Book Description

This book deals with the coupling of two or more angularmomenta, angular momentum coupling coefficients, rotation matrices,tensor operators, evaluation of matrix elements, the gradient formula,identical particles, statistical tensors and polarization phenomena,traces of angular momentum matrices, the helicity formalism and thespin states of the Dirac particle. These topics cover the entire rangeof angular momentum techniques that are being widely used in the studyof both non-relativistic and relativistic problems in physics. At theend of each chapter, review questions, problems and solutions toselected problems are given in order to enable the reader to have aclearer understanding of the subject. Audience: This volume will serve as a valuable referencemonograph for research workers in particle physics, nuclear physicsand material science. It is also recommended as a text in angularmomentum techniques for graduate students of physics and chemistry. ... Read more

Book Description

"The book's science is solid and McCarthy's fervor genuinely infectious. The future never felt so close." --Wired

Programmable matter is probably not the next technological revolution, nor even perhaps the one after that. But it's coming, and when it does, it will change our lives as much as any invention ever has. Imagine being able to program matter itself-to change it, with the click of a cursor, from hard to soft, from paper to stone, from fluorescent to super-reflective to invisible. Supported by organizations ranging from Levi Strauss and IBM to the Defense Department, solid-state physicists in renowned laboratories are working to make it a reality. In this dazzling investigation, Wil McCarthy visits the laboratories and talks with the researchers who are developing this extraordinary technology, describes how they are learning to control it, and tells us where all this will lead. The possibilities are truly astonishing. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Star Trek Explained
I think the content of the book was so far out into the future that suddenly Star Trek movies make sence. The material is discussing theory so much with real practical applications many decades away, that one cannot help but think of Star Trek. It is with programmable matter that the future trekies can enable themselves to own cool toys like tricorders, replicators, cloaking devices, shape shifters etc. I think an alternative title of the book could have been, "Star Trek Explained" :-)

Being a science fiction fan, I enjoyed it thoroughly, except for the technical details of wellstone which was a drag in the end...

brilliant -
One can poke several holes into a lot of the stuff that is discussed in the book - especially that this technology (using quantum dots to create artificial matter that emulates real matter) is so far away as to be in the realm of sci-fi. However -inspite of all those caveats - the author does a great job of explaining the potential of this technology. His enthusiasm is contagious - and one really wishes that this technology advances at a faster pace.
I enjoyed it thoroughly - and compliment the author on his well-researched and well presented ideas.

A focused yet wandering introduction to quantum materials
I purchased this book for the title alone, while shelf-browsing at ETcon 2003; to see a non-fiction book discussing programmable matter on the cover was enough to catch my attention.

I found it a casual, yet enjoyable read; it threads gently through the prerequisite background, glossing over the specific details to keep the primary focus of the book intact; as it turned out, this didn't affect my enjoyment at all, while providing lots of jumping-off points for the interested observer to research further.

Managing to not get distracted by the fact that such things as "electron shells" and "thermochromatics", it introduces the reader (educated as they may or may not be) to the concept of a kind of material whose properties can be changed at will, by humans (not just nature). The core concept at hand is "quantum dots", and the text returns over and over again to this, diverging occasionally to provide anecdotes, or ways these semi-magical materials have already been (or soon, could be) used.

Overall, I felt the book a good read; if you're looking for an introduction into the world of quantum dots, dynamically modifiable materials, and science the likes of which one would formerly have expected from science fiction. It's not a book in which can be found explicit technical details, though there's more than a hundred references in the end-of-book bibliography; for that alone, it would be a perfect entry point for research.

Highly recommended.

Mostly Fiction, Not much Fact
While the book presents some interesting and perhaps even thought-provoking ideas, I don't think the author has a clear understanding of the physics behind "programmable atoms," or quantum dots. To be perfectly honest, I don't think he understands basic physical or chemical properties either.

Had I not donated the book to the local library (I have no use for it anymore) I would pull some exact quotes, but McCarthy states some real zingers, like how an atom's properties are completely and singularly dependent upon it's outermost electrons. Elsewhere in the book he states that protons and neutrons are always paired together. So the addition of another electron means you've made a new atom, one step up in the periodic table? What are ions, then? Perhaps I am being too harsh; his statements may hold true when provided in context. The problem is, he never explains any context. These statements are made as absolute truth. Oh yeah, and with an obvious bias towards physicists he states that engineers are lazy, wanting equations handed to them from a textbook without understanding the science behind the equation. I won't even dignify that comment with a response.

It's a shame that some deeper understanding of the subject matter did not rub off on McCarthy while he was busy interviewing the half-dozen-or-so physicists upon whose research the book is loosely based. Granted, the book is not intended to be a graduate-level text on quantum mechanics, but I presume it's target audience consists of readers with some scientific-background who will immediately spot flaws in the author's logic.

Basically, the approx. 200 page book is about 150 pages of filler (mostly bad science and character descriptions of the professors and their respective university campuses). The other 50 pages include the appendix, bibliography, and index. If you want to learn about the theory and applications of quantum dots and wells, just search google and save yourself a buck.

Fascinating overview of research and possible applications
"Hacking Matter" deserves 4-5 stars for addressing a very interesting topic - artificial atoms - and 3-4 stars for its presentation. The book can be divided into two parts. The first section, about 110 of the book's 200 pages, gives us a tour of actual research in solid-state physics and its implications for material science. The second launches us from real developments to speculative devices and applications. McCarthy tries to focus the book on programmable matter and only touches on other aspects of nanotechnology. I think that's a great idea, but it should have afforded him the opportunity for deeper explanations of research and ideas that were only briefly described.

McCarthy is facile with language, as might be expected from a writer of fiction. But while the reading flows easily, the first section suffers from an uneven handling of the material. For example, McCarthy delays the discussion of atomic orbitals until the middle of the book, and even then it's a watered-down introduction with the reader directed to a freshman chemistry textbook for more information. Given the complexity of the topic, I felt he should have assumed a certain level of reader compentency, start with a more detailed review of the atom with better diagrams of orbitals and material characteristics, then build from there and drop the "monkey on limbs" analogy. In contrast to some areas of hand-holding explanation, some quotes from physicists, given without further explanation, assume a certain level of sophistication from readers:

"In general, high temperatures tend to equal more interactions, because there are a lot more blackbody photons emitted from hot surfaces, which can then be absorbed and destroy atomic superpositions. But photon-photon interactions have such a low cross section you don't have to worry about it for optical quantum states. A photon that's in a quantum superposition is therefore going to be a lot more stable at room temperature." (p. 71)

Perhaps it's praise to McCarthy that I wanted more of the first 100 pages -- like a thorough introduction to atoms and how material properties arise, side-by-side diagrams of natural and artificial atoms in terms of scale, electron density plots, more details on the research, etc. It's fascinating stuff and there are references at the end of the book.

The speculative portion of the book, although it occasionally veers from the focus on programmable matter, is well-written and thought-provoking. McCarthy notes that the interviewed researchers are reluctant to speculate, and he steps into that void and presents some possibilities. One chapter describes a hypothetical construct for handling an array of quantum of dots: a "Wellstone Fiber" invented and submitted for a patent by McCarthy and his partner.

Back in the late 80s, K. Eric Drexler, referenced at least twice in "Hacking Matter," used his book "Engines of Creation" to speculate on possible directions for nanotechnology, well ahead of actual technical developments. While some of Drexler's ideas may not be realistic, he did galvanize interest in the subject. I can't help but think McCarthy is trying to play that role for artificial atoms and the funding of condensed matter physics research. For those of us who don't think that much about material science, this book provides a good wake-up call in the form of an entertaining read. ... Read more

Book Description

The last twenty years have seen remarkable advances in molecular quantum mechanics. The traditional methods expounded in the first successful edition of this book have been implemented on a grand scale. In the Second Edition, McWeeny has completely revised the text and has added a wealth of new material and example problems.

Key Features
* Self-contained development of modern quantum theory of molecular electronic structure and properties
* Assumes only an elementary quantum mechanics background
* Mathematical methods (vector spaces, representations, group theory, etc.) built up as required
* Latest advances (use of second quantization, unitary group, propagators all developed assuming no previous knowledge) ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Broad range of topics/Terrible at almost everything
This book covers everything you should know as a quantum chemist. It would be a great reference, except that it is totally unclear about what it's talking about. To understand what McWeeny means, you need to look up every reference. Things that should take 2 hours to understand will take you 2 weeks.

I have focused largely on his treatment of response functions, and let me say: what a mess! He actually calls certain operations A(w) even though A is indpt of w. It's terribly confusing and very unnecessarily so. I ended uphaving to white out parts of it and make many corrections just to understand what in the world he was talking about. There are also lots of mistakes... ... Read more

Book Description

This book presents the first comprehensive exposition of the interpretation of quantum mechanics pioneered by Louis de Broglie and David Bohm. The purpose is to explain how quantum processes may be visualized without ambiguity or confusion in terms of a simple physical model. Dr. Holland develops the idea that a material system such as an electron is a particle guided by a surrounding quantum wave. He examines the classic phenomena of quantum theory in order to show how the spacetime orbits of an ensemble of particles can reproduce the statistical quantum predictions. The book will therefore appeal to all physicists with an interest in the foundations of their discipline. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A good starting point
This book can serve as a good primer on the theory. It has many strong points and a few weaknesses. It's very good at explaining the postulates and assumptions that are the basis of the theory and comparing them with the traditional approach, without to much fuss with philosophy. It has several chapters with examples worked out in detail that I found really illuminating: even if the theory is ultimately found to be wrong, these examples will give the feeling to really visualise many quantum phenomena and to be able to deeply understand them, something which was much more difficult in the traditional approach. This is real fun for a physicist who has been using traditional quantum mechanics for years and remembers his early frustrations with the formalism. It convinced me that any course on quantum mechanics should include a short description of Bohm-de Broglie with a couple of examples.
Among the weaknesses, it seems to me that the maths used to derive the quantum statistics in chapter 3 contains several errors. Also, the relativistic version of the theory is a bit sketchy, although in my opinion this theory demands a much deeper investigation in the relativistic context. This weakness may be inherent to de Broglie-Bohm theory and is already present in Bohm's and de Broglie's works. I think there is a tendency in the research in this field since de Broglie, which this book inherits partially: spend too much energy to convince of the validity of the theory, instead of using it to derive useful results. But forget the weaknesses and enjoy the chapters with QM examples.

best on pilot wave to date
I prefer this one to Bohm's _Undivided Universe_. The exposition is clearer, and it does well without any super-speculative, cloudy ending. The virtue of the de Broglie-Bohm pilot wave is unmistakable here: real stat-mech type probabilities (which many-worlds can't get) emerging without any special postulate for the universe going on strike when a "measurement" occurs (which Copenhagen can't get rid of). Other good stuff here too; e.g., take your pick: Bohmize the Pauli equation, the Dirac equation, or an alternative treatment of spin coming from a quantum potential for the rigid rotator.

excellent
An excellent book that covers the hidden variables (which are actually the measured variables)interpertation as advanced by deBroglie and Bohm. This book carries this furthur and completes the theory in an understandable manner. It helps the reader to accept the possiblity of a field in 3N dimensional space. Once this is done things fall into place. It covers the main topics such as EPR, the measurement problem, and shows how the shifting boundary between the quantum world and the macro world vanishes.

It is written for physicists, but I was able to muddle through the math with a fairly limited background. The verbage is excellent and so can be read by philosophers without missing the main points.

A "lay" edition would be most welcome. ... Read more

Book Description

This book introduces the lattice approach to quantum field theory. The spectacular successes of this technique include compelling evidence that exchange of gauge gluons can confine the quarks within subnuclear matter. The lattice framework enables novel schemes for quantitative calculation and has caused considerable cross-disciplinary activity between elementary particle and solid state physicists. The treatment begins with the lattice definition of a path integral and ends on Monte Carlo simulation methods. Other topics include invariant group integration, duality, mean field theory and renormalization group techniques. The reader is assumed to have a basic background in relativistic quantum mechanics and some exposure to gauge theories. ... Read more

Book Description

Nonmathematical but thorough explanation of work of Planck, Einstein, Bohr, Pauli, Heisenberg, Dirac, etc. "Postscript 1959."
... Read more

Reviews (5)

Strange Story of the Quantum
This book is absolutly amazing, with very clear language that anyone could almsot understand. The beginning of the book does really start off as some dramatic book, but in the end, when all the dots are connected, you get the clearest explanation of why quantum world is random, but not the psuedo-random like the toss of a coin. At the points when the things really need to be explained as clearly as possible to the reader, the author does just that and leaves the story writting outline aside, while making sure that the reader really comperhands all the unusual quantum phenomena.

Hoffmann Loses and Finds Form
In Hoffmann's metaphorical language, exploration of the microcosm is like approximating a circle by means of polygons of greater and greater numbers of sides. You can't go on ad infinitum. The quantum is a minimum discernable action (energy acting over time) placing a limit on precision. You can never get as precise as the circle and therefore it disappears from reality. There are only polygons. But if there are no circles, why does the universe bother to approximate them?

Hoffmann does not ask or answer that last question, but he discovers form in another way. A supposed particulate object can possess a quantum without any formal precision; that is, you can't know its position or momentum exactly. Particles disappear into a smear and without them so do atoms (and molecules, etc.). In Hoffmann's analogy, you can see flowing water or water molecules, but you can't see both. The flow disappears when you try to discover of what it consists (where does the fire go when it goes out?). Similarly spacetime disappears among the indeterminate particles. This supposed event causes Hoffmann some regret, but why should it? He believes, it seems, in the perceived forms and cannot give them up for any indiscernable smears of action. We don't get any such affirmation, however. He obeys the unspoken protocol never to mix physics and metaphysics.

Physics can be Fun
I truly enjoyed this book. I enjoy physics, and this book I believe is great for anyone who wants to know about the history of the quantum.

Hoffman wrote this book as if he is speaking directly to you, with a sense of humor and wit.

Are physicist right-well, most of the time.

Wave or Particle...Particle or Wave? (no strings yet!)
This wonderful book written by Hoffman in 1947 (and updated in 1958) is timeless. That seems like a rather strange statement considering we are talking about physics, which seems to upend itself every 10 years! I am an avid fan of books on physics, astrophysics and cosmology. I have one major deficit and that is I have little math background. Hoffman's ability to write about complex concepts in a nonmathematical format is superb. His historical accounting of how classical physics was astounded by quantum physics is both stimulating and entertaining. I recommend this book to anyone wanting to know more about the origins of today's popular thoughts in physics.

A droll depiction of violet (and other) catastrophes
Hoffman writes with attention to scientific detail as well as with a wry sense of humor:

Is light a wave or a particle? Yes!
Is the electron here or there? Yes!
Do physicists really know what they're talking about? Yes!
... Read more

Book Description

This course on quantum mechanics gives a fresh and modern approach to the field. It is a textbook on the principles of the theory, its mathematical framework and its first applications. It constantly refers to modern and practical developments among which tunneling microscopy, quantum information, Bell inequalities, quantum cryptography, Bose-Einstein condensation and quantum astrophysics. The book also contains 90 exercises with their solutions.||The CD-ROM contains outstanding and "easy access" Java-based simulations, which illustratively help the user to better understand how the theory actually operates. It also contains a variety of links where one can discover updated applications and further readings. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Worst book ever
This book has nothing. It's crap. I'm in my 4th year of electrical engineerings and this is the worst book I've read. Actually, I thought no book could be this bad!
Just 1 example would have made this book better. ... Read more

Book Description

This book includes the entire collection of published and unpublished papers on the conceptual and philosophical problems of quantum mechanics written by John Bell, the leading expositor and interpreter of the modern quantum theory. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Still the subject of much debate
It would be difficult to find a more controversial topic in the philosophy of physics than what is discussed in this book. But its implications go beyond philosophy, in that some of the ideas in the book have been used in the attempts to build a quantum computer. Since it was written at a time when quantum computation was not taken as seriously as it is now, if at all, it is not surprising that experimental backing for the content is not included in the book. That such experimental evidence is lacking in the book is also a sign that such experiments are not conclusive in the verification of what the author expounds in the book. I can only speak for myself here, but having undertaken a painstaking look at the literature on the experiments purporting to verify entanglement and the "Bell inequalities", I have yet to find one that does so in a convincing way. The mathematical formalism employed by the author in the book allows him to prove some interesting theoretical conclusions, and those who work in the field of quantum computation even more so, but real-world experiments are lagging considerably behind these purely theoretical constructions.

The reader will find good discussions of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen and the de Broglie-Bohm delayed-choice "thought experiments" in the book, as well as a few other interesting discussions, such as the problem of hidden variables all from a pretty much philosophical viewpoint. The author however does not hesitate to use mathematical formalism where appropriate. Some of his conclusions will depend on what philosophical "school of thought" the reader is in. For example, in his discussion on hidden variables, he refers to the work of the mathematician Andrew Gleason on the impossibility of hidden variables. However, Gleason's proof would be unacceptable to a reader from the "intuitionist" school of mathematics, since the proof is nonconstructive. The author though does give an interesting analysis of why the von Neumann proof, and others after him (due to for example Jauch, Piron, and Gleason), are of limited relevance when analyzed in depth. Hence, for those who accept non-constructivism in mathematics, the Gleason proof would still not be a refutation of the existence of hidden variables in quantum mechanics. The author analyzes the arguments of von Neumann, Jauch, Piron, and Gleason, and rejects them mostly on the grounds of their demand that dispersion-free states must have the same properties as the usual quantum-mechanical states that allow all the successful predictions of quantum mechanics. The dispersion-free states could still reproduce the measurable peculiarities of quantum mechanics when they are averaged over, the author concludes.

Along these same lines, the author also gives an interesting discussion of the argument of Einstein, Podolsky, and Rosen on the incompleteness of quantum mechanics. He formulates their requirement that quantum mechanics contain additional variables mathematically and then proceeds to show that it is incompatible with the statistical predictions of quantum mechanics. These extra variables or parameters must have a probability distribution, and it is then shown, for a pair of spin-1/2 particles in a singlet spin state, and moving in opposite directions, that these extra variable do not give the quantum mechanical expectation value for the singlet state. The author concludes that in a theory in which parameters are added to quantum mechanics to determine the results of individual measurements without changing the statistical predictions, there must be a mechanism in which the setting of one measuring device influences the reading of another instrument, no matter how remote. He concludes that instantaneous propagation would exist in such a theory, which violates Lorentz invariance. His proof is straightforward to follow, but he does use a classical (Kolmogorovian) expression for the expectation value of the two spin components. This has provoked some debate, and has brought about a notion of "contextual probability", which is a probability theory that follows more on the lines of the frequency approach of von Mises. Also, the notion of locality that the author employs has been seriously challenged by some researchers, who assert that the real notions of space and time have not been used by Bell in the proof.

Therefore it could be said without a doubt that this book will introduce the reader to the raging debate on locality and other issues in the "foundations" of quantum physics. Papers supporting Bell and those against his conclusions appear frequently on the preprint servers. Since this book is widely quoted in these papers, it should perhaps then be on the shelf of all those readers who really have a desire to understand the mysteries of quantum mechanics.

Clear and Thought-Provoking Gems from QM Master
It is a travesty that this book is out of print. Almost unbelievable, in fact. What is Cambridge University Press thinking?

This book is not destined to become a classic-- because It IS a classic ALREADY!! It is just one that hasn't been widely recognized yet.

That's only a matter of time.

Nowadays everyone and their uncle seems to be talking about Quantum Communication this and Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen that-- and I guess with good reason, for we are now starting to see practical applications of this most esoteric of physics subfields.

However, it seems that the more non-intuitve and interesting a topic is, the more obfuscation (both intended and accidental) is written about it. (I'm not just talking about laymen and mystics, but physicists too!) Or, said another way, the more people talk, the less they really understand.

Forget all the rest of the [stuff] out there. Cut to chase. Read about the ESSENTIALS of what QUANTUM MECAHNICS really MEANS from one of the Masters of the field in about 15 short, lucid, crystal-clear essays.

There is some math here, but not much. That is the beauty and the danger of Quantum Mechanics-- because calculations are not that difficult in this field, people are lulled into thinking they really understand what it is they are calculating.

Well, most don't.

If you really want to get a grasp as to what it all MEANS-- forgetting the calculations for a moment--- you must read this book.

Feynman said that nobody really understood Quantum Mechanics. That may be so...

But John Stuart Bell came the closest.

You can't meet him at a conference anymore (he died in 1990,) but you CAN have him tutor you personally in this short, brilliant masterpiece.

If it isn't yet, it will become a classic.
In the early days of quantum mechanics, Einstein (who was
actually at the origin of the basic ideas of the theory)
and Bohr (one of the founders of the formalism of quantum
mechanics) had a lot of discussions: Einstein just couldn't
accept the (to "common sense") weird predictions of
quantum theory. Einstein's criticism on quantum theory
reached a top in a few papers that describe what is called
"the Einstein-Podolski-Rosen paradox". It describes long
distance correlations between measurements that seem to depend
on arbitrary decisions made by the two distant observers and
that can have no causal relationship.
Einstein's favorite view of the statistical nature of quantum
mechanical predictions was some hidden "gears and wheels"
that wasn't found out yet.
John Bell examined the question in detail and wrote a few
historical papers in which he showed that it is mathematically
impossible that the predictions of quantum mechanics follow
from hidden local "gears and wheels" in the situation
described by the EPR paradox; as such the strangeness
of the EPR paradox is underlined and can be settled by
experiment: if the "gears and wheels" exist, then the
predictions of quantum mechanics cannot be right (that is the
content of the Bell papers). Today, very sophisticated experiments indicate
that quantum mechanics is right and that the weirdness is
with us for good.
In this volume, those historical papers by Bell are reprinted
with added comments by the author. The merit is that they
have raised the issue from a conceptual debate to a scientific
question, amenable to experimental inquiery.

Does the world run on psychokinesis?
Any book that seems likely to stand as the most representative piece in one of science's greatest missteps deserves a five-star recommendation and should be widely read; this is how science progresses. Papers by E. T. Jaynes, A. F. Kracklauer, and C. S. Unnikrishnan have been published that not only seem to expose gaps in Bell's arguments, but even (in the case of Unnikrishnan) go so far as to show _how_ to get the same results as quantum mechanics but using only local information.

We may be standing on the cusp of a revolution in physics. Here are some important papers to read along with Bell, all of which are published on-line and elsewhere (get out your search engines):

C. S. Unnikrishnan: "Quantum correlations from wave-particle unity and locality: Resolution of the EPR puzzle" in the Annales de la Fondation Louis de Broglie, vol. 25 no. 3, 2000

A. F. Kracklauer: "La 'theorie' de Bell, est-elle la plus grande meprise de l'histoire de la physique?" in the same journal, vol. 25 no. 2, 2000

E. T. Jaynes: "Clearing Up Mysteries -- The Original Goal" in "Maximum Entropy and Bayesian Methods", edited by J. Skilling, Kluwer, 1989. Look also for "Probability in Quantum Theory" by the same author.

On the money
Bell dispatches a number of quantum myths, most courteously and most irrevocably--in particular, regarding what quantum experiments require us to conclude about the world. E.g. #1 indeterminism; #2 nature (Schrodinger evolution) stops and sits on her hands when a "measurement" is made; #3 Bohr got the better of Einstein. Another interesting point of Bell: Bohm = many-worlds minus absurdity. I felt the urge to stand up and cheer certain passages. Also, a nice brain-teaser on Lorentz vs. Einstein relativity. ... Read more

Book Description

The physics of open quantum systems plays a major role in modern experiments and theoretical developments of quantum mechanics.Written for graduate students and readers with research interests in open systems, this book provides an introduction into the main ideas and concepts, in addition to developing analytical methods and computer simulation techniques. ... Read more

Book Description

A comprehensive collection of problems of varying degrees of difficulty in nonrelativistic quantum mechanics, with answers and completely worked-out solutions. Among the topics: one-dimensional motion, transmission through a potential barrier, commutation relations, angular momentum and spin, and motion of a particle in a magnetic field. An ideal adjunct to any textbook in quantum mechanics, useful in courses in atomic and nuclear physics, mathematical methods in physics, quantum statistics and applied differential equations. 1961 edition.
... Read more

Reviews (1)

To all serious students
Getting expertness in Physics may not be achived until one try to solve problems more and more and the best way to obtain such ability is work with these titles.This book with its brief cotents covers many key ideas which is necessary for undergraduate quantum mechnics corse. I find it very useful. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A comprehensible text on quantum mechanics
This is by far and away the most comprehensible text on quantum mechanicsthat I've found yet.This book may very well be the only thing preventingme from failing quantum mechanics (note: this is not the required text forthe class). ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Not for the professional, and not for the lay either.
My background is electrical engineering, so I'm not a physicist or a lay person. I thought this book would be perfect, but it wasn't. It started out well enough, and I was following along, relying on my knowledge of electrophysics, and Maxwell's equations. But I was soon in trouble, as Kane began to rely on a mathematical operator, the Lagrangian, one which I hadn't any experience. Thinking I had forgotten something, I went looking for it, but it wasn't in any of my old math books. OK, I'll just follow along, I thought, not trying to verify the results in my own mind. But soon I was in trouble, as Mr. Kane began just listing equation after equation, with little or no explanatory text to tie it all together. After a time, my interest waned; this was very frustrating, since I was tired of reading "popular physics" books, with their unsatisfying explanations, but I knew I wasn't ready for graduate level quantum physics texts since my physics background is not that sophisiticated. This book began with promise, but ended without its fulfillment.

I don't know what the answer is, except to warn readers to be versed in the Lagrangian before they get started.

Great Intuition
Great ! Great ! Great ! This book is all about physics. The real physics... The physics is not lying in the trace theorems or in other technicalities of Quantum Field Theory but in simple, straightforward, physical arguments that arise from the basic principles of relativity and quantum mechanics. And Kane's book is all about that. As J.J Sakurai once said, a student may be a leading expert in calculating state of the art cross sections but if he/she cannot answer the simple questions, quickly and easily, then all is lost. Kane gives the reader the ability to quickly come up with answers for questions like "what do I expect the width for this particle to be", or "taking into acount this symmetry how do I expect this cross section to behave". As Fermi said, dont start the long calculation if you dont have a quick and dirty first result that will guide you along the more rigorous and exact calculation. So this book is all about that and physicists from all backgrounds will be able to follow it. I think that the book can serve excelently as an introductory graduate course before the hifh energy student moves to the more technical Field Theory books. In my opinion it is a disaster to jump into a rigorous Quantum Field Theory book before grasping the big picture and understanding why the heck all the pain is needed for the long theoretical calculations. And Kane's book serves this purpose. I am a graduate student at Stony Brook in experimental heavy ion physics and I spent some gratifying evenings going through the pages of the book. After the reading of this book interested readers in particle physics should also consider the books by Chris Quigg and also the classic Halzen - Martin book. The book touches upon all aspects of the standard model. I strongly suggest it !

Excellent, very readable intro to the Standard Model
Particularly good are the first 8 chapters introducing gauge theories and the Standard Model. This isn't a field theory text - Kane doesn't introduce spin sums or trace theorems so he never fully calculates a process; instead, he relies on dimensional analysis to provide approximate results. As a high energy theory student, I found this to be a drawback, but I guess that's what Peskin's book is for. Also, there are a fair number of minus signs and indices incorrect throughout the book (nothing serious, just a little annoying). ... Read more

Book Description

Bring Modern Physics to Life with a Realistic Software Simulation! Enhance the thorough coverage of Krane's Modern Physics 2e with hands-on, real-world experience! Modern Physics Simulations, developed by the Consortium for Upper-Level Physics Software (CUPS), offers complex, realistic calculations of models of various physical systems. Like all of the CUPS simulations, it is remarkably easy to use, yet sophisticated enough for explorations of new ideas. Important Features Include:
* Powerful simulations covering Historic Experiments in Electron Diffraction, Laser Cavities & Dynamics, Classical Scattering, Nuclear Properties & Decays, Special Relativity, Quantum Mechanics, and the Hydrogen Atom & the H2+ Molecule.
* Pascal source code for all programs and a number of exercises suggesting specific ways the programs can be modified.
* Graphical (often animated) displays in most simulations.
The entire CUPS simulation series consists of nine books/software simulations which cover Astrophysics, Electricity and Magnetism, Classical Mechanics, Modern Physics, Quantum Mechanics, Nuclear and Particle Physics, Solid State Physics, Thermal and Statistical Physics, and Waves and Optics. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

WAY too dumbed-down, needs more math
For a undergraduate text, I expect more mathematical explanations and modeling and less dumbed-down concepts. This book is really geared toward the lowest common denominator. The course that uses this book at my college is hands-down the "dumbest" class required for majors. It reads like a middle-school science textbook.

Good but sometimes confusing formulas
I am using the book as one of my references in teaching Modern Physics. Derivation of equations and formulas require only basic algebra and trigonometry. A lot of equation analysis which is very helpful in understanding the equation and the implications.

Excellent intro to Modern Physics
This is one of my favorite books left over from my undergraduate career. It is perfect for sophomore/junior level physics students who have completed intro courses and are ready to take a peek at something a little more advanced and a little more interesting. The student will need a little bit of differential equations and plenty of calculus to do well with this text. The chapter on Solid State Physics is very well done, with excellent descriptions of Bose and Fermi statistics, which should be adequate preparation for a more advanced course in statistical mechanics. The chapter involving the Schrodinger Equation is elementary, but it is unecessary to confuse a student with Quantum Mechanics at this level. A well-rounded book which makes a well-rounded student.

A good gateway between intro and intermediate physics.
This book is very helpful in teaching the basics of quantum and relativity. The historical development helps to give perspective on the problems that are still around. The only possible complaint is that the book could use some more challenging problems.

Good but less picture
This book have more variable of the formula which were different to the other book. Anyway , i would like to introduced this book for those were have the good knowledge in physics.Otherwise, I hope you chooce another for more better. ... Read more

Book Description

Quantum Dot Heterostructures Dieter Bimberg, Marius Grundmann and Nikolai N. Ledentsov Institute of Solid State Physics, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany Quantum dots are nanometer-size semiconductor structures, and represent one of the most rapidly developing areas of current semiconductor research as increases in the speed and decreases in the size of semiconductor devices become more important. They present the utmost challenge to semiconductor technology, making possible fascinating novel devices. This important new reference book focuses on the key phenomena and principles. Chapter 1 provides a brief account of the history of quantum dots, whilst the second chapter surveys the various fabrication techniques used in the past two decades, and introduces the concept of self-organized growth. This topic is expanded in the following chapter, which presents a broad review of self-organization phenomena at surfaces of crystals. Experimental results on growth of quantum dot structures in many different systems and on their structural characterization are presented in Chapter 4. Basic properties of the dots relate to their geometric structure and chemical composition. Numerical modeling of the electronic and optical properties of real dots is presented in Chapter 5, together with general theoretical considerations on carrier capture, relaxation, recombination and properties of quantum dot lasers. Chapters 6 and 7 summarize experimental results on electronic, optical and electrical properties. The book concludes by disoussing highly topical results on quantum-dot-based photonic devices - mainly quantum dot lasers. Quantum Dot Heterostructures is written by some of the key researchers who have contributed significantly to the development of the field, and have pioneered both the theoretical understanding of quantum dot related phenomena and quantum dot lasers. It is of great interest to graduate and postgraduate students, and to researchers in semiconductor physics and technology and optoelectronics. ... Read more

Book Description

This book comprises all of John Bell's published and unpublished papers in the field of quantum mechanics, including two papers that appeared after the first edition was published.It also contains a preface written for the first edition, and an introduction by Alain Aspect that puts into context Bell's great contribution to the quantum philosophy debate. One of the leading expositors and interpreters of modern quantum theory, John Bell played a major role in the development of our current understanding of the profound nature of quantum concepts. First edition Hb (1987): 0-521-33495-0First edition Pb (1988): 0-521-36869-3 ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Must have
This book is a classic. It is a must for anyone who approaches the quantum fluids field. The second part on the Bose liquid is far less complete than the first one on the Fermi counterpart which is just phenomenal. It is one of those books like A. G. D ... even when read for the million time you will find something you did not understand earlier. To me, it is a reference whenever i have trouble with something unclear. At the same level, I would complement it with Baym and Pethick'sFermi liquid theory, which, although it is not as complete, sometime adds a few supplementary comments..The authors focus on concepts,therefore you will find neither digrams nor Green's functions,which is a plus, since there are many books which do a perfect job on that.
This is a book you will always go back to.

More than a textbook
It is sometimes difficult to have definite personal impressions about books on theoretical physics, but this time I have quite a clear idea: this book belongs to the best tradition of classical books in Physics. A book that is badly needed, also given the latest spectacular developments in the field of quantum systems such as Bose-Einstein condensates (just to mention one exemplar case). This book will help you if you need to study the theory behind these systems, clarity, completeness and ''patience'' in explaining and presenting problems are only some of its charachteristics. At the same time it will open a door on a different world with all its charme and fascination, because the fact that it is a good textbook does not steal any of the beauty and elegance of the exposition and of the subject treated here. It is not an easy book, it is not elementary or oversimplified, it is not for everybody, it is a door on the quantum world. Thank you Nozieres and Pines! ... Read more

Book Description

This volume elucidates the consistent quantum theory approach to quantum mechanics at a level accessible to university students in physics, chemistry, mathematics, and computer science, making this an ideal supplement to standard textbooks.Griffiths provides a clear explanation of points not yet adequately treated in traditional texts and which students find confusing, as do their teachers. The book will also be of interest to physicists and philosophers working on the foundations of quantum mechanics. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

non-measurement QM
Ab initio development of the "consistent-histories" formulation of QM, which avoids the classical, measurement-related paradoxes. Could be used at upper undergrad level, but I think one should be at least at grad level to appreciate this book. Great examples ("toy models") for building intuition, comprehensive review of mathematical machinery. Best textbook, IMO, for someone who wants to advance their *understanding* of QM (forget the Copenhagen interpretation!). ... Read more

Book Description

Written by an internationally renowned philosopher, this volume offers a three-part philosophical interpretation of quantum physics. The first part reviews the basics of quantum mechanics, outlining their philosophical interpretation and summarizing their results; the second outlines the mathematical methods of quantum mechanics; and the third section blends the philosophical ideas of the first part and the mathematical formulations of the second part to develop a variety of interpretations of quantum mechanics. 1944 edition.
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Reviews (1)

The classic text on the philosophy of quantum mechanics
Reichenbach's book is a classic text, the first (I think) to focus on the philosophical aspects of quantum mechanics.Since it was written around the time that quantum mechanics was born, it does not deal with moderndiscussion on the subject.Reichenbach does solid work, however, and thisis a valuable resource for anyone interested in these issues.

The bookhas three sections.The first is an overview of his conclusions and theimplications of quantum mechanics.This section is lucid and relativelynon-technical, it should be intelligible to anyone.The second section isan in-depth technical introduction to the formalism of quantum mechanics. Anyone, if determined enough, could get through this part, though it'spretty hairy going for those without a formal background in physics ormathematics.In the last section, he reaches his conclusions andintroduces a system of logic to deal with the truth value of propositionsabout quantum mechanics. ... Read more

Book Description

The greatest challenge in fundamental physics attempts to reconcile quantum mechanics and general relativity in a theory of "quantum gravity." The project suggests a profound revision of the notions of space, time and matter.It has become a key topic of debate and collaboration between physicists and philosophers. This volume collects classic and original contributions from leading experts in both fields for a provocative discussion of the issues. It contains accessible introductions to the main and less-well-known known approaches to quantum gravity. It includes exciting topics such as the fate of spacetime in various theories, the so-called "problem of time" in canonical quantum gravity, black hole thermodynamics, and the relationship between the interpretation of quantum theory and quantum gravity. This book will be essential reading for anyone interested in the profound implications of trying to marry the two most important theories in physics. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Excellent book!
Excellent book on variety of topics and approaches to reconciling Quantum Mechanics and General Relitivity. This book is very unique. Even though there are not that many formulas in the book, this book is definitely for the serious and advanced. This book is very thought-provoking. All the contributors to different chapters are experts and there are many references to further readings for the topics discussed.

Canonical Quantization can work.
Never quite understood the barrier to quantizing gravity
when one realizes that R^infinity gravity quantizes without
any of the usual barriers (it is renormalizable on the grounds
that all required counter terms are available).
After which it is just a matter of following Einstein's
route to classical gravity, by setting to zero all
renormalized coupling constants, except that associated
with R.
End result, gravity quantized.

Physics Meets Philosophy at the Planck Scale
Physics Meets Philosophy at the Planck Scale: Contemporary theories in quantum gravity edited by Craig Callender and Nick Huggett is a book the gives the reader accessible introductions to the main and sometimes lesser known insight to quantum gravity.

This book was a challenge to read, yes, I must admit. But, that being said, I must say that it helped explain one of the greatest challenges in fundamental physics. How to come up with a plausible theory of quantum gravity out of quantum mechanics and general relativity. Yes, that all encompassing theory of everything aka quantum gravity. Space, time and matter all rolled into one grand theory. The so called problem of time in canonical quantum gravity, black hole thermodynamics and the relationship between the intrepretation of quantum theory and quantum gravity.

This book is divided into five parts, each of these parts has abstracts written to coorespond to the question at hand in these parts as chapters. These parts are as follows:

Part I: Theories of Quantum Garavity and their Philosophical Dimensions

Part II: Strings

Part III: Topological Quantum Field Theory

Part IV: Quantum Gravity and the Interpretation of General Relativity

Part V: Quantum Gravity and the Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics

This book not only looks at the physics to these, but also, looks at the philosophy that is concerned with fundamental questions regarding the nature of space, time, and matter. Seventeen authors give this book its body and soul for explaination as to how these fit together. What I particularly liked was the three chapters in "Strings" with "Reflections of the fate of spacetime by Edward Witten, A philosopher looks at string theory by Robert Weingard, and Black holes, dumb holes, and entropy by william G.Unruh.

This book isn't for everyone, but should be essential reading for anyone interested in the profound implications of trying to marry the two most important theories in physics. And that's the large and the small of it in a nutshell. But there is also a more positive reason for the connection between quantum gravity and the philosophy: many of these issues arising in quantum gravity are genuinely philosophical in nature.

How should we understand general relativity's general covariance... is it a significant physical principle,or is it merely a question about language with which one writes an equation? What is the nature of time and change? Canthere be a theory of the universe's boundry conditions? These are but a few of the questions asked and the explainations of the answers are trying to be resolved.

All, in all, this is a very good read and it will definately tax your brain.

Missing Table of Contents
The book looks interesting and the editors are leading experts in the field of quantum gravity. However, I could not make a purchasing decision since the table of contents is not listed in the ad. This is crucial, since the book apparently contains reprints of previously published material and, for all I know, I already possess this material. Thus, I suggest a table of contents be added to the ad for this book.
In order to post this review, I need to "rate" it. I give it 4 stars, since I know the editors are experts in the field, but not 5 stars since the ad is missing the table of contents. ... Read more