Soft Condensed Matter commonly deals with materials that are mechanically soft and, more importantly, particularly prone to thermal fluctuation effects. Charged soft matter systems are especially interesting: they can be manufactured artificially as polyelectrolytes to serve as superabsorbers in dypers, as flocculation and retention agents, as thickeners and gelling agents, and as oil-recovery process aids. They are also abundant in living organisms, mostly performing important structural (e.g. membranes) and functional (e.g. DNA) tasks. The book describes the many areas in soft matter and biophysics where electrostatic interactions play an important role. It offers in-depth coverage of recent theoretical approaches, advances in computer simulation, and novel experimental techniques. Readership: Advanced undergraduate level in physics, physical chemistry, and theoretical biochemistry.

This book provides an up-to-date review of nanometer-scale magnetism and focuses on the investigation of the basic properties of magnetic nanostructures. It describes a wide range of physical aspects together with theoretical and experimental methods. A broad overview of the latest developments in this emerging and fascinating field of nanostructured materials is given with emphasis on the practical understanding and operation of submicron devices based on nanostructured magnetic materials.

Solid state physics is the branch of physics that is primarily devoted to the study of matter in its solid phase, especially at the atomic level. This prestigious serial presents timely and state-of-the-art reviews pertaining
to all aspects of solid state physics.
This latest volume in the series is devoted to the science underpinning two cutting edge areas: protein crystallization and semiconductor nanostructures. The extended and very complete review by E. Runge was awarded this year's Karl-Scheel Prize for "the outstanding publication by a young physicist from Berlin."

This text examines all aspects of constructing and using SQUID magnetic sensors that operate at either liquid helium or liquid nitrogen temperatures (4 or 77 K, respectively). There is comprehensive coverage of a range of established and emerging applications: biomagnetism, geophysics, nondestructive evaluation, detection of unexploded ordnance, and gravity gradiometry. The principles of both dc and rf SQUIDS are discussed extensively, as are the geometries, electronic circuitry and analysis techniques required to maximize performance. A major chapter of SQUID gradiometers in real environments presents original information on how to minimize noise from external sources. The discussions of biomagnetism describe the growing importance of neuromagnetometry with systems employing over 100 SQUID sensors, as well as the emergence of magnetocardiography and foetal heartbeat monitoring. Analysis techniques relevant to both biomagnetism and nondestructive evaluation are presented in depth.

Computer simulations not only belong to the most important methods for the theoretical investigation of granular materials, but provide the tools that have enabled much of the expanding research by physicists and engineers. The present book is intended to serve as an introduction to the application of numerical methods to systems of granular particles. Accordingly emphasis is on a general understanding of the subject rather than on the presentation of latest advances in numerical algorithms. Although a basic knowledge of C++ is needed for the understanding of the numerical methods and algorithms in the book, it avoids usage of elegant but complicated algorithms to remain accessible for those who prefer to use a different programming language. While the book focuses more on models than on the physics of granular material, many applications to real systems are presented.

A dense sheet of electrons accelerated to close to the speed of light can act as a tuneable mirror that can generate bright bursts of laser-like radiation in the short wavelength range simply via the reflection of a counter-propagating laser pulse. This thesis investigates the generation of such a relativistic electron mirror structure in a series of experiments accompanied by computer simulations. It is shown that such relativistic mirror can indeed be created from the interaction of a high-intensity laser pulse with a nanometer-scale, ultrathin foil. The reported work gives a intriguing insight into the complex dynamics of high-intensity laser-nanofoil interactions and constitutes a major step towards the development of a relativistic mirror, which could potentially generate bright burst of X-rays on a micro-scale.

The book depicts comprehensive studies on thermal decomposition of Kaolinite by different physico-chemical methods carried out by various scientists in last 100 years and results of the studies conducted by author in past 33 years. It also provides a critical analysis of different views on Kaolinite-Mullite reaction series, characterization of controversial spinel phase in Kaolinite-Mullite reaction series and explanation of DTA events of Kaolinite. The book helps both researchers and students to realise the new mechanism of transformation of Kaolinite to Mullite. The new reaction processes discussed in the book also help ceramic experts to synthesize Mullite grains in commercial way for production of Mullite porcelain and Mullite refractory.

Damage mechanics is concerned with mechanics-based analyses of microstructural events in solids responsible for changes in their response to external loading. The microstructural events can occur as cracks, voids, slipped regions, etc., with a spatial distribution within the volume of a solid. If a solid contains oriented elements in its microsctructure, e.g. fibers, the heterogeneity and asisotropy aspects create situations which form a class of problems worthy of special treatment. This book deals with such treatments with particular emphasis on application to technological composite materials.

Chapter one describes the basic principles underlying both the micromechanics approach and the continuum damage mechanics approach. It also reviews the relevant statistical concepts. The next three chapters are devoted to developments of the continuum damage mechanics approach related to characterization of damage with internal variables, evolution of damage and its coupling with other inelastic effects such as plasticity. Chapter 5 describes observations of damage from notches in composite laminates and puts forward some pragmatic modelling ideas for a complex damage configuration. The next two chapters form the bulk of the micromechanics approach in this volume. The first one deals with microcracking and the other with interfacial damage in composite materials.

The triennial International Alloy Conferences (lACs) aim at the identification and promotion of the common elements developed in the study, either experimental, phenomenological, or theoretical and computational, of materials properties across materials types, from metals to minerals. To accomplish this goal, the lACs bring together scientists from a wide spectrum of materials science including experiment, theory, modeling, and computation, incorporating a broad range of materials properties. The first lAC, lAC-I, took place in Athens, Greece, June 16-21, 1996. The present volume of proceedings contains the papers presented at IAC-2, that took place in Davos, Switzerland, August 8-13, 1999. The topics in this book fall into several themes, which suggest a number of different classification schemes. We have chosen a scheme that classifies the papers in the volume into the categories Microstructural Properties; Ordering, Kinetics and Diffusion; Magnetic Properties and Elastic Properties. We have juxtaposed apparently disparate of revealing the dynamic character approaches to similar physical processes, in the hope of the processes under consideration. We hope this will invigorate new kinds of discussion and reveal challenges and new avenues to the description and prediction of properties of materials in the solid state and the conditions that produce them.

Edward Teller Medalists: Laser Fusion Research in 30 Years (C. Yamanaka). New Basic Physics Derived from Laser Plasma Interaction (H. Hora). Lasers: Demonstration of a Nuclear FlashPumped Iodine Laser (G. Miley, W. Williams). Progress in ICF and XRay Laser Experiments at CAEP (H.S. Peng et al.). Interaction Mechanisms: Distributed Absorption and Inhibited Heat Transport (J.S. DeGroot et al.). A Survey of Ion Acoustic Decay Instabilities in Laser Produced Plasma (K. Mizuno). Inertial Fusion Energy Strategy: Advancement of Inertial Fusion Research (C. Yamanaka). Inertial Fusion Energy Results: Interaction Physics for Megajoule Laser Fusion Targets (W.L. Kruer). Related Ion Beam Interactions: Focusing and Propagation of the Proton Beam (K. Niu). Basic Phenomena: Acceleration of Electrons by Lasers in Vacuum (T. Hauser et al.). 37 additional articles. Index.

This book is devoted to the calculation of hot-plasma properties which generally requires a huge number of atomic data. It is the first book that combines information on the details of the basic atomic physics and its application to atomic spectroscopy with the use of the relevant statistical approaches. Information like energy levels, radiative rates, collisional and radiative cross-sections, etc., must be included in equilibrium or non-equilibrium models in order to describe both the atomic-population kinetics and the radiative properties. From the very large number of levels and transitions involved in complex ions, some statistical (global) properties emerge. The book presents a coherent set of concepts and compact formulas suitable for tractable and accurate calculations. The topics addressed are: radiative emission and absorption, and a dozen of other collisional and radiative processes; transition arrays between level ensembles (configurations, superconfigurations); effective temperatures of configurations, superconfigurations, and ions; charge-state distributions; radiative power losses and opacity. There are many numerical examples and comparisons with experiment presented throughout the book. The plasma properties described in this book are especially relevant to large nuclear fusion facilities such as the NIF (California) and the ITER (France), and to astrophysics. Methods relevant to the central-field configurational model are described in detail in the appendices: tensor-operator techniques, second-quantization formalism, statistical distribution moments, and the algebra of partition functions. Some extra tools are propensity laws, correlations, and fractals. These methods are applied to the analytical derivation of many properties, specially the global ones, through which the complexity is much reduced. The book is intended for graduate-level students, and for physicists working in the field.

This thesis provides the first successful study of jump diffusion processes in glasses on the atomic scale, utilizing a novel coherent technique. This new method, called atomic-scale X-ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy or aXPCS, has only recently been proven to be able to capture diffusion processes with atomic resolution in crystal systems. With this new toolkit for studying atomic diffusion in amorphous systems, new insight into basic processes in a wide range of technically relevant materials, like fast ionic conductors, can be obtained.

Thermal Conductivity: Thermal Conductivity of LooseFill Materials by a RadialHeatFlow Method (D.R. Flynn). The Probe Method for Measurement of Thermal Conductivity (A.E. Wechsler). Electrical Resistivity: Methods for Electrical Resistivity Measurement Applicable to Medium and Good Electrical Conductors (B. Cales, P. Abelard). Thermal Diffusivity: Modulated Electron Beam Thermal Diffusivity Equipment (R. De Conink). The Apparatus for Measurement of Thermophysical Properties of Liquids by AC HotWire Technique (L.P. Phylippov et al.). Specific Heat: Practical Modulation Calorimetry (Y.A. Kraftmakher). The Application of Differential Scanning Calorimetry to the Measurement of Specific Heat (M.J. Richardson). Thermal Expansion: Methods of Measuring Thermal Expansion (R.K. Kirby). The Review of Certified Thermophysical Property SRMs. Fourteen additonal articles. Index.

Volume 7 of the Handbook of Magnetic Materials provides an overview of some of the most exciting topics in magnetism today.

Firstly, a substantial step forward in the understanding of metallic magnetism has been reached by means of electronic band structure calculation. Progress in this area has been made not only due to the availability of high speed computing machines but also due to sophistication in the computational methodology. Two chapters are devoted to this subject, one of which is devoted to the elements and the other dealing primarily with 4f and 5f systems, including examples of the large group of intermetallic compounds. In both chapters the authors have concentrated on explaining the physics behind these band calculations. The chapters are written in a manner understandable to scientists having no experience with band calculations.

Thin film technology has become a key issue in high density magnetic and magneto-optical recording and will be dealt with in future volumes of the Handbook. The present volume introduces the field with a chapter on the magnetism of ultrathin transition metal films, describing the richness in novel magnetic phenomens that has been encountered in the past few years in these materials. Of equal interest are the novel magnetic phenomena observed when magnetic moments are incorporated in a semiconducting matrix. A comprehensive description of these materials is found in the chapter on diluted magnetic semiconductors. A separate chapter is devoted to the progress made in the field of heavy fermions and valence fluctuations, emphasis being placed on the important results obtained by means of neutron scattering. A detailed review of the progress made in the field of rare earth based intermetallic compounds in combination with 3d transition metals completes this multifaceted volume.

The aim of this book is the pedagogical exploration of the basic principles of quantum-statistical thermodynamics as applied to various states of matter - ranging from rare gases to astrophysical matter with high-energy density. The reader will learn in this work that thermodynamics and quantum statistics are still the concepts on which even the most advanced research is operating - despite of a flood of modern concepts, classical entities like temperature, pressure, energy and entropy are shown to remain fundamental. The physics of gases, plasmas and high-energy density matter is still a growing field and even though solids and liquids dominate our daily life, more than 99 percent of the visible Universe is in the state of gases and plasmas and the overwhelming part of matter exists at extreme conditions connected with very large energy densities, such as in the interior of stars. This text, combining material from lectures and advanced seminars given by the authors over many decades, is a must-have introduction and reference for both newcomers and seasoned researchers alike.

This book presents an introduction to viscoelasticity; in particular, to the theories of dilute polymer solutions and dilute suspensions of rigid particles in viscous and incompressible fluids. These theories are important, not just because they apply to practical problems of industrial interest, but because they form a solid theoretical base upon which mathematical techniques can be built, from which more complex theories can be constructed, to better mimic material behaviour. The emphasis is not on the voluminous current topical research, but on the necessary tools to understand viscoelasticity at a first year graduate level. The main aim is to provide a still compact book, sufficient at the level of first year graduate course for those who wish to understand viscoelasticity and to embark in modeling of viscoelastic multiphase fluids. To this end, a new chapter on Dissipative Particle Dynamics (DPD) was introduced which is relevant to model complex-structured fluids. All the basic ideas in DPD are reviewed, with some sample problems to illustrate the methodology.

This is the first monograph devoted to investigation of the most complex physical processes - phase transitions, critical phenomena and super-molecular organization - of soft systems, including a wide class of solutions from associated to micellar ones. Their thermophysical parameters are determined, and special attention is paid to problems of emergence and stability of the microemulsion state. The monograph also blends modern theoretical understanding and experimental results, while new methods and models for the description of several soft systems are proposed. The book is intended for scientists, engineers, graduate and doctoral students interested in the problems of the physics of soft matter.

In the last decade it has become increasingly evident that strong correla- tions between electrons are an essential and unifying factor in such diverse phenomena within solid state physics as high-temperature superconductivity, colossal magnetoresistance, the quantum Hall effect, heavy-fermion metals and Coulomb blockade in single-electron transistors. A new paradigmofnon- FermiLiquidbehaviourisalsoemergingand, inanumberofsystems, replacing the Fermi liquid, which has been the cornerstone ofthe physics of metals and superconductors for the pastdecades. In spite of major achievements, the theoretical studies and understanding of strongly-correlated electrons seems to be still in its infancy. Anomalous electron properties have been studied in some generic models of correlated electrons, such as the Hubbard and t-J models, the Anderson and Kondo impurity models, and their lattice equivalents. New insights into the behaviour of these, and related models is emerging from the introduction of powerful numerical methods to study such many-body models, including approximate techniquesofmany-body theory and exactresults inlow-andhigh-dimensional systems. Theseall showconvincingevidenceforbreakdownoftheFermiliquid concept. The Bled workshop focused on several major open questions in the theory of anomalous metals with correlated electrons. These theoretical advances were complemented by the latest experimental results in related materials, presented by leading experimentalists in the field. The main emphasis was on the following topics: - physics ofcuprates and high-temperature superconductors, - charge- and spin-ordering and fluctuations, - manganites and colossal magnetoresistance, - low-dimensional systems and transport, - Mott-Hubbard transition and infinite dimensional systems, - quantum Hall effect.

This textbook sets out to enable readers to understand fundamental aspects underlying quantum macroscopic phenomena in solids, primarily through the modern experimental techniques and results. The classic independent-electrons approach for describing the electronic structure in terms of energy bands helps explain the occurrence of metals, insulators and semiconductors. It is underlined that superconductivity and magnetism can only be understood by taking into account the interactions between electrons. The text recounts the experimental observations that have revealed the main properties of the superconductors and were essential to track its physical origin. While fundamental concepts are underlined, those which are required to describe the high technology applications, present or future, are emphasized as well. Problem sets involve experimental approaches and tools which support a practical understanding of the materials and their behaviour.

This book provides the first comprehensive description of time crystals which have a repeating structure in time. It introduces the fundamental concepts behind time crystals and explores the many different branches of this new research area. The book starts with the original idea of the time crystallization in quantum systems as introduced by Wilczek and follows the development of the field up to the present day. Both spontaneous formation of crystalline structures in time and concepts of the condensed matter physics in the time domain, ranging from Anderson localization in time to many-body systems with exotic interactions, are described. The prospect of creation of novel objects by means of time engineering is also presented. The book assumes knowledge of quantum mechanics to the graduate level. It serves as a valuable reference with pointers to future research directions for graduate students and senior scientists alike.

During the last decade impressive development and signi?cant advance of the physics of nonideal plasmas in astrophysics and in laboratories can be observed, creating new possibilities for experimental research. The enormous progress in laser technology, but also ion beam techniques, has opened new ways for the production and diagnosis of plasmas under extreme conditions, relevant for astrophysics and inertially con?ned fusion, and for the study of laser-matter interaction. In shock wave experiments, the equation of state and further properties of highly compressed plasmas can be investigated. This experimental progress has stimulated the further development of the statistical theory of nonideal plasmas. Many new results for thermodynamic and transport properties, for ionization kinetics, dielectric behavior, for the stopping power, laser-matter interaction, and relaxation processes have been achieved in the last decade. In addition to the powerful methods of quantum statistics and the theory of liquids, numerical simulations like path integral Monte Carlo methods and molecular dynamic simulations have been applied.

This book studies the widely used theoretical models for calculating properties of hot dense matter. Calculations are illustrated by plots and tables, and they are compared with experimental results. The purpose is to help understanding of atomic physics in hot plasma and to aid in developing efficient and robust computer codes for calculating opacity and equations of state for arbitrary material in a wide range of temperatures and densities.

http://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/0031

Nanoscale Science and Technology summarizes six years of active research sponsored by NATO with the participation of the leading experts.The book provides an interdisciplinary view of several aspects of physics at the atomic scale. It contains an overview of the latest findings on the transport of electrons in nanowires and nanoconstrictions, the role of forces in probe microscopy, the control of structures and properties in the nanometer range, aspects of magnetization in nanometric structures, and local probes for nondestructive measurement as provided by light and metal clusters near atomic scales.

This textbook presents the physical principles pertinent to the mathematical modeling of soft materials used in engineering practice, including both man-made materials and biological tissues. It is intended for seniors and masters-level graduate students in engineering, physics or applied mathematics. It will also be a valuable resource for researchers working in mechanics, biomechanics and other fields where the mechanical response of soft solids is relevant.

"Soft Solids: A Primer to the Theoretical Mechanics of Materials" is divided into two parts. Part I introduces the basic concepts needed to give both Eulerian and Lagrangian descriptions of the mechanical response of soft solids. Part II presents two distinct theories of elasticity and their associated theories of viscoelasticity. Seven boundary-value problems are studied over the course of the book, each pertaining to an experiment used to characterize materials. These problems are discussed at the end of each chapter, giving students the opportunity to apply what they learned in the current chapter and to build upon the material in prior chapters.