The growing number of scientific and technological applications of plasma physics in the field of Aerospace Engineering requires that graduate students and professionals understand their principles. This introductory book is the expanded version of class notes of lectures I taught for several years to students of Aerospace Engineering and Physics. It is intended as a reading guide, addressed to students and non-specialists to tackle later with more advanced texts. To make the subject more accessible the book does not follow the usual organization of standard textbooks in this field and is divided in two parts. The first introduces the basic kinetic theory (molecular collisions, mean free path, etc.) of neutral gases in equilibrium in connection to the undergraduate physics courses. The basic properties of ionized gases and plasmas (Debye length, plasma frequencies, etc.) are addressed in relation to their equilibrium states and the collisional processes at the microscopic level. The physical description of short and long-range (Coulomb) collisions and the more relevant collisions (elementary processes) between electrons' ions and neutral atoms or molecules are discussed. The second part introduces the physical description of plasmas as a statistical system of interacting particles introducing advanced concepts of kinetic theory, (non-equilibrium distribution functions, Boltzmann collision operator, etc). The fluid transport equations for plasmas of electron ions and neutral atoms and the hydrodynamic models of interest in space science and plasma technology are derived. The plasma production in the laboratory in the context of the physics of electric breakdown is also discussed. Finally, among the myriad of aerospace applications of plasma physics, the low pressure microwave electron multipactor breakdown and plasma thrusters for space propulsion are presented in two separate chapters.

This book is devoted to superconductivity, which is one of the most interesting problems in physics. In accordance with the outline of the book, it treats the key problems in the field of superconductivity, in particular, it discusses the mechanism(s) of superconductivity. This book is useful for researchers and graduate students in the fields of solid state physics, quantum field theory, and many-body theory.

This book sheds light on the molecular aspects of liquids and liquid-based materials such as organic or inorganic liquids, ionic liquids, proteins, biomaterials, and soft materials including gels. The reader discovers how the molecular basics of such systems are connected with their properties, dynamics, and functions. Once the use and application of liquids and liquid-based materials are understood, the book becomes a source of the latest, detailed knowledge of their structures, dynamics, and functions emerging from molecularity. The systems discussed in the book have structural dimensions varying from nanometers to millimeters, thus the precise estimation of structures and dynamics from experimental, theoretical, and simulation methods is of crucial importance. Outlines of the practical knowledge needed in research and development are helpfully included in the book.

The systematic exploration of thermodynamic properties of molten metals and the physical processes during melt solidification provide the basis to develop proper modeling tools for computer assisted materials design to optimize casting processes, production routes and even find novel and innovative materials. This handbook concentrates on multicomponent alloys because most of the metallic materials in daily use are composed of several elements. It covers important aspects from fundamentals to applications:
- Thermodynamics,
- Microscopic and Macroscopic Dynamics,
- Nd-Fe based Alloys,
- Solidification and Simulation.
The text provides a vital understanding of melt properties and solidification processes, treating all simulation techniques for continuous and discrete systems, such as molecular dynamics on an atomic scale and sharp interface and phase field modeling on a mesoscopic scale. This is a complete and detailed picture of complex simulation of metallic alloy melts their solidification behaviour for materials scientists, solid state physicists and chemists, and those working in the metal processing industry.
The reports given in the handbook describe scientific results of a priority program (DFG SPP1120) funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft over a period of six years.

Written by an outstanding group of applied theoreticians with comprehensive expertise and a wide spectrum of international contacts headed by Prof. A. M. Gusak, this monograph coherently presents the approaches and results hitherto only available in various journal papers.
A must-have for all those involved with the public or corporate science of nano systems, thin films and electrical engineering.

Many physical properties of our universe, such as the relative strength of the fundamental interactions, the value of the cosmological constant, etc., appear to be fine-tuned for existence of human life. One possible explanation of this fine tuning assumes existence of a multiverse, which consists of a very large number of individual universes having different physical properties. Intelligent observers populate only a small subset of these universes, which are fine-tuned for life. In this book we will review several interesting metamaterial systems, which capture many features of important cosmological models and offer insights into the physics of many other non-trivial spacetime geometries, such as microscopic black holes, closed time-like curves (CTCs) and the Alcubierre warp drive.

Written in the perspective of an experimental chemist, this book puts together some fundamentals from chemistry, solid state physics and quantum chemistry, to help with understanding and predicting the electronic and optical properties of organic semiconductors, both polymers and small molecules. The text is intended to assist graduate students and researchers in the field of organic electronics to use theory to design more efficient materials for organic electronic devices such as organic solar cells, light emitting diodes and field effect transistors. After addressing some basic topics in solid state physics, a comprehensive introduction to molecular orbitals and band theory leads to a description of computational methods based on Hartree-Fock and density functional theory (DFT), for predicting geometry conformations, frontier levels and energy band structures. Topological defects and transport and optical properties are then addressed, and one of the most commonly used transparent conducting polymers, PEDOT:PSS, is described in some detail as a case study.

Creating Materials with a Desired Refraction Coefficient provides a recipe for creating materials with a desired refraction coefficient, and the many-body wave scattering problem for many small impedance bodies is solved. The physical assumptions make the multiple scattering effects essential. On the basis of this theory, a recipe for creating materials with a desired refraction coefficient is given. Technological problems are formulated which, when solved, make the theory practically applicable. The Importance of a problem of producing a small particle with a desired boundary impedance is emphasized, and inverse scattering with non-over-determined scattering data is considered.

Multiferroics, materials with a coexistence of magnetic and ferroelectric order, provide an efficient route for the control of magnetism by electric fields. The authors cover multiferroic thin-film heterostructures, device architectures and domain/interface effects. They critically discuss achievements as well as limitations and assess opportunities for future applications.

This book gives an in-depth analysis of the physical phenomena of thrust production by laser radiation, as well as laser propulsion engines, and laser-propelled vehicles. It brings together into a unified context accumulated up-to-date information on laser propulsion research, considering propulsion phenomena, laser propulsion techniques, design of vehicles with laser propulsion engines, and high-power laser systems to provide movement for space vehicles. In particular, the reader will find detailed coverage of: designs of laser propulsion engines, operating as both air-breathing and ramjet engines to launch vehicles into LEOs; Assembly of vehicles whereby laser power from a remote laser is collected and directed into a propulsion engine; and, the laser-adaptive systems that control a laser beam to propel vehicles into orbits by delivering laser power through the Earth's atmosphere. This book is essential reading for researchers and professionals involved in laser propulsion.

This book introduces the research process and principles of the controlled super-coupling nuclear fusion experiment at the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) nuclear fusion reactor in Hefei, China. It uses straightforward language to explain how nuclear fusion can provide safe, environmentally friendly, clean, and inexhaustible energy in future. EAST is the world's first fully superconducting, non-circular cross-section tokamak nuclear fusion experimental device, independently developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. This book helps demonstrate China's cutting-edge scientific and technological advances to the rest of the world, helps spread the scientific spirit to people around the globe, and promotes prosperity and development. The book is intended for all non-experts who would like to learn more about nuclear energy and related technologies.

This self-contained book takes the reader on a journey from the basic facts about atoms to topics at the forefront of current condensed matter research, giving students a broad view of materials science.The contents grew out of the lectures on solid state physics given to both theorists and experimentalists in the US who had little previous background in the area. The topics are of direct relevance for the interpretation of experimental data. Even if they may not be of chronological order, their universality is emphasized. The mathematics is simplified without sacrificing precision, providing an intuitive understanding of the phenomena discussed.The book is easily accessible to any mathematically inclined scientist or engineer with a basic knowledge of quantum mechanics.

This book is based on a series of lectures for an Astrophysics of the Interstellar Medium (ISM) master's degree in Astrophysics and Cosmology at Padova University. From the cold molecular phase in which stars and planetary systems form, to the very hot coronal gas that surrounds galaxies and galaxy clusters, the ISM is everywhere. Studying its properties is vital for the exploration of virtually any field in astronomy and cosmology. These notes give the student a coherent and accurate mathematical and physical approach, with continuous references to the real ISM in galaxies. The book is divided into three parts. Part One introduces the equations of fluid dynamics for a system at rest and acoustic waves, and then explores the real ISM through the role of thermal conduction and viscosity, concluding with a discussion of shock waves and turbulence. In Part Two, the electromagnetic field is switched on and its role in modulating shock waves and contrasting gravity is studied. Part Three describes dust and its properties, followed by the main stellar sources of energy. The last two chapters respectively address the various components of the ISM and molecular clouds and star formation.

Electric glow discharges (glows) can be found almost everywhere, from atmospheric electricity to modern plasma technologies, and have long been the object of research. The main purpose of this book is to provide simple illustrations of the basic physical mechanisms and principles that determine the properties of electric glow discharges. It should enable readers to successfully participate in scientific and technical progress.

Composites have been studied for more than 150 years, and interest in their properties has been growing. This classic volume provides the foundations for understanding a broad range of composite properties, including electrical, magnetic, electromagnetic, elastic and viscoelastic, piezoelectric, thermal, fluid flow through porous materials, thermoelectric, pyroelectric, magnetoelectric, and conduction in the presence of a magnetic field (Hall effect). Exact solutions of the PDEs in model geometries provide one avenue of understanding composites; other avenues include microstructure-independent exact relations satisfied by effective moduli, for which the general theory is reviewed; approximation formulae for effective moduli; and series expansions for the fields and effective moduli that are the basis of numerical methods for computing these fields and moduli. The range of properties that composites can exhibit can be explored either through the model geometries or through microstructure-independent bounds on the properties. These bounds are obtained through variational principles, analytic methods, and Hilbert space approaches. Most interesting is when the properties of the composite are unlike those of the constituent materials, and there has been an explosion of interest in such composites, now known as metamaterials. The Theory of Composites surveys these aspects, among others, and complements the new body of literature that has emerged since the book was written. It remains relevant today by providing historical background, a compendium of numerous results, and through elucidating many of the tools still used today in the analysis of composite properties. This book is intended for applied mathematicians, physicists, and electrical and mechanical engineers. It will also be of interest to graduate students.

This book is a thoroughly modern and highly pedagogical graduate-level introduction to quantum optics, a subject which has witnessed stunning developments in recent years and has come to occupy a central role in the 'second quantum revolution'. The reader is invited to explore the fundamental role that quantum optics plays in the control and manipulation of quantum systems, leading to ultracold atoms, circuit QED, quantum information science, quantum optomechanics, and quantum metrology. The building blocks of the subject are presented in a sequential fashion, starting from the simplest physical situations before moving to increasingly complicated ones. This pedagogically appealing approach leads to quantum entanglement and measurement theory being introduced early on and before more specialized topics such as cavity QED or laser cooling. The final chapter illustrates the power of scientific cross-fertilization by surveying cutting-edge applications of quantum optics and optomechanics in gravitational wave detection, tests of fundamental physics, searches for dark matter, geophysical monitoring, and ultraprecise clocks. Complete with worked examples and exercises, this book provides the reader with enough background knowledge and understanding to follow the current journal literature and begin producing their own original research.

Electronic state of every solid is basically classified into two categories according to its electrical responses: insulator or metal. A textbook of modern solid state physics explains that shape of a Fermi surface plays a key role in most physical properties in metals. One of the well-established experimental methods to detect a Fermi surface is measurement of quantum oscillations that is a periodic response of physical quantities with respect to external magnetic fields. As insulators do not host Fermi surface, it is believed that they do not exhibit any quantum oscillations. This book presents a comprehensive review of recent observations of quantum oscillations in the Kondo insulators, SmB6 and YbB12, and discusses how the observations are demonstrated by a newly proposed mechanism where emergent charge-neutral fermions exhibit quantum oscillations instead of bare electrons. It also focuses on topological properties of Kondo insulators, and demonstrates that YbB12 hosts a surface metallic conduction owing to its non-trivial band structure. Further it presents the experiments of specific heat and thermal conductivity in YbB12 down to ultra-low temperature to discuss the possible low-energy excitations from a Fermi surface of neutral fermions. The demonstrated gapless and itinerant fermionic excitations, that is the significant contribution from charge neutral fermions, violates Wiedemann-Franz law. The discoveries point out a highly unconventional phase of quantum state-electrically insulating but thermally metallic-realized in the bulk of topological Kondo insulators.