The development of coherent radiation sources for sub-angstrom wavelengths - i.e. in the hard X-ray and gamma-ray range - is a challenging goal of modern physics. The availability of such sources will have many applications in basic science, technology and medicine and in particular, they may have a revolutionary impact on nuclear and solid state physics, as well as on the life sciences. The present state-of-the-art lasers are capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation from the infrared to the ultraviolet, while free electron lasers (X-FELs) are now entering the soft X-ray region. Moving further, i.e. into the hard X and/or gamma ray band, however, is not possible without new approaches and technologies.

In this book we introduce and discuss one such novel approach -the radiation formed in a Crystalline Undulator -whereby electromagnetic radiation is generated by a bunch of ultra-relativistic particles channeling through a periodically bent crystalline structure. Under certain conditions, such a device can emit intensive spontaneous monochromatic radiation and even reach the coherence of laser light sources.

Readers will be presented with the underlying fundamental physics and be familiarized with the theoretical, experimental and technological advances made during the last one and a half decades in exploring the various features of investigations into crystalline undulators. This research draws upon knowledge from many research fields - such as materials science, beam physics, the physics of radiation, solid state physics and acoustics, to name but a few. Accordingly, much care has been taken by the authors to make the book as self-contained as possible in this respect, so as to also provide a usefulintroduction to this emerging field to a broad readership of researchers and scientist with various backgrounds.

This new edition has been revised and extended to take recent developments in the field into account."

This volume collects several in-depth articles giving lucid discussions on new developments in statistical and condensed matter physics. Many, though not all, contributors had been in touch with the late S-K Ma. Written by some of the world's experts and originators of new ideas in the field, this book is a must for all researchers in theoretical physics. Most of the articles should be accessible to diligent graduate students and experienced readers will gain from the wealth of materials contained herein.

The research of unitary concepts in solid state and molecular chemistry is of current interest for both chemist and physicist communities. It is clear that due to their relative simplicity, low dimensional materials have attracted most of the attention. Thus, many non-trivial problems were solved in chain systems, giving some insight into the behavior of real systems which would otherwise be untractable. The NATO Advanced Research Workshop on "Organic and Inorganic Low-Dimensional Crystalline Materials" was organized to review the most striking electronic properties exhibited by organic and inorganic sytems whose space dimensionality ranges from zero (Od) to one (1d), and to discuss related scientific and technological potentials. The initial objectives of this Workshop were, respectively: i) To research unitary concepts in solid state physics, in particular for one dimensional compounds, ii) To reinforce, through a close coupling between theory and experiment, the interplay between organic and inorganic chemistry, on the one hand, and solid state physics on the other, iii) To get a salient understanding of new low-dimensional materials showing "exotic" physical properties, in conjunction with structural features."

This book focuses on the thermophysical properties of Ge-Sb-Te alloys, which are the most widely used phase change materials, and the technique for measuring them. Describing the measuring procedure and parameter calibration in detail, it provides readers with an accurate method for determining the thermophysical properties of phase change materials and other related materials. Further, it discusses combining thermal and electrical conductivity data to analyze the conduction mechanism, allowing readers to gain an understanding of phase change materials and PCM industry simulation.

Kalia and Fu's novel monograph covers cryogenic treatment, properties and applications of cryo-treated polymer materials. Written by numerous international experts, the twelve chapters in this book offer the reader a comprehensive picture of the latest findings and developments, as well as an outlook on the field. Cryogenic technology has seen remarkable progress in the past few years and especially cryogenic properties of polymers are attracting attention through new breakthroughs in space, superconducting, magnetic and electronic techniques. This book is a valuable resource for researchers, educators, engineers and graduate students in the field and at technical institutions.

This coherent monograph describes and explains quantum phenomena in two-dimensional (2D) electron systems with extremely strong internal interactions, which cannot be described by the conventional Fermi-liquid approach. The central physical objects considered are the 2D Coulomb liquid, of which the average Coulomb interaction energy per electron is much higher than the mean kinetic energy, and the Wigner solid. The text provides a new and comprehensive review of the remarkable properties of Coulomb liquids and solids formed on the free surface of liquid helium and other interfaces. This book is intended for graduate students and researchers in the fields of quantum liquids, electronic properties of 2D systems, and solid-state physics. It includes different levels of sophistication so as to be useful for both theorists and experimentalists. The presentation is largely self-contained, and also describes some instructive examples that will be of general interest to solid-state physicists.

Quantum systems with many degrees of freedom are inherently difficult to describe and simulate quantitatively. The space of possible states is, in general, exponentially large in the number of degrees of freedom such as the number of particles it contains. Standard digital high-performance computing is generally too weak to capture all the necessary details, such that alternative quantum simulation devices have been proposed as a solution. Artificial neural networks, with their high non-local connectivity between the neuron degrees of freedom, may soon gain importance in simulating static and dynamical behavior of quantum systems. Particularly promising candidates are neuromorphic realizations based on analog electronic circuits which are being developed to capture, e.g., the functioning of biologically relevant networks. In turn, such neuromorphic systems may be used to measure and control real quantum many-body systems online. This thesis lays an important foundation for the realization of quantum simulations by means of neuromorphic hardware, for using quantum physics as an input to classical neural nets and, in turn, for using network results to be fed back to quantum systems. The necessary foundations on both sides, quantum physics and artificial neural networks, are described, providing a valuable reference for researchers from these different communities who need to understand the foundations of both.

... "What do you call work?" "Why ain't that work?" Tom resumed his whitewashing, and answered carelessly: "Well. lI1a), he it is, and maybe it aill't. All I know, is, it suits Tom Sawvc/: " "Oil CO/lll , IIOW, Will do not mean to let 011 that you like it?" The brush continued to move. "Likc it? Well, I do not see wlzy I oughtn't to like it. Does a hoy get a chance to whitewash a fence every day?" That put the thing ill a Ilew light. Ben stopped nibhling the apple .... (From Mark Twain's Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Chapter II.) Mathematics can put quantitative phenomena in a new light; in turn applications may provide a vivid support for mathematical concepts. This volume illustrates some aspects of the mathematical treatment of phase transitions, namely, the classical Stefan problem and its generalizations. The in tended reader is a researcher in application-oriented mathematics. An effort has been made to make a part of the book accessible to beginners, as well as physicists and engineers with a mathematical background. Some room has also been devoted to illustrate analytical tools. This volume deals with research I initiated when I was affiliated with the Istituto di Analisi Numerica del C.N.R. in Pavia, and then continued at the Dipartimento di Matematica dell'Universita di Trento. It was typeset by the author in plain TEX."

This book assembles both theory and application in this field, to interest experimentalists and theoreticians alike. Part 1 is concerned with the theory and computing of non-linear optical (NLO) properties while Part 2 reviews the latest developments in experimentation. This book will be invaluable to researchers and students in academia and industry, particularlrly to anyone involved in materials science, theoretical and computational chemistry, chemical physics, and molecular physics.

This thesis develops the dispersive optical model into a tool that allows for the assessment of the validity of nuclear reaction models, thereby generating unambiguous removal probabilities of nucleons from valence orbits using the electron-induced proton knockout reaction. These removal probabilities document the substantial quantitative degree in which nuclei deviate from the independent-particle model description. Another outcome reported within is the prediction for the neutron distribution of Ca-40, Ca-48, and Pb-208. The neutron radii of these nuclei have direct relevance for the understanding of neutron stars and are currently the subject of delicate experiments. Unlike other approaches, the current method is consistent with all other relevant data and describes nuclei beyond the independent-particle model. Finally, a new interpretation of the saturation probabilities of infinite nuclear matter is proposed suggesting that the semi-empirical mass formula must be supplemented with a better extrapolation from nuclei to infinite matter.

This book contains most, but regrettably not all, the papers that were presented at the Advanced Research Study Institute, ASI, held at the Fantasia Hotel, Kusadasi, Turkey, July 26 - August 8, 1998. A powerful incentive to the development of vortex physics in superconductors, that has began with Abrikosov Vortices in Shubnikov's Mixed State, was realized after the discovery of the high-Tc superconductivity. Indeed, a number of the most intriguing phenomena and states of the flux line lattice are observed in high-Tc superconducting materials due to their high anisotropy, intrinsically layered crys- tal structure, extremely small coherence length and the possibility of coexistence of superconducting vortex states with high-energy thermal fluctuation. These pe- culiarities are demonstrated as the 2D flux line lattice of point-vortices (pan- cakes), Josephson vortices or strings in parallel and/or tilted magnetic fields, flux line lattice melting into vortex liquid and its freezing into vortex "solid" (e. g. , crystal-or glass-like) state. It is well known, that the main reason for conditioning of the vortex ensemble state and behavior (except the extrinsic factors, such as applied magnetic field or temperature) is a set of intrinsic/extrinsic superconduct- ing material properties caused by the crystal nature and symmetry, atoms ar- rangement, anisotropy, as well as by the spectrum of crystal defects, their dimen- sions, arrangement and density.

The importance of solid base catalysts has come to be recognized for their environmentally benign qualities, and much significant progress has been made over the past two decades in catalytic materials and solid base-catalyzed reactions. The book is focused on the solid base. Because of the advantages over liquid bases, the use of solid base catalysts in organic synthesis is expanding. Solid bases are easier to dispose than liquid bases, separation and recovery of products, catalysts and solvents are less difficult, and they are non-corrosive. Furthermore, base-catalyzed reactions can be performed without using solvents and even in the gas phase, opening up more possibilities for discovering novel reaction systems. Using numerous examples, the present volume describes the remarkable role solid base catalysis can play, given the ever increasing worldwide importance of "green" chemistry. The reader will obtain an overall view of solid base catalysis and gain insight into the versatility of the reactions to which solid base catalysts can be utilized. The concept and significance of solid base catalysis are discussed, followed by descriptions of various methods for the characterization of solid bases, including spectroscopic methods and test reactions. The preparation and properties of base materials are presented in detail, with the two final chapters devoted to surveying the variety of reactions catalyzed by solid bases.

Documents the science, the mission, the spacecraft and the instrumentation on a unique NASA mission to study the Earth s dynamic, dangerous and fascinating Van Allen radiation belts that surround the planet

This collection of articles provides broad and detailed information about NASA s Van Allen Probes (formerly known as the Radiation Belt Storm Probes) twin-spacecraft Earth-orbiting mission. The mission has the objective of achieving predictive understanding of the dynamic, intense, energetic, dangerous, and presently unpredictable belts of energetic particles that are magnetically trapped in Earth s space environment above the atmosphere. It documents the science of the radiation belts and the societal benefits of achieving predictive understanding. Detailed information is provided about the Van Allen Probes mission design, the spacecraft, the science investigations, and the onboard instrumentation that must all work together to make unprecedented measurements within a most unforgiving environment, the core of Earth s most intense radiation regions.

This volume is aimed at graduate students and researchers active in space science, solar-terrestrial interactions and studies of the upper atmosphere.Originally published in Space Science Reviews, Vol. 179/1-4, 2013."

This thesis presents the theory of three key elements of optical spectroscopy of the electronic excitations in bilayer graphene: angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), visible range Raman spectroscopy, and far-infrared (FIR) magneto-spectroscopy. Bilayer graphene (BLG) is an atomic two-dimensional crystal consisting of two honeycomb monolayers of carbon, arranged according to Bernal stacking. The unperturbed BLG has a unique band structure, which features chiral states of electrons with a characteristic Berry phase of 2$\pi$, and it has versatile properties which can be controlled by an externally applied transverse electric field and strain. It is shown in this work how ARPES of BLG can be used to obtain direct information about the chirality of electron states in the crystal. The author goes on to describe the influence of the interlayer asymmetry, which opens a gap in BLG, on ARPES and on FIR spectra in a strong magnetic field. Finally, he presents a comprehensive theory of inelastic Raman scattering resulting in the electron-hole excitations in bilayer graphene, at zero and quantizing magnetic fields. This predicts their polarization properties and peculiar selection rules in terms of the inter-Landau-level transitions.

The book is designed to provide graduate students and research novices with an introductory review of recent developments in the field of magneto-optics. The field encompasses many of the most important subjects in solid state physics, chemical physics and electronic engineering. The book deals with (1) optical spectroscopy of paramagnetic, antiferromagnetic, and ferromagnetic materials, (2) studies of photo-induced magnetism, and (3) their applications to opto-electronics. Many of these studies originate from those of ligand-field spectra of solids, which are considered to have contributed to advances in materials research for solid-state lasers.

Techniques for the preparation of condensed matter systems have advanced considerably in the last decade, principally due to the developments in microfabrication technologies. The widespread availability of millikelvin temperature facilities also led to the discovery of a large number of new quantum phenomena. Simultaneously, the quantum theory of small condensed matter systems has matured, allowing quantitative predictions. The effects discussed in Quantum Dynamics of Submicron Structures include typical quantum interference phenomena, such as the Aharonov-Bohm-like oscillations of the magnetoresistance of thin metallic cylinders and rings, transport through chaotic billiards, and such quantization effects as the integer and fractional quantum Hall effect and the quantization of the conductance of point contacts in integer multiples of the conductance quantum'. Transport properties and tunnelling processes in various types of normal metal and superconductor tunnelling systems are treated. The statistical properties of the quantum states of electrons in spatially inhomogeneous systems, such as a random, inhomogeneous magnetic field, are investigated. Interacting systems, like the Luttinger liquid or electrons in a quantum dot, are also considered. Reviews are given of quantum blockade mechanisms for electrons that tunnel through small junctions, like the Coulomb blockade and spin blockade, the influence of dissipative coupling of charge carriers to an environment, and Andreev scattering. Coulomb interactions and quantization effects in transport through quantum dots and in double-well potentials, as well as quantum effects in the motion of vortices, as in the Aharonov-Casher effect, arediscussed. The status of the theory of the metal-insulator and superconductor-insulator phase transitions in ordered and disordered granular systems are reviewed as examples in which such quantum effects are of great importance.

This work reports on the generation of artificial magnetic fields with ultracold atoms in optical lattices using laser-assisted tunneling, as well as on the first Chern-number measurement in a non-electronic system. It starts with an introduction to the Hofstadter model, which describes the dynamics of charged particles on a square lattice subjected to strong magnetic fields. This model exhibits energy bands with non-zero topological invariants called Chern numbers, a property that is at the origin of the quantum Hall effect. The main part of the work discusses the realization of analog systems with ultracold neutral atoms using laser-assisted-tunneling techniques both from a theoretical and experimental point of view. Staggered, homogeneous and spin-dependent flux distributions are generated and characterized using two-dimensional optical super-lattice potentials. Additionally their topological properties are studied via the observation of bulk topological currents. The experimental techniques presented here offer a unique setting for studying topologically non-trivial systems with ultracold atoms.

The functionalization of surfaces on the nanoscale is one of the most fascinating and at the same time challenging topics in science. It is the key to tailoring catalysts, sensors, or devices for solar energy conversion, whose functional principle is based on the interaction of an active solid surface with another (liquid or gaseous) phase. As an example, planar transition metal complexes adsorbed on solid supports are promising candidates for novel heterogeneous catalysts. An important feature of these catalysts, compared to supported metal clusters, is the fact that the active sites, i. e. , the coordinated metal centers with their vacant axial coordination sites, are well de?ned and uniform. Metalloporphyrinoids are particularly suitable in this respect because they combine a structure forming element-the rigid molecular frame, which often induces long range order-with an active site, the coordinated metal ion. Its planar coordination environment leaves two axial coordination sites available for additional ligands. If adsorbed on a surface, one of these axial sites is occupied by the underlying substrate. The resulting electronic interaction with the surface can be used to tailor the electronic structure and thereby the reactivity of the metal center. The remaining site is free for the attachment of molecules (sensor functionality) and/or operates as a reaction center (single-site catalysis). Prototype examples are omnipresent in nature, where in particular metallo-tetrapyrrols play a decisive role in important biological processes, with the most prominent examples being iron porphyrins in heme, magnesium porphyrins in chlorophyll, and cobalt corrin in vitamin B12.

Most interesting and difficult problems in equilibrium statistical mechanics concern models which exhibit phase transitions. For graduate students and more experienced researchers this book provides an invaluable reference source of approximate and exact solutions for a comprehensive range of such models. Part I contains background material on classical thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, together with a classification and survey of lattice models. The geometry of phase transitions is described and scaling theory is used to introduce critical exponents and scaling laws. An introduction is given to finite-size scaling, conformal invariance and Schramm-Loewner evolution. Part II contains accounts of classical mean-field methods. The parallels between Landau expansions and catastrophe theory are discussed and Ginzburg--Landau theory is introduced. The extension of mean-field theory to higher-orders is explored using the Kikuchi--Hijmans--De Boer hierarchy of approximations. In Part III the use of algebraic, transformation and decoration methods to obtain exact system information is considered. This is followed by an account of the use of transfer matrices for the location of incipient phase transitions in one-dimensionally infinite models and for exact solutions for two-dimensionally infinite systems. The latter is applied to a general analysis of eight-vertex models yielding as special cases the two-dimensional Ising model and the six-vertex model. The treatment of exact results ends with a discussion of dimer models. In Part IV series methods and real-space renormalization group transformations are discussed. The use of the De Neef-Enting finite-lattice method is described in detail and applied to the derivation of series for a number of model systems, in particular for the Potts model. The use of Pad\'e, differential and algebraic approximants to locate and analyze second- and first-order transitions is described. The realization of the ideas of scaling theory by the renormalization group is presented together with treatments of various approximation schemes including phenomenological renormalization. Part V of the book contains a collection of mathematical appendices intended to minimise the need to refer to other mathematical sources.

Laser-driven proton beams are still in their infancy but already have some outstanding attributes compared to those produced in conventional accelerators. One such attribute is the typically low beam emittance. This allows excellent resolution in imaging applications like proton radiography. This thesis describes a novel imaging technique - the proton streak camera - that the author developed and first used to measure both the spatial and temporal evolution of ultra-strong electrical fields in laser-driven plasmas. Such investigations are of paramount importance for the understanding of laser-plasma interactions and, thus, for optimization of laser-driven particle acceleration. In particular, the present work investigated micrometer-sized spherical targets after laser irradiation. The confined geometry of plasmas and fields was found to influence the kinetic energy and spatial distribution of accelerated ions. This could be shown both in experimental radiography images and and in numerical simulations, one of which was selected for the cover page of Physical Review Letters.

Practical applications of soft-matter dynamics are of vital importance in material science, chemical engineering, biophysics and biotechnology, food processing, plastic industry, micro- and nano-system technology, and other technologies based on non-crystalline and non-glassy materials.
"Principles of Soft-Matter Dynamics. Basic Theories, Non-invasive Methods, Mesoscopic Aspects" covers fundamental dynamic phenomena such as diffusion, relaxation, fluid dynamics, normal modes, order fluctuations, adsorption and wetting processes. It also elucidates the applications of the principles and of the methods referring to polymers, liquid crystals and other mesophases, membranes, amphiphilic systems, networks, and porous media including multiphase and multi-component materials, colloids, fine-particles, and emulsions. The book presents all formalisms, examines the basic concepts needed for applications of soft-matter science, and reviews non-invasive experimental techniques such as the multi-faceted realm of NMR methods, neutron and light quasi-elastic scattering, mechanical relaxation and dielectric broadband spectroscopy which are treated and compared on a common and consistent foundation. The standard concepts of dynamics in fluids, polymers, liquid crystals, colloids and adsorbates are comprehensively derived in a step-by-step manner. Principles and analogies common to diverse application fields are elucidated and theoretical and experimental aspects are supplemented by computational-physics considerations.
"Principles of Soft-Matter Dynamics. Basic Theories, Non-invasive Methods, Mesoscopic Aspects" appeals to graduate and PhD students, post-docs, researchers, and industrial scientists alike.

This thesis presents a theoretical analysis of the behavior of glasses under external perturbations, i.e. compression and shear straining. Written in a pedagogical style, it explains every facet of the problem in detail, including many crucial steps that cannot be found in the existing literature-making it particularly useful for students and as an introduction to the subject of glassy physics. In glassy systems the behavior under external compression and shear-strain is quite peculiar. Many complex phenomena are observed and grasping them fully would be a major step toward a complete theory of the glass transition. This thesis makes important advances in this direction, analyzing the behavior of glassy states in painstaking detail and reproducing it in the framework of a recently developed mean field theory for glasses that has proven extremely successful for jamming, demonstrating its predictive power in the context of metastable glassy states obtained through nonequilibrium protocols.

"Granular Gases" are diluted many-particle systems in which the mean free path of the particles is much larger than the typical particle size, and where particle collisions occur dissipatively. The dissipation of kinetic energy can lead to effects such as the formation of clusters, anomalous diffusion and characteristic shock waves to name but a few. The book is organized as follows: Part I comprises the rigorous theoretical results for the dilute limit. The detailed properties of binary collisions are described in Part II. Part III contains experimental investigations of granular gases. Large-scale behaviour as found in astrophysical systems is discussed in Part IV. Part V, finally, deals with possible generalizations for dense granular systems.

This book presents the transport studies of topological insulator thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Through band structure engineering, the ideal topological insulators, (Bi1 xSbx)2Te3 ternary alloys, are successfully fabricated, which possess truly insulating bulk and tunable conducting surface states. Further transport measurements on these ternary alloys reveal a disentanglement between the magnetoelectric and thermoelectric properties. In magnetically doped topological insulators, the fascinating quantum anomalous Hall effect was experimentally observed for the first time. Moreover, the topology-driven magnetic quantum phase transition was Systematically controlled by varying the strength of the spin-orbital coupling. Readers will not only benefit from the description of the technique of transport measurements, but will also be inspired by the understanding of topological insulators.

An outgrowth of the first Asia-Pacific Regional School on the International Heliophysical Year (IHY), this volume contains a collection of review articles describing the universal physical processes in the heliospace influenced by solar electromagnetic and mass emissions. The Sun affects the heliosphere in the short term (space weather) and in the long term (space climate) through numerous physical processes that exhibit similarities in various spatial domains of the heliosphere. The articles take into account various aspects of the Sun-heliosphere connection under a systems approach.

This volume will serve as a ready reference work for research in the emerging field of heliophysics, which describes the physical processes taking place in the physical space controlled by the Sun out to the local interstellar medium.