Current understanding of different phases as well as the phase transitions between them has only been achieved following recent theoretical advances on the effects of dimensionality in statistical physics. P S Pershan explains the connection between these two separate areas and gives some examples of problems where the understanding is still not complete. The most important example is the second order phase transition between the nematic and smectic-A phase. Others include the relation between the several hexatic phases that have been observed and the first order restacking transitions between phases that were all previously identified as smectic-B, but which should more properly be identified as crystalline-B. Some relatively recent experimental developments on the discotic phase, liquid crystal surfaces and lyotropic phases are also included. The book includes 41 major reprints of some of the recent seminal work on the structure of liquid crystals. They are introduced by a brief review of the symmetries and other properties of liquid crystalline phases. In addition, there is a discussion of the differences between true liquid crystalline phases and others that were described as liquid crystalline in the early literature, but which have since been shown to be true three-dimensional crystals. The progression from the isotropic fluid, through the nematic, smectic, and various crystalline phases can be understood in terms of a systematic decrease in symmetry, together with an accompanying variation in structure is explained. A guide to the selected reprints and a sort of "Rosetta Stone" for these various phases is provided. The goal of this book is to explain the systematics of this progression to students and others that are new to this field, as well as to provide a useful handbook for people already working in the field.

The book contains a comprehensive review of the physics, modelling and simulation of electron transport at interfaces in semiconductor devices. Particular emphasis is put on the consistent derivation of interface or boundary conditions for semiconductor device simulation. It combines a review of existing interface charge transport models with original developments. A unified representation of charge transport at semiconductor interfaces is introduced. Models for the most important interfaces are derived, classified within the unique modelling framework, and discussed in the context of device simulation. Discretization methods for numerical solution techniques are presented.

http://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/0158

http://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/0158

This revised second edition of a popular handbook for engineers describes the important relationship between high-energy radiation environments, electronic device physics and materials. It is a straightforward account of the problems which arise when high-energy radiation bombards matter and of engineering methods for solving those problems. Radiation effects are a problem encountered in the use of highly engineered materials such as semiconductors, optics and polymers. The finely-tuned properties of these materials may change drastically when exposed to a radiation environment such as a bean of X-rays or electrons, the space environment or the 'hadrons' in CERN's new collider. All of these environments and several more are described. The impact of these environments on microelectronics in computing, data processing and communication is the core of this book (highlighted in chapters on MOS and optical devices). While unashamedly oriented to the engineer-designer and manager, with descriptions in a highly readable form, there is no compromise in physical accuracy when describing high-energy radiation and the effects it produces, such as electronic failure, colour centres and the decay of strength. A great breadth of technical data, needed to make predictions on the spot, is presented, with literature references needed for further research and also a compendium of websites which have been tested and used by authors.

This textbook presents the general point of views of the optical properties of solids and gives an overview of the landscape of optics in solid-state materials, especially focusing on optical imaging techniques. It presents the background of electromagnetic theory, which is based on Maxwell's equations. It shows how to manipulate Maxwell's equations in differential forms by utilizing vector analysis and how to calculate the electric field emerging from a single charge and from charge distributions in conductors and dielectrics under Maxwell's boundary conditions. It analyzes the optical spectra from localized electronic states and goes over some well-known phenomena currently under research, such as nonlinear optical response of materials. It also gives a background on optical microscopy, focusing on the optical response of modern confocal microscopy on asymmetric materials, and introduces optical tomographic techniques to identify the locations and profiles of matter, concentrating on fluorescence diffuse optical tomography used as a probe in deep biological tissue. The book is designed for all kinds of learners, especially independent learners, and is aimed to facilitate the visualization of related theoretical concepts. Problem sets have been provided with each chapter to examine the readers' understanding of each concept.

CHOICE Recommended Title, June 2019 Brought together in one focused and exclusive treatment, this book provides an elementary introduction to the important role and use of the least action principle and the resulting Lagrange's equations in the analysis of the laws that govern the universe. It is an ideal complimentary resource to accompany undergraduate courses and textbooks on classical mechanics. Features: Uses mathematics accessible to beginners Brings together the Principle of Least Action, Lagrange's equations, and variational principles in mechanics in one cohesive text Written in a clear and easy-to-understand manner

Handbook of Optical Sensors provides a comprehensive and integrated view of optical sensors, addressing the fundamentals, structures, technologies, applications, and future perspectives. Featuring chapters authored by recognized experts and major contributors to the field, this essential reference: Explains the basic aspects of optical sensors and the principles of optical metrology, presenting a brief historical review Explores the role of optical waveguides in sensing and discusses sensor technologies based on intensity and phase modulation, fluorescence, and plasmonic waves Describes wavefront sensing, multiphoton microscopy, and imaging based on optical coherence tomography Covers optical fiber sensing, from light guiding in standard and microstructured optical fibers to sensor multiplexing, distributed sensing, and fiber Bragg grating Offers a broad perspective of the field and identifies trends that could shape the future, such as metamaterials and entangled quantum states of light Handbook of Optical Sensors is an ideal resource for practitioners and those seeking optical solutions for their specific needs, as well as for students and investigators who are the intellectual driving force of optical sensing.

This new edition of Andrew Stott s "Comedy" builds on themes presented in the first edition such as focusing on the significance of comic 'events' through study of various theoretical methodologies, including deconstruction, psychoanalysis and gender theory, and provides case studies of a number of themes, ranging from the drag act to the simplicity of slipping on a banana skin. This new edition features:

• updates to reflect new research the field
• new chapters on Women in Comedy and Race and Ethnicity
• a broader range of literary and cultural examples.

Written in a clear and accessible style, this book is ideal introduction to comedy for students studying literature and culture. "

Impedance Spectroscopy is a powerful measurement method used in many application fields such as electrochemistry, material science, biology and medicine, semiconductor industry and sensors. Using the complex impedance at various frequencies increases the informational basis that can be gained during a measurement. It helps to separate different effects that contribute to a measurement and, together with advanced mathematical methods, non-accessible quantities can be calculated. This book is the fourth in the series Lecture Notes on Impedance Spectroscopy (LNIS). The series covers new advances in the field of impedance spectroscopy including fundamentals, methods and applications. It releases scientific contributions from the International Workshop on Impedance Spectroscopy (IWIS) as extended chapters including detailed information about recent scientific research results. This book is of interest to graduated students, engineers, researchers and specialists dealing with impedance spectroscopy. It includes fundamentals of impedance spectroscopy as well as specific theoretical and practical aspects from many applications in various fields.

This book presents a simple, yet comprehensive, treatment of the basic principles and applications of novel phase masks and non-uniform optical windows under the increasingly popular umbrella term "pupil engineering." It discusses current research topics in the areas of phase-space representations for engineering imaging devices with extended depth of field, as well as sparse optical sensing and emergent phenomena such as vortices and singularities, highlighting the heuristic applications of key concepts in novel models and their graphic representations. The book is appealing to anyone interested in robotic vision and is a valuable resource for upper-level students, teachers, scientists, and engineers in the field of image science, lasers, and digital image processing.

Semiconducting oxides and nitrides are becoming the most important s- jects in materials science. In particular, zinc oxide (ZnO), gallium nitride (GaN), and related compounds form a novel class of semiconductors which possess unique properties in terms of crystallography, crystal growth, op- cal properties, electrical properties, magnetic properties, and so forth. These uniquepropertiesmakethesematerialsquiteimportantinoptoelectronicsand electronics. Although for more than three decades oxide and nitride semiconductors have been known to possess unique properties, it is only recently that these materials have been exploited to fabricate novel electronic and optical - vices, which havenever been possible with other semiconductors. It should be mentioned that revolutionary breakthroughs in materials science have been madebeforethe remarkabledevelopmentofsuchdevices.In particular, recent breakthrough and advance in epitaxy, bulk growth, and synthesis of nan- tructures coupled with exploration and investigation on structural, optical, and electrical properties, enabled us to achieve novel display, general lig- ing, optical storage, high-speed, -temperature and -power electronics, bio and environmental sensors, and energy generating and saving devices. The unique structure of this book is that each chapter addresses both oxides and nitrides, which, we believe, will help readers gain comprehensive and comparative information on oxide and nitride semiconductors. This book consists of ten chapters, addressing the basic properties of materials, bulk growth, ?lm growth, polarityissues, nonpolar?lms, structuraldefects, optical properties, electrical properties, light emitting diodes, and nanostructures. Thus the book covers processing, properties, and applications of materials based on ZnO, GaN, and related compoun

This book pays tribute to two pioneers in the field of Mathematical physics, Jiri Patera and Pavel Winternitz of the CRM. Each has contributed more than forty years to the subject of mathematical physics, particularly to the study of algebraic methods.

A modern introduction to Newtonian dynamics and the basics of special relativity, this book discusses standard topics such as Newton s laws of motion, energy, linear and angular momentum, rigid body dynamics, and oscillations, then goes on to introduce modern topics such as symmetries, phase space, nonlinear dynamics and chaos. The author presents Newton s equation of motion as a differential equation, bringing out key issues such as phase space and determinism in mechanical systems and helps introduce modern research topics such as chaos theory in a natural way. He highlights key assumptions of Newtonian mechanics and incorporates numerical solutions of many mechanical systems using MATLAB(r).

Weighing in on the growth of innovative technologies, the adoption of new standards, and the lack of educational development as it relates to current and emerging applications, the third edition of Introduction to Instrumentation and Measurements uses the authors' 40 years of teaching experience to expound on the theory, science, and art of modern instrumentation and measurements (I&M). What's New in This Edition: This edition includes material on modern integrated circuit (IC) and photonic sensors, micro-electro-mechanical (MEM) and nano-electro-mechanical (NEM) sensors, chemical and radiation sensors, signal conditioning, noise, data interfaces, and basic digital signal processing (DSP), and upgrades every chapter with the latest advancements. It contains new material on the designs of micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) sensors, adds two new chapters on wireless instrumentation and microsensors, and incorporates extensive biomedical examples and problems. Containing 13 chapters, this third edition: Describes sensor dynamics, signal conditioning, and data display and storage Focuses on means of conditioning the analog outputs of various sensors Considers noise and coherent interference in measurements in depth Covers the traditional topics of DC null methods of measurement and AC null measurements Examines Wheatstone and Kelvin bridges and potentiometers Explores the major AC bridges used to measure inductance, Q, capacitance, and D Presents a survey of sensor mechanisms Includes a description and analysis of sensors based on the giant magnetoresistive effect (GMR) and the anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) effect Provides a detailed analysis of mechanical gyroscopes, clinometers, and accelerometers Contains the classic means of measuring electrical quantities Examines digital interfaces in measurement systems Defines digital signal conditioning in instrumentation Addresses solid-state chemical microsensors and wireless instrumentation Introduces mechanical microsensors (MEMS and NEMS) Details examples of the design of measurement systems Introduction to Instrumentation and Measurements is written with practicing engineers and scientists in mind, and is intended to be used in a classroom course or as a reference. It is assumed that the reader has taken core EE curriculum courses or their equivalents.

Introduction to Epitaxy provides the essential information for a comprehensive upper-level graduate course treating the crystalline growth of semiconductor heterostructures. Heteroepitaxy represents the basis of advanced electronic and optoelectronic devices today and is considered one of the top fields in materials research. The book covers the structural and electronic properties of strained epitaxial layers, the thermodynamics and kinetics of layer growth, and the description of the major growth techniques metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy, molecular beam epitaxy and liquid phase epitaxy. Cubic semiconductors, strain relaxation by misfit dislocations, strain and confinement effects on electronic states, surface structures and processes during nucleation and growth are treated in detail. The Introduction to Epitaxy requires only little knowledge on solid-state physics. Students of natural sciences, materials science and electrical engineering as well as their lecturers benefit from elementary introductions to theory and practice of epitaxial growth, supported by pertinent references and over 200 detailed illustrations.

Discussed is the electromagnetic field theory and its mathematical methods. Maxwell's equations are presented and explained. It follows a detailed discussion of electrostatics, flux, magnetostatics, quasi stationary fields and electromagnetic fields.

The author presents how to apply numerical methods like finite differences, finite elements, boundary elements, image charge methods, and Monte-Carlo methods to field theory problems. He offers an outlook on fundamental issues in physics including quantum mechanics. Some of these issues are still unanswered questions. A chapter dedicated to the theory of special relativity, which allows to simplify a number of field theory problems, complements this book.

A book whose usefulness is not limited to engineering students, but can be very helpful for physicists and other branches of science.

As laboratories replace heavy hydraulic presses and bulky high-pressure chambers with miniature diamond anvils, traditional heaters with laser heating, and continue to improve methods of shock compression, there has been considerable new data obtained from the high-pressure, high-temperature modification of pure elements. The dense metallic modification of elements shows the potential for achieving superconductivity akin to theoretical predictions. Phase Transformations of Elements Under High Pressure contains the latest theoretical and experimental information on nearly 100 elements, including first-and second-phase transitions, melting lines, crystal structures of stable and metastable phases, stability of polymorphic modifications, and other useful properties and data. It emphasizes features such as changes in the liquid state, amorphization, and metallization, and provides temperature-pressure diagrams for every element. The book also describes the transitions of polymeric forms of fullerene, crystal modifications of elements stable under high pressures, and provides data that confirms their superconducting and magnetic properties. This handbook will be a lasting reference for scientists in a broad range of disciplines, including solid-state physics, chemistry, crystallography, mineralogy, and materials science.

This book cuts across the divisions of organic, inorganic, and physical chemistry. It describes new methods for creating -conjugated porphyrin oligomers with precisely defined sequences of zinc and copper metal cations, and how EPR spectroscopy was used to investigate the dipolar and exchange coupling between the paramagnetic copper(II) centres. Porphyrins are a group of heterocyclic macrocycle organic compounds that play an important role in our everyday life and can for example be found in blood where they form a red complex with iron (haem). Various metallic elements can be inserted into a porphyrin and changing the coordinated metal is an excellent way to influence the chemical and physical properties of these molecules. Focusing on 3 metals - zinc, magnesium and copper - the author established new methods for creating -conjugated porphyrin oligomers and lastly presents the synthesis and investigation of two novel porphyrin nanoballs. Giving the template-directed strategy the author developed for constructing these molecules, this work could provide access to other related nano-cages.

This book gives an overview of nanostructures and nanomaterials applied in the fields of energy and organic electronics. It combines the knowledge from advanced deposition and processing methods of nanomaterials such as laser-based growth and nanopatterning and state-of-the-art characterization techniques with special emphasis on the optical, electrical, morphological, surface and mechanical properties. Furthermore it contains theoretical and experimental aspects for different types of nanomaterials such as nanoparticles, nanotubes and thin films for organic electronics applications. The international group of authors specifically chosen for their distinguished expertise belong to the academic and industrial world in order to provide a broader perspective. The authors take an interdisciplinary approach of physics, chemistry, engineering, materials science and nanotechnology. It appeals to researchers and graduate students.

We humans cannot see when light is polarized and this leads to unfortunate misapprehensions about this aspect of nature. Even scientists who should know better often assume that it is an obscure topic of specialized interest in only a few rather isolated areas. In fact, it is a universal feature of our world and most natural light is at least partially polarized. In the animal kingdom, insects and other animals exploit such natural polarization in some fascinating ways since they do not share this human deficiency and can both detect and analyze polarization. It may be our unfamiliarity with this aspect of light that also makes people think it is a difficult subject, yet the basis is extremely simple. When these misconceptions are overcome, the phenomena associated with polarization are found to be important throughout science and technology, from physics, astronomy, natural history, geology, chemistry, and several branches of engineering to crafts such as glass-blowing and jewelry. Polarized light also involves some very beautiful effects, most of which are easy to demonstrate.
Enriching our perception of the world, this book addresses these misconceptions and provides a framework for applications. It covers wave alignment and crystals as well as various phenomena such as scattering and reflection.

Field Solutions on Computers covers a broad range of practical applications involving electric and magnetic fields. The text emphasizes finite-element techniques to solve real-world problems in research and industry. After introducing numerical methods with a thorough treatment of electrostatics, the book moves in a structured sequence to advanced topics. These include magnetostatics with non-linear materials, permanent magnet devices, RF heating, eddy current analysis, electromagnetic pulses, microwave structures, and wave scattering. The mathematical derivations are supplemented with chapter exercises and comprehensive reviews of the underlying physics. The book also covers essential supporting techniques such as mesh generation, interpolation, sparse matrix inversions, and advanced plotting routines.

The application of nuclear physics methods is now widespread throughout physics, chemistry, metallurgy, biology, clinical medicine, geology, and archaeology. Accelerators, reactors, and various instruments that have developed together with nuclear physics have often been found to offer the basis for increasingly productive and more sensitive analytical techniques.
Nuclear Methods in Science and Technology provides scientists and engineers with a clear understanding of the basic principles of nuclear methods and their potential for applications in a wide range of disciplines.
The first part of the book covers the major points of basic theory and experimental methods of nuclear physics, emphasizing concepts and simple models that give a feel for the behavior of real systems. Using many examples, the second part illustrates the extraordinary possibilities offered by nuclear methods. It covers the Mossbauer effect, slow neutron physics, activation analysis, radiography, nuclear geochronology, channeling effects, nuclear microprobe, and numerous other topics in modern applied nuclear physics. The book explores applications such as tomography, the use of short-lived isotopes in clinical diagnoses, and nuclear physics in ecology and agriculture. Where alternative nonnuclear analytical techniques are available, the author compares the relevant nuclear method, enabling readers to judge which technique may be most useful for them.
Complete with a bibliography and extensive reference list for readers who want to delve deeper into a particular topic, this book applies various methods of nuclear physics to a wide range of disciplines.

This book features a comprehensive review of experimental gravitation. It is a textbook based on the graduate courses on "Experimental Gravitation" given by the authors at their respective universities in Rome: Sapienza and Tor Vergata. A number of different research topics in the field are covered: from the torsion pendulum (still today the tool of choice for measuring small forces or torques) to the large interferometers developed to observe gravitational waves. Techniques that are still under development are also discussed, like the pulsar timing array and space-based detectors of the future. This book is written by experimentalists for experimentalists. While the background physics is summarized for less experienced readers, the emphasis is certainly on experimental verifications: the strategy, the apparatuses, the data analysis and the results of many cornerstone experiments are analyzed and discussed in depth. This textbook serves as a useful resource for both graduate students and professionals working in the increasingly vibrant field of experimental gravity.

This book deals with certain important problems in Classical and Quantum Information Theory Quantum Information Theory, A Selection of Matrix Inequalities Stochastic Filtering Theory Applied to Electromagnetic Fields and Strings Wigner-distributions in Quantum Mechanics Quantization of Classical Field Theories Statistical Signal Processing Quantum Field Theory, Quantum Statistics, Gravity, Stochastic Fields and Information Problems in Information Theory It will be very helpful for students of Undergraduate and Postgraduate Courses in Electronics, Communication and Signal Processing. Print edition not for sale in South Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan or Bhutan).