This book provides a fresh, photon-based description of modern molecular spectroscopy and photophysics, with applications drawn from chemistry, biology, physics and materials science.

This book describes the physical basis of polarization modulation infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy and its application in electrochemical studies. It provides a concise yet comprehensive review of the research done in this field in the last 20 years. Electrochemical methods are used to determine the rate and mechanism of charge transfer reactions between an electrode and species adsorbed or diffusing to its surface. In the past two decades PM-IRRAS has grown to be one of the most important vibrational spectroscopy techniques applied to investigate structural changes taking place at the electrochemical interface. The monograph presents foundations of this technique and reviews in situ studies of redox-inactive and redox-active films adsorbed on electrode surfaces. It also discusses experimental conditions required in electrochemical and spectroscopic studies and presents practical solutions to perform efficient experiments. As such, it offers an invaluable resource for graduate and postgraduate students, as well as for all researchers in academic and industrial laboratories.

This thesis lays the groundwork for producing a new class of ultracold molecule by associating an alkali-metal atom and a closed-shell alkaline-earth-like atom, specifically Cs and Yb. Such molecules exhibit both a magnetic dipole moment and an electric dipole moment in their ground state. This extra degree of freedom opens up new avenues of research including the study of exotic states of matter, the shielding of molecular collisions and the simulation of lattice spin models. In detail, the thesis reports the first and only ultracold mixture of Cs and Yb in the world, giving details of the methods used to cool such contrasting atomic species together. Using sensitive two-colour photoassociation measurements to measure the binding energies of the near-threshold CsYb molecular levels in the electronic ground state has allowed the previously unknown scattering lengths to be accurately determined for all the Cs-Yb isotopic combinations. As part of this work, the one-photon photoassociation of ultracold Cs*Yb is also studied, yielding useful information on the excited-state potential. Knowledge of the scattering lengths enables a strategy to be devised to cool both species to quantum degeneracy and, crucially, determines the positions of interspecies Feshbach resonances required for efficient association of ground-state CsYb molecules. With these results, the prospect of bringing a new molecule into the ultracold regime has become considerably closer.

This book comprises selected peer-reviewed papers presented at the 7th Topical Conference of the Indian Society of Atomic and Molecular Physics, jointly held at IISER Tirupati and IIT Tirupati, India. The contributions address current topics of interest in atomic and molecular physics, both from the theoretical and experimental perspective. The major focus areas include quantum collisions, spectroscopy of atomic and molecular clusters, photoionization, Wigner time delay in collisions, laser cooling, Bose-Einstein condensates, atomic clocks, quantum computing, and trapping and manipulation of quantum systems. The book also discusses emerging topics such as ultrafast quantum processes including those at the attosecond time-scale. This book will prove to be a valuable reference for students and researchers working in the field of atomic and molecular physics.

This thesis presents and discusses recent optical low-temperature experiments on disordered NbN, granular Al thin-films, and the heavy-fermion compound CeCoIn5, offering a unified picture of quantum-critical superconductivity. It provides a concise introduction to the respective theoretical models employed to interpret the experimental results, and guides readers through in-depth calculations supplemented with supportive figures in order to both retrace the interpretations and span the bridge between experiment and state-of-the art theory.

This book deals with the study of superconductivity in systems with coexisting wide and narrow bands. It has been previously suggested that superconductivity can be enhanced in systems with coexisting wide and narrow bands when the Fermi level is near the narrow band edge. In this book, the authors study two problems concerning this mechanism in order to: (a) provide a systematic understanding of the role of strong electron correlation effects, and (b) propose a realistic candidate material which meets the ideal criteria for high-Tc superconductivity. Regarding the role of strong correlation effects, the FLEX+DMFT method is adopted. Based on systematic calculations, the pairing mechanism is found to be indeed valid even when the strong correlation effect is considered within the formalism. In the second half of the book, the authors propose a feasible candidate material by introducing the concept of the "hidden ladder" electronic structure, arising from the combination of the bilayer lattice structure and the anisotropic orbitals of the electrons. As such, the book contributes a valuable theoretical guiding principle for seeking unknown high-Tc superconductors.

This book focuses on the topological fermion condensation quantum phase transition (FCQPT), a phenomenon that reveals the complex behavior of all strongly correlated Fermi systems, such as heavy fermion metals, quantum spin liquids, quasicrystals, and two-dimensional systems, considering these as a new state of matter. The book combines theoretical evaluations with arguments based on experimental grounds demonstrating that the entirety of very different strongly correlated Fermi systems demonstrates a universal behavior induced by FCQPT. In contrast to the conventional quantum phase transition, whose physics in the quantum critical region are dominated by thermal or quantum fluctuations and characterized by the absence of quasiparticles, the physics of a Fermi system near FCQPT are controlled by a system of quasiparticles resembling the Landau quasiparticles. The book discusses the modification of strongly correlated systems under the action of FCQPT, representing the "missing" instability, which paves the way for developing an entirely new approach to condensed matter theory; and presents this physics as a new method for studying many-body objects. Based on the authors' own theoretical investigations, as well as salient theoretical and experimental studies conducted by others, the book is well suited for both students and researchers in the field of condensed matter physics.

Solid State Physics: An Introduction to Theory presents an intermediate quantum approach to the properties of solids. Through this lens, the text explores different properties, such as lattice, electronic, elastic, thermal, dielectric, magnetic, semiconducting, superconducting and optical and transport properties, along with the structure of crystalline solids. The work presents the general theory for most of the properties of crystalline solids, along with the results for one-, two- and three-dimensional solids in particular cases. It also includes a brief description of emerging topics, such as the quantum hall effect and high superconductivity. Building from fundamental principles and requiring only a minimal mathematical background, the book includes illustrative images and solved problems in all chapters to support student understanding.

The present volume contains the written versions of most of the invited talks of the Spring Meeting of the Condensed Matter Physics section of the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft held from March 25 to 29, 2002 in Regensburg, Germany. Also contained are those talks presented as part of the Symposia most of which were organized by several divisions in collaboration and covered a fascinating selection of topics of current interest. Thus this volume reflects the status of condensed matter physics in Germany in the year 2002. In particular, one notes a slight change in paradigms: from quantum dots and wires to spin transport and soft matter systems in the broadest sense. This seems to reflect the present general trend in physics. Nevertheless, a large portion of the invited papers concentrate on nanostructured matter.

Although originally invented and employed by physicists, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy has proven to be a very efficient technique for studying a wide range of phenomena in many fields, such as chemistry, biochemistry, geology, archaeology, medicine, biotechnology, and environmental sciences. Acknowledging that not all studies require the same level of understanding of this technique, this book thus provides a practical treatise clearly oriented toward applications, which should be useful to students and researchers of various levels and disciplines. In this book, the principles of continuous wave EPR spectroscopy are progressively, but rigorously, introduced, with emphasis on interpretation of the collected spectra. Each chapter is followed by a section highlighting important points for applications, together with exercises solved at the end of the book. A glossary defines the main terms used in the book, and particular topics, whose knowledge is not required for understanding the main text, are developed in appendices for more inquisitive readers.

Ion Mobility Spectrometry, Volume 83 will focuses on new trends, methods and instrumentation in the field, starting from the innovations of each technique, to the most progressive challenges of IM-MS. Chapters includes section on Recent advances in IM-MS, IM-MS Principles and Theory, IM-MS Applications and Instrumentation, and the Future of IM-MS.

This thesis reports on essential experimental work in the field of novel two-dimensional (2D) atomic crystals beyond graphene. It especially describes three new 2D crystal materials, namely germanene, hafnene, and monolayer PtSe2 fabricated experimentally for the first time, using an ultra-high vacuum molecular beam epitaxy (UHV-MBE) system. Multiple characterization techniques, including scanning tunneling microscope (STM), low energy electron diffraction (LEED), scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM), and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), combined with theoretical studies reveal the materials' atomic and electronic structures, which allows the author to further investigate their physical properties and potential applications. In addition, a new epitaxial growth method for transition metal dichalcogenides involving direct selenization of metal supports is developed. These studies represent a significant step forward in expanding the family of 2D crystal materials and exploring their application potentials in future nanotechnology and related areas.

This second edition provides a cutting-edge overview of physical, technical and scientific aspects related to the widely used analytical method of confocal Raman microscopy. The book includes expanded background information and adds insights into how confocal Raman microscopy, especially 3D Raman imaging, can be integrated with other methods to produce a variety of correlative microscopy combinations. The benefits are then demonstrated and supported by numerous examples from the fields of materials science, 2D materials, the life sciences, pharmaceutical research and development, as well as the geosciences.

This updated and revised edition of a classic work provides a summary of methods for numerical computation of high resolution conventional and scanning transmission electron microscope images. At the limits of resolution, image artifacts due to the instrument and the specimen interaction can complicate image interpretation. Image calculations can help the user to interpret and understand high resolution information in recorded electron micrographs. The book contains expanded sections on aberration correction, including a detailed discussion of higher order (multipole) aberrations and their effect on high resolution imaging, new imaging modes such as ABF (annular bright field), and the latest developments in parallel processing using GPUs (graphic processing units), as well as updated references. Beginning and experienced users at the advanced undergraduate or graduate level will find the book to be a unique and essential guide to the theory and methods of computation in electron microscopy.

This book offers a complete and well-organized review of the latest advances made in developing ultra-weak chemiluminescence techniques for analytical applications. It systematically introduces the current theories, mechanisms, instruments, technologies, and real applications of ultra-weak chemiluminescence. Compared to books devoted to the normal chemiluminescence and bioluminescence, this book covers a wide range of ultra-weak chemiluminescence based on inorganic chemical reactions and nanotechnology from a principle and practical point of view. This book is intended for readers who are interested in expanding their knowledge of chemiluminescence and employing ultra-weak chemiluminescence techniques to develop new detection methods for analytical applications.

Modern Vibrational Spectroscopy and Micro-Spectroscopy: Theory, Instrumentation and Biomedical Applications unites the theory and background of conventional vibrational spectroscopy with the principles of microspectroscopy. It starts with basic theory as it applies to small molecules and then expands it to include the large biomolecules which are the main topic of the book with an emphasis on practical experiments, results analysis and medical and diagnostic applications. This book is unique in that it addresses both the parent spectroscopy and the microspectroscopic aspects in one volume. Part I covers the basic theory, principles and instrumentation of classical vibrational, infrared and Raman spectroscopy. It is aimed at researchers with a background in chemistry and physics, and is presented at the level suitable for first year graduate students. The latter half of Part I is devoted to more novel subjects in vibrational spectroscopy, such as resonance and non-linear Raman effects, vibrational optical activity, time resolved spectroscopy and computational methods. Thus, Part 1 represents a short course into modern vibrational spectroscopy. Part II is devoted in its entirety to applications of vibrational spectroscopic techniques to biophysical and bio-structural research, and the more recent extension of vibrational spectroscopy to microscopic data acquisition. Vibrational microscopy (or microspectroscopy) has opened entirely new avenues toward applications in the biomedical sciences, and has created new research fields collectively referred to as Spectral Cytopathology (SCP) and Spectral Histopathology (SHP). In order to fully exploit the information contained in the micro-spectral datasets, methods of multivariate analysis need to be employed. These methods, along with representative results of both SCP and SHP are presented and discussed in detail in Part II.

This book provides an introduction to fundamental concepts of solid mechanics for the uninitiated. It also includes a concise review of fundamentals for those who have been away from the field for a time or are studying for a final exam or engineering license exam. The coverage ranges from fundamental definitions through constitutive equations, axial loading, torsion, bending, thermal effects, stability, pressure vessels, plates and shells, computational mechanics, and fibrous composite materials.

This thesis reports a rare combination of experiment and theory on the role of geometry in materials science. It is built on two significant findings: that curvature can be used to guide crack paths in a predictive way, and that protected topological order can exist in amorphous materials. In each, the underlying geometry controls the elastic behavior of quasi-2D materials, enabling the control of crack propagation in elastic sheets and the control of unidirectional waves traveling at the boundary of metamaterials. The thesis examines the consequences of this geometric control in a range of materials spanning many orders of magnitude in length scale, from amorphous macroscopic networks and elastic continua to nanoscale lattices.

This book describes how advances in recording and printing technologies have influenced the research and teaching style of succeeding generations of physicists, chemists, and astronomers, particularly from the boom of spectrum analysis in the 1860s until the advent of quantum mechanics. Seemingly disparate strands such as spectrochemistry and cartography, instrument-design and science education are woven into the rich tapestry of one of the most fascinating and influential research-technologies of the late 19th and early 20th century.

Solid-State NMR Characterization of Heterogeneous Catalysts and Catalytic Reactions provides a comprehensive account of state-of-the-art solid-state NMR techniques and the application of these techniques in heterogeneous catalysts and related catalytic reactions. It includes an introduction to the basic theory of solid-state NMR and various frequently used techniques. Special emphasis is placed on characterizing the framework and pore structure, active site, guest-host interaction, and synthesis mechanisms of heterogeneous catalysts using multinuclear one- and two-dimensional solid-sate NMR spectroscopy. Additionally, various in-situ solid-state NMR techniques and their applications in investigation of the mechanism of industrially important catalytic reactions are also discussed. Both the fundamentals and the latest research results are covered, making the book suitable as a reference guide for both experienced researchers in and newcomers to this field. Feng Deng is a Professor at Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

This book highlights the power and elegance of algebraic methods of solving problems in quantum mechanics. It shows that symmetries not only provide elegant solutions to problems that can be solved exactly, but also substantially simplify problems that must be solved approximately. Furthermore, the book provides an elementary exposition of quantum electrodynamics and its application to low-energy physics, along with a thorough analysis of the role of relativistic, magnetic, and quantum electrodynamic effects in atomic spectroscopy. Included are essential derivations made clear through detailed, transparent calculations. The book's commitment to deriving advanced results with elementary techniques, as well as its inclusion of exercises will enamor it to advanced undergraduate and graduate students.

CD and MCD spectroscopy can provide key information about the conformations and electronic states of chromophore containing molecules. However, the theory has remained too challenging and inaccessible for many organic chemists and biochemists and only a few researchers have carried out detailed quantitative analyses of their spectral data. This is not surprising as people who excel at spectroscopic theory usually lack the skills set required to design and synthesise the molecules that would be most appropriate for describing and explaining the theory of CD and MCD spectroscopy. Most of the books that have been written on the subject have, therefore, been based on very dense sets of mathematical equations. This timely book rectifies that situation by summarizing the relationship between the different types of spectra and by describing in detail the qualitative and quantitative methods which can readily be used to analyse CD and MCD spectral data. During the last decade the authors have successfully synthesized several molecules to illustrate key points related to the theory of CD and MCD spectroscopy, resulting in this definitive book providing key practical knowledge in a readily accessible style. It is aimed primarily at organic chemists and biochemists and provides the required reading for researchers active in the field. In the introduction, the book describes the types of information that can be derived from CD and MCD spectroscopy. After a detailed explanation of the theory of electronic absorption spectroscopy, it then provides practical in depth examples of the various analytical methods that can be carried out with CD and MCD spectral data. This makes the theory of these techniques much more accessible for researchers who do not specialise in physical chemistry.

This book features the essential material for any graduate or advanced undergraduate course covering solid-state electrochemistry. It provides the reader with fundamental course notes and numerous solved exercises, making it an invaluable guide and compendium for students of the subject. The book places particular emphasis on enhancing the reader's expertise and comprehension of thermodynamics, the Kroeger-Vink notation, the variation in stoichiometry in ionic compounds, and of the different types of electrochemical measurements together with their technological applications. Containing almost 100 illustrations, a glossary and a bibliography, the book is particularly useful for Master and PhD students, industry engineers, university instructors, and researchers working with inorganic solids in general.

This book presents experimental studies on emergent transport and magneto-optical properties in three-dimensional topological insulators with two-dimensional Dirac fermions on their surfaces. Designing magnetic heterostructures utilizing a cutting-edge growth technique (molecular beam epitaxy) stabilizes and manifests new quantization phenomena, as confirmed by low-temperature electrical transport and time-domain terahertz magneto-optical measurements. Starting with a review of the theoretical background and recent experimental advances in topological insulators in terms of a novel magneto-electric coupling, the author subsequently explores their magnetic quantum properties and reveals topological phase transitions between quantum anomalous Hall insulator and trivial insulator phases; a new topological phase (the axion insulator); and a half-integer quantum Hall state associated with the quantum parity anomaly. Furthermore, the author shows how these quantum phases can be significantly stabilized via magnetic modulation doping and proximity coupling with a normal ferromagnetic insulator. These findings provide a basis for future technologies such as ultra-low energy consumption electronic devices and fault-tolerant topological quantum computers.

Beginning with a review of the important areas of mathematics, this book then covers many of the underlying theoretical and practical aspects of NMR and MRI spectroscopy from a maths point of view. Competence in algebra and introductory calculus is needed but all other maths concepts are covered. It will bridge a gap between high level and introductory titles used in NMR or MRI spectroscopy. Uniquely, it takes a very careful and pedagogical approach to the mathematics behind NMR and MRI. It leaves out very few steps, which distinguishes it from other books in the field. The author is an NMR laboratory manager and is sympathetic to the frustrations of trying to understand where some of the fundamental equations come from hence his desire to either explicitly derive all equations for the reader or direct them to derivations. This is an essential text aimed at graduate students who are beginning their careers in NMR or MRI spectroscopy and laboratory managers if they need an understanding of the theoretical foundations of the technique.