Primarily aiming to give undergraduate students an introduction to solid state physics, Physics of Electrons in Solids explains the properties of solids through the study of non-interacting electrons in solids. While each chapter contains a qualitative introduction to the main ideas behind solid state physics, it also provides detailed calculations of utmost importance to graduate students.The introductory chapters contain crystallographic and quantum prerequisites. The central chapters are devoted to the quantum states of an independent electron in a crystal and to the equilibrium properties of conductors, insulators, and semiconductors. The final chapters contain insights into the assumptions made throughout, briefly describing the origin of ferromagnetism and superconductivity. The book ends with exercises and solutions based on a physics course taught by the author at Ecole Polytechnique.

Structure and Geometry.- Hierarchic structure.- The structure of quasicrystals: from diffraction patterns to atom positions.- Determination of quasi-crystal structures by higher dimensional analysis.- Six-dimensional atoms for a decorated three-dimensional Penrose tiling.- Metrical aspects of quasicrystal embedding in superspace.- Landau theory and direct methods for crystal structures analysis.- Geometry of films of amphiphile molecules: a curved space approach.- Geometrical approach of blue phases.- Electron microscopy and quasicrystals.- On the dark field imaging behaviour of icosahedral phases in rapidly cooled aluminium alloys.- Electron microscopy of modulated structures.- Models for Stability and Growth.- Physical models of perfect quasicrystal growth.- Generation and dynamics of defects in two-dimensional quasicrystals.- Intrinsic stability of quasicrystals and behavior under a load of Frenkel defects.- Reconstructive phase transition to the icosahedral phase.- Structure and growth of twoand three-dimensional hexatic liquid crystals.- The tiling structure of simple liquids: squares and triangles in two dimensions.- Does cholesteric blue phase III have an icosahedral structure ?.- Intrinsic frustration and space curvature in smectic A liquid crystals.- Critical behavior of polymorphic smectic-A liquid crystals.- Universal behavior in phospholipid multimembrane systems.- Pattern formation during the ordering processes in nematic liquid crystals.- Spatially modulated structures in models with competing interactions some new results.- Weakly periodic structures with a singular continuous spectrum.- The Anderson metal-insulator transition: incommensurate versus disordered systems.- Theory of phase transition between two incommensurate phases in NbTe4.- The origin of polytypes in SiC and ZnS.- Structural modulations in the high-temperature superconductor YBa2Cu3O7.? and semi conducting WO3-x, aspects of non-equilibrium behaviour.- Incommensurate modulations in bismuth-based high-Tc superconductors.- Incommensurate commensurate phase transition of Cu2-xTe. (x

The contents of this book stems from three different objectives. First, it is an introduction to the basic principles and techniques of Landau's theory, which is intended for teaching purposes. A second purpose of the book provides the practical methods for applying Landau's theory to complex systems. The last objective of the book is to incorporate the developments which have arisen in the last fifteen years from the extensive application of the theory to a variety of physical systems.

The contents of this book stems from three different objectives. First, it is an introduction to the basic principles and techniques of Landau's theory, which is intended for teaching purposes. A second purpose of the book provides the practical methods for applying Landau's theory to complex systems. The last objective of the book is to incorporate the developments which have arisen in the last fifteen years from the extensive application of the theory to a variety of physical systems.