'A majestic story' David Bodanis, Financial Times From the international bestselling author of Physics of the Impossible and Physics of the Future This is the story of a quest: to find a Theory of Everything. Einstein dedicated his life to seeking this elusive Holy Grail, a single, revolutionary 'god equation' which would tie all the forces in the universe together, yet never found it. Some of the greatest minds in physics took up the search, from Stephen Hawking to Brian Greene. None have yet succeeded. In The God Equation, renowned theoretical physicist Michio Kaku takes the reader on a mind-bending ride through the twists and turns of this epic journey: a mystery that has fascinated him for most of his life. He guides us through the key debates in modern physics, from Newton's law of gravity via relativity and quantum mechanics to the latest developments in string theory. It is a tale of dazzling breakthroughs and crushing dead ends, illuminated by Kaku's clarity, storytelling flair and infectious enthusiasm. The object of the quest is now within sight: we are closer than ever to achieving the most ambitious undertaking in the history of science. If successful, the Theory of Everything could simultaneously unlock the deepest mysteries of space and time, and fulfil that most ancient and basic of human desires - to understand the meaning of our lives.

With examples and clear explanation throughout, this step-by-step approach makes quantum theory of plasmons accessible to readers without specialized training in theory. Jacak uses original research results to offer a fully analytical theory formulation suitable for further development and applications. The theory is focused on the Random Phase Approximation description of plasmons in metallic nano-structures, previously defined for bulk metal. Particular attention is paid to large damping of plasmons in nanostructures including electron scattering and Lorentz friction losses, quantum description of plasmon photovoltaic effect is presented and there is in-depth analysis of plasmon-polariton kinetics in metallic nano-chains. Suitable for students in the field of plasmonics, opto-electronics and photonics, and for researchers active in the field of photo-voltaics, opto-electronics, nano-plasmonics and nano-photonics. Also of help to researchers in soft plasmonics with applications to electro-signalling in neurons.

Four concise, brilliant lectures on mathematical methods in quantum mechanics from Nobel Prize-winning quantum pioneer. The first lecture is an introduction to visualizing quantum theory through the use of classical mechanics. The remaining lectures build on that idea, showing how one can start with a classical field theory and end up with a quantum field theory, and examining the possibility of building a relativistic quantum theory on curved surfaces or flat surfaces.

This widely adopted undergraduate-level text applies quantum mechanics to a broad range of chemical and physical problems, covering such subjects as wave functions for the hydrogen atom, perturbation theory, the Pauli exclusion principle and the structure of simple and complex molecules. With numerous tables and figures. Index.

This classic book (volume two of three volumes) is almost exclusively concerned with quantum electrodynamics. As such, it is retrospective in its subject matter. The topics discussed range from anomalous magnetic moments and vacuum polarization, in a variety of applications, to the energy level displacements in hydrogenic atoms, with occasional excursions into nuclear and high-energy physics. Based as it is upon the conceptually and computationally simple foundations of source theory, little in the way of formal mathematical apparatus is required, and thus most of the book is devoted to the working out of physical problems.

Originally published in 1937, this book by renowned physicist Alfred Lande aims 'to develop the principles of quantum mechanics on the basis of a few standard observations'. Lande notes that, in contrast with classical mechanics, quantum mechanics is still a relatively young science with some way to go before it is internally consistent. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in the history of physics and quantum mechanics.

This book is a modern introduction to the ideas and techniques of quantum field theory. After a brief overview of particle physics and a survey of relativistic wave equations and Lagrangian methods, the author develops the quantum theory of scalar and spinor fields, and then of gauge fields. The emphasis throughout is on functional methods, which have played a large part in modern field theory. The book concludes with a brief survey of "topological" objects in field theory and, new to this edition, a chapter devoted to supersymmetry. Graduate students in particle physics and high energy physics will benefit from this book.

A Thorough Update of One of the Most Highly Regarded Textbooks on Quantum Mechanics Continuing to offer an exceptionally clear, up-to-date treatment of the subject, Quantum Mechanics, Sixth Edition explains the concepts of quantum mechanics for undergraduate students in physics and related disciplines and provides the foundation necessary for other specialized courses. This sixth edition builds on its highly praised predecessors to make the text even more accessible to a wider audience. It is now divided into five parts that separately cover broad topics suitable for any general course on quantum mechanics. New to the Sixth Edition Three chapters that review prerequisite physics and mathematics, laying out the notation, formalism, and physical basis necessary for the rest of the book Short descriptions of numerous applications relevant to the physics discussed, giving students a brief look at what quantum mechanics has made possible industrially and scientifically Additional end-of-chapter problems with different ranges of difficulty This exemplary text shows students how cutting-edge theoretical topics are applied to a variety of areas, from elementary atomic physics and mathematics to angular momentum and time dependence to relativity and quantum computing. Many examples and exercises illustrate the principles and test students' understanding.

In his Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, Immanuel Kant portrays the supreme moral principle as an unconditional imperative that applies to all of us because we freely choose to impose upon ourselves a law of pure practical reason. Morality is revealed to be a matter of autonomy. Today, this approach to ethical theory is as perplexing, controversial and inspiring as it was in 1785, when the Groundwork was first published. The essays in this volume, by international Kant scholars and moral philosophers, discuss Kant's philosophical development and his rejection of earlier moral theories, the role of happiness and inclination in the Groundwork, Kant's moral metaphysics and theory of value, and his attempt to justify the categorical imperative as a principle of freedom. They reflect the approach of several schools of interpretation and illustrate the lively diversity of Kantian ethics today.

This new edition of the unrivalled textbook introduces the fundamental concepts of quantum mechanics such as waves, particles and probability before explaining the postulates of quantum mechanics in detail. In the proven didactic manner, the textbook then covers the classical scope of introductory quantum mechanics, namely simple two-level systems, the one-dimensional harmonic oscillator, the quantized angular momentum and particles in a central potential. The entire book has been revised to take into account new developments in quantum mechanics curricula. The textbook retains its typical style also in the new edition: it explains the fundamental concepts in chapters which are elaborated in accompanying complements that provide more detailed discussions, examples and applications. * The quantum mechanics classic in a new edition: written by 1997 Nobel laureate Claude Cohen-Tannoudji and his colleagues Bernard Diu and Franck Laloe * As easily comprehensible as possible: all steps of the physical background and its mathematical representation are spelled out explicitly * Comprehensive: in addition to the fundamentals themselves, the book contains more than 350 worked examples plus exercises Claude Cohen-Tannoudji was a researcher at the Kastler-Brossel laboratory of the Ecole Normale Superieure in Paris where he also studied and received his PhD in 1962. In 1973 he became Professor of atomic and molecular physics at the College des France. His main research interests were optical pumping, quantum optics and atom-photon interactions. In 1997, Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, together with Steven Chu and William D. Phillips, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his research on laser cooling and trapping of neutral atoms. Bernard Diu was Professor at the Denis Diderot University (Paris VII). He was engaged in research at the Laboratory of Theoretical Physics and High Energy where his focus was on strong interactions physics and statistical mechanics. Franck Laloe was a researcher at the Kastler-Brossel laboratory of the Ecole Normale Superieure in Paris. His first assignment was with the University of Paris VI before he was appointed to the CNRS, the French National Research Center. His research was focused on optical pumping, statistical mechanics of quantum gases, musical acoustics and the foundations of quantum mechanics.

Readers studying the abstract field of quantum physics need to solve plenty of practical, especially quantitative, problems. This book contains tutorial problems with solutions for the textbook Quantum Physics for Beginners. It places emphasis on basic problems of quantum physics together with some instructive, simulating, and useful applications. A considerable range of complexity is presented by these problems, and not too many of them can be solved using formulas alone.

There is hardly another principle in physics with wider scope of applicability and more far-reaching consequences than Pauli's exclusion principle. This book explores the principle's origin in the atomic spectroscopy of the early 1920s, its subsequent embedding into quantum mechanics, and later experimental validation with the development of quantum chromodynamics. The reconstruction of this crucial historic episode provides an excellent foil to reconsider Kuhn's view on incommensurability. The author defends the prospective rationality of the revolutionary transition from the old to the new quantum theory around 1925 by focusing on the way Pauli's principle emerged as a phenomenological rule 'deduced' from some anomalous phenomena and theoretical assumptions of the old quantum theory. The subsequent process of validation is historically reconstructed and analysed within the framework of 'dynamic Kantianism'. The variety of themes skilfully interwoven in this book will appeal to philosophers, historians, scientists and anyone interested in philosophy.

Written by leading experimentalist Warwick P. Bowen and prominent theoretician Gerard J. Milburn, Quantum Optomechanics discusses modern developments in this novel field from experimental and theoretical standpoints. The authors share their insight on a range of important topics, including optomechanical cooling and entanglement; quantum limits on measurement precision and how to overcome them via back-action evading measurements; feedback control; single photon and nonlinear optomechanics; optomechanical synchronization; coupling of optomechanical systems to microwave circuits and two-level systems, such as atoms and superconducting qubits; and optomechanical tests of gravitational decoherence. The book first introduces the basic physics of quantum harmonic oscillators and their interactions with their environment. It next discusses the radiation pressure interaction between light and matter, deriving common Hamiltonians used in quantum optomechanics. It then focuses on the linearized regime of quantum optomechanics before exploring scenarios where the simple linearized picture of quantum optomechanics no longer holds. The authors move on to hybrid optomechanical systems in which the canonical quantum optomechanical system is coupled to another quantum object. They explain how an alternative form of a hybrid optomechanical system leads to the phenomenon of synchronization. They also consider the impact of quantum optomechanics on tests of gravitational physics.

This book was first published in 1982. It consists of selected contributions presented at the Nuffield Quantum Gravity Workshop held at Imperial College, London, in August 1981. The book is divided into three parts which correspond with the three separate themes pursued at the workshop. Part I is concerned with the geometrical and topological aspects of quantum gravity. Part II focuses on supergravity and its application to the Grand Unified Theories of elementary particles. Part III concentrates on the early universe and cosmology. The book, therefore, covers not only supergravity, but the whole spectrum of quantum gravity research.

This volume presents a series of articles concerning current important topics in quantum chemistry.

Experimental methods employing spin resonance effects (nuclear magnetic resonance and electron spin resonance) are broadly used in molecular science due to their unique potential to reveal mechanisms of molecular motion, structure, and interactions. The developed techniques bring together biologists investigating dynamics of proteins, material science researchers looking for better electrolytes, or nanotechnology scientists inquiring into dynamics of nano-objects. Nevertheless, one can profit from the rich source of information provided by spin resonance methods only when appropriate theoretical models are available. The obtained experimental results reflect intertwined quantum-mechanical and dynamical properties of molecular systems, and to interpret them one has to first understand the quantum-mechanical principles of the underlying processes. This book concentrates on the theory of spin resonance phenomena and the relaxation theory, which have been discussed from first principles to introduce the reader to the language of quantum mechanics used to describe the behaviour of atomic nuclei and electrons. There is a long way from knowing complex formulae to apply them correctly to describe the studied system. The book shows through examples how symbols can be "replaced" in equations by using properties of real systems to formulate descriptions that link the quantities observed in spin resonance experiments with dynamics and structure of molecules.

A series of engaging essays that explore iconic moments of discovery and debate in physicists' ongoing quest to understand the quantum world. The ideas at the root of quantum theory remain stubbornly, famously bizarre: a solid world reduced to puffs of probability; particles that tunnel through walls; cats suspended in zombielike states, neither alive nor dead; and twinned particles that share entangled fates. For more than a century, physicists have grappled with these conceptual uncertainties while enmeshed in the larger uncertainties of the social and political worlds around them, a time pocked by the rise of fascism, cataclysmic world wars, and a new nuclear age. In Quantum Legacies, David Kaiser introduces readers to iconic episodes in physicists' still-unfolding quest to understand space, time, and matter at their most fundamental. In a series of vibrant essays, Kaiser takes us inside moments of discovery and debate among the great minds of the era-Albert Einstein, Erwin Schroedinger, Stephen Hawking, and many more who have indelibly shaped our understanding of nature-as they have tried to make sense of a messy world. Ranging across space and time, the episodes span the heady 1920s, the dark days of the 1930s, the turbulence of the Cold War, and the peculiar political realities that followed. In those eras as in our own, researchers' ambition has often been to transcend the vagaries of here and now, to contribute lasting insights into how the world works that might reach beyond a given researcher's limited view. In Quantum Legacies, Kaiser unveils the difficult and unsteady work required to forge some shared understanding between individuals and across generations, and in doing so, he illuminates the deep ties between scientific exploration and the human condition.

Demystifying Explosives: Concepts in High Energy Materials explains the basic concepts of and the science behind the entire spectrum of high energy materials (HEMs) and gives a broad perspective about all types of HEMs and their interrelationships. Demystifying Explosives covers topics ranging from explosives, deflagration, detonation, and pyrotechnics to safety and security aspects of HEMS, looking at their aspects, particularly their inter-relatedness with respect to properties and performance. The book explains concepts related to the molecular structure of HEMs, their properties, performance parameters, detonation and shock waves including explosives and propellants. The theory-based title also deals with important (safety and security) and interesting (constructive applications) aspects connected with HEMs and is of fundamental use to students in their introduction to these materials and applications.

Quantum physics allows us to understand the nature of the physical phenomena which govern the behavior of solids, semi-conductors, lasers, atoms, nuclei, subnuclear particles and light. In Quantum Physics, Le Bellac provides a thoroughly modern approach to this fundamental theory. Throughout the book, Le Bellac teaches the fundamentals of quantum physics using an original approach which relies primarily on an algebraic treatment and on the systematic use of symmetry principles. In addition to the standard topics such as one-dimensional potentials, angular momentum and scattering theory, the reader is introduced to more recent developments at an early stage. These include a detailed account of entangled states and their applications, the optical Bloch equations, the theory of laser cooling and of magneto-optical traps, vacuum Rabi oscillations and an introduction to open quantum systems. This is a textbook for a modern course on quantum physics, written for advanced undergraduate and graduate students.

Describing the phase of an electromagnetic field mode or harmonic oscillator has been an obstacle since the early days of modern quantum theory. The quantum phase operator was even more problematic with the invention of the maser and laser in the 1950s and 1960s. This problem was not solved until the Pegg-Barnett formalism was developed in the 1980s. Edited by one of the scientists who created this key solution, The Quantum Phase Operator: A Review charts the development of phase and angle operators from their first appearance to modern theory. Bringing together vital works that have been published on the subject, the book presents the ideas that led to the current theory of the phase operator and provides a complete picture of the progress that has followed since then. With introductions by the editors to put the papers in context and unify the content of the book, each section focuses on a different aspect of phase operators. The editors also chronologically organize the papers within the sections to highlight how scientific thought has evolved, if at all, over time. A collection of important relevant material that is scattered throughout the literature, this volume chronicles the history of the various facets of the quantum phase operator, promoting a solid foundation in quantum theory.

This book is an introduction to Lagrangian mechanics, starting with Newtonian physics and proceeding to topics such as relativistic Lagrangian fields and Lagrangians in General Relativity, electrodynamics, Gauge theory, and relativistic gravitation. The mathematical notation used is introduced and explained as the book progresses, so it can be understood by students at the undergraduate level in physics or applied mathmatics, yet it is rigorous enough to serve as an introduction to the mathematics and concepts required for courses in relativistic quantum field theory and general relativity.

Quantum engineering - the design and fabrication of quantum coherent structures - has emerged as a field in physics with important potential applications. This book provides a self-contained presentation of the theoretical methods and experimental results in quantum engineering. The book covers topics such as the quantum theory of electric circuits, theoretical methods of quantum optics in application to solid state circuits, the quantum theory of noise, decoherence and measurements, Landauer formalism for quantum transport, the physics of weak superconductivity and the physics of two-dimensional electron gas in semiconductor heterostructures. The theory is complemented by up-to-date experimental data to help put it into context. Aimed at graduate students in physics, the book will enable readers to start their own research and apply the theoretical methods and results to their current experimental situation.

Written by major contributors to the field who are well known within the community, this is the first comprehensive summary of the many results generated by this approach to quantum optics to date. As such, the book analyses selected topics of quantum optics, focusing on atom-field interactions from a group-theoretical perspective, while discussing the principal quantum optics models using algebraic language. The overall result is a clear demonstration of the advantages of applying algebraic methods to quantum optics problems, illustrated by a number of end-of-chapter problems.
An invaluable source for atomic physicists, graduates and students in physics.

Quantum field theory is the application of quantum mechanics to systems with infinitely many degrees of freedom. This 2007 textbook presents quantum field theoretical applications to systems out of equilibrium. It introduces the real-time approach to non-equilibrium statistical mechanics and the quantum field theory of non-equilibrium states in general. It offers two ways of learning how to study non-equilibrium states of many-body systems: the mathematical canonical way and an easy intuitive way using Feynman diagrams. The latter provides an easy introduction to the powerful functional methods of field theory, and the use of Feynman diagrams to study classical stochastic dynamics is considered in detail. The developed real-time technique is applied to study numerous phenomena in many-body systems. Complete with numerous exercises to aid self-study, this textbook is suitable for graduate students in statistical mechanics and condensed matter physics.