Raman spectrum of any crystal was obtained. In November 1964, Hobden and Russell reported the Raman spectrum of GaP and later, in June 1965, Russell published the Si spectrum. Then, in July 1965, the forerunner of a series of meetings on light scattering in solids was held in Paris. Laser Raman spectroscopy of semiconductors was at the forefront in new developments at this meeting. Similar meetings were held in 1968 (New York), 1971 (Paris) and 1975 (Campinas). Since then, and apart from the multidisciplinary biennial International Conference on Raman Spectroscopy there has been no special forum for experts in light scattering spectroscopy of semiconductors to meet and discuss latest developments. Meanwhile, technological advances in semiconductor growth have given rise to a veritable renaissance in the field of semiconductor physics. Light scattering spectroscopy has played a crucial role in the advancement of this field, providing valuable information about the electronic, vibrational and structural properties both of the host materials, and of heterogeneous composite structures. On entering a new decade, one in which technological advances in lithography promise to open even broader horirons for semiconductor physics, it seemed to us to be an ideal time to reflect on the achievements of the past decade, to be brought up to date on the current state-of-the-art, and to catch some glimpses of where the field might be headed in the 1990s.

This book presents selected contributions to the Symposium of Aeronautical and Aerospace Processes, Materials and Industrial Applications of the XXV International Materials Research Congress (IMRC). Each chapter addresses scientific principles behind processing and production of materials for aerospace/aeronautical applications. The chapter deals with microstructural characterization including composites materials and metals. The second chapter deals with corrosion in aerospace components is a large and expensive problema for aerospace industry. Finally, the last chapter covers modeling and simulation of different processes to evaluate and optimize the forming process. This book is meant to be useful to academics and professionals.