Book Description

The purpose of this book is to introduce string theory without assuming any background in quantum field theory. Part I of this book follows the development of quantum field theory for point particles, while Part II introduces strings. All of the tools and concepts that are needed to quantize strings are developed first for point particles. Thus, Part I presents the main framework of quantum field theory and provides for a coherent development of the generalization and application of quantum field theory for point particles to strings. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Much inferior to Ryder for intro QFT
I endorse most of what the reviewer below says except that Jasonc65 from Wilmington has forgotten that the derivative with respect to complex z=x+iy is d/dz=1/2(d/dx - i.d/dy) so that he should have got pi=half[i.phi(star)] by both methods - which is the right answer! Hatfield has simply got it wrong. Similarly,pi(star)=minus half(i.phi). For the correct treatment see Franz Gross "Relativistic Q.M. and Field Theory" chapter 7. And it's not the only error; simply "plugging (2.52) into an equation like (2.47)" clearly does not give (2.50) and (2.51) but gives an imaginary probability density and no i-factor in the spatial components.
Hatfield's treatment is not the step by step approach claimed but rather piecemeal and with a cavalier attitude to index house-keeping minus signs and factors of i and 1/2 etc. He is further let down by the typesetting of Perseus books that makes hardly any use of boldface characters, uses a point size for indices and suffixes not much smaller than the normal font and an almost typewriter-like character spacing in equations and formulae that make them sprawl across the page in a way less easy to scan than most other publisher's neatly grouped expressions.
For a step by step introduction that is clear, reasonably rigorous and more readable than Hatfield, I would strongly recommend Lewis Ryder's QFT book notwithstanding that it is mainly oriented towards the path integral formulation.

an intriguing book, what should I say?
This book promises to be a nice read for someone with minimal background. And many people with backgrounds in physics say it's an easy read. Maybe it is for them, but not for me. Now, I admit, I am a wannabe physicist. Most of my background is in pure mathematics and computer programming. However, I have recently taken up an interest in physics, and of all the sciences, I find that books in advanced physics are the most difficult to understand, in general. It has taken me many painful hours just to understand the Langrangian and the Hamiltonian, and just last week I finally mastered Noether's theorem. And by page 20 of this book, I'm exposed to the Lagrangian density, kind of a continuous extension of the notion of the Lagrangian. Well, generalizing from finitely many particles to a continuous field is not really that difficult. And I guess that is a very important insight in and of itself. But as I read the next 5 pages, I am absolutely dumbfounded by the stretch of rigor. I can't guess what rule they'll break next, as they assume that every calculation rule will carry over in their transition from one domain to another. In fact, as I write this review, I am still stuck pondering page 25, wondering how they justify every single step.

This is not the first time I've tried to read this book. I've had to frequently consult other books on mathematical physics before I could proceed any further. Now, I admit, that while my background in mathematics is thorough, I've never had a formal education in physics, and I'm trying as best as I can to read all the books on mathematical physics, quantum mechanics, QFT, QED, GR, etc. And I think I have the handle on the Hamiltonian, and how it is used in both classical and quantum mechanics.

On pages 21-22, I have to pour over calucations using integration by parts, and using some unstated boundary conditions, a minor difficulty with which I can cope. But then I find out the the author wants the Lagrangian density to depend on a complex function, and it's conjugate. So while I'm stuck in the middle of page 23, I have to redo all the calculations in my head. Now, that sure isn't step by step detail, as the preface claims. The author doesn't even tell me how I'm supposed to differentiate with respect to the complex functions. Am I supposed to treat the field and its conjugate as complex variables, or am I supposed to pretend that the Lagrangian density really depends on the real and imaginary parts of the field and thus consider two real fields instead of one complex field? I've tried both methods, and neither one of them satisfies my sense of rigor.

In equation (2.52), the author gives the Lagrangian, promising the reader it can easily be calculated by working backwards through the previous equations. I don't find that easy to do in my head at all. I've managed to work forwards and verify that the Lagrangian satisfies the invariance and reproduces Shroedinger's equation. But that was only after I poured over the next paragraph and realized that the transformation factor was supposed to be an imaginary number. Until then, it didn't make sense at all.

Now, I get to (2.53), where Hatfield gives the conjugate momentum as pi = i conjugate phi, without showing any intermediate steps. I tried differentiating with respect to the real and imaginary parts, and I got pi = -i phi. When I tried it again with complex differentiation, which I feel is less plausible, I got pi = i/2 conjugate phi. As always, either I'm not understanding what how the author wants me to make the transition, or else he's doing a sloppy job of it. Of course, like most other physics books, there are arithmetic errors that I have to sort through, and that only makes it worse. I find out only after pondering for days on a single line that the author meant a plus sign where he used a minus.

Well, I tried to forget about this confusion and move on. The author gives the Hamiltonian in (2.55), and then begins to discuss how to second quantize the result. Now, I'm not even sure how the differential operator carries over. In order to justify the claim that (2.55) reproduces the (2.37), it seems that I have to now assume that both d/dx and V(x) commute with phi(x,t). In the first quantized system, this is pure nonsense.

Now, I'm on page 25, where the author is discussing expansion in terms of eigenfunctions. It is smooth sailing until I get to (2.59), where in order to justify the last step, Hatfield makes the absurd claim (2.60), and I'm still trying to figure it out. I can only justify that claim if I confuse integer variables with continuous variables and treat the equation as a matrix equation. After all, you're dealing with a unitary matrix. But just try it with Hermite functions (energy eigenfunctions for the harmonic oscillator problem) and you'll run into problems with infinities. Of course, calculations with the Dirac delta function have never been fully rigorous, so maybe I'm kidding myself.

As you can see, I've only begun the book, so I can't really give a complete review of the whole thing, but it sure seems to be promising to be one headache after another.

Nice to read, but not complete.
This book is nice to read, I agree with most of the previous reviews about this. Some things are interesting, e.g. the chapter on Schrodinger picture, which is almost completely ignored in most textbooks. The style is very readable and the text gives some useful insights. However, it is not suitable as a reference on QFT or on strings because a number of subjects are left out: renormalisation of gauge theories (only QED is handled), symmetry breaking, the standard model, dimensional regularisation, supersymmetry, superstrings. In less pages, Ryder covers all these subjects, except strings, but in the end gives less insight on the inner working of the theory.

One of the best for understanding QFT
This book is readable (you don't have to sit down with paper and pencil and work out a page of calculations to get from one line to the next, for most of the text)and it is clear (concepts are defined and explained). It is not really suitable as a first exposure to QFT for the reader would be better off with some familiarity with Feynman diagrams and relativistic quantum mechanics beforehand. With this background Hatfield's book is very valuable as a source for understanding the meaning behind QFT. Many other field theory texts seem to be concerned with little beyond the motions of handling the mechanical formalism and obtaining quantitative results to problems. This book instead gives the reader insight into field theory, does a good job at giving the big picture and stressing the transition from ordinary QM to the field aspect. Besides this, Hatfield's informal prose makes the book enjoyable to read. It has a fair share of typos throughout but most are quite easy to find. Compared to some of the popular field theory texts out there (P&S, Ryder) this one stands head and shoulders above.

Excellent reference book for students
This is not a typical field theory book. From the very beginning the aim is to teach the reader all the concepts and methods which will be useful to learn string theory which form the last third of the book. Excellent examples of this can be found in the chapters on path integral and also in the chapter on Fadeev-Popov method. Almost all calculations are shown in step by step detail and it is very useful for the students who are learning field theory for the first time. The organization of the book is a little different from the usual mold of field theory books, but one can get use to it. One just has to realize that while most of the field theory books on the market (except for Weinberg's 3 volume text and one or two other) aim at teaching how to derive Feynman rules and how to calculate a few processes , this book by Hatfield is trying to take the "field theory book" audiance (who are usually phenomenology oriented) to a different playground "introduction to strings". This is an excellent book and a definite break from the old "B&D book 1 and 2" tradition and I would recommend it to both students and teachers (most of whom are still stuck in the old mode) alike. K. M. Maung Department of Physics Hampton University Hampton, Virginia 23668 ... Read more

Book Description

The quantum theory of macroscopic systems is a vast, ever-developing area of science that serves to relate the properties of complex physical objects to those of their constituent particles. Its essential challenge is that of finding the conceptual structures needed for the description of the various states of organization of many-particle quantum systems. In this book, Geoffrey Sewell provides a new approach to the subject, based on a "macrostatistical mechanics," which contrasts sharply with the standard microscopic treatments of many-body problems.

Sewell begins by presenting the operator algebraic framework for the theory. He then undertakes a macrostatistical treatment of both equilibrium and nonequilibrium thermodynamics, which yields a major new characterization of a complete set of thermodynamic variables and a nonlinear generalization of the Onsager theory. The remainder of the book focuses on ordered and chaotic structures that arise in some key areas of condensed matter physics. This includes a general derivation of superconductive electrodynamics from the assumptions of off-diagonal long-range order, gauge covariance, and thermodynamic stability, which avoids the enormous complications of the microscopic treatments. Sewell also unveils a theoretical framework for phase transitions far from thermal equilibrium. Throughout, the mathematics is kept clear without sacrificing rigor.

Representing a coherent approach to the vast problem of the emergence of macroscopic phenomena from quantum mechanics, this well-written book is addressed to physicists, mathematicians, and other scientists interested in quantum theory, statistical physics, thermodynamics, and general questions of order and chaos.

Book Description

This advanced textbook and reference is the first comprehensive and systematic review of all methods used for the measurement, correction, and control of the beam dynamics of modern particle accelerators. Based on material presented in several lectures at the US Particle Accelerator School, the text is intended for graduate students starting research or work in the field of beam physics. Relativistic beams in linear accelerators and storage rings provide the focus. After a review of linear optics, the text addresses basic and advanced techniques for beam control, plus a variety of methods for the manipulation of particle-beam properties. In each case, specific procedures are illustrated by examples from operational accelerators, e.g., CERN, DESY, SLAC, KEK, LBNL, and FNAL. The book also treats special topics such as injection and extraction methods, beam cooling, spin transport, and polarization. Problems and solutions enhance the book's usefulness for graduate courses. ... Read more

Book Description

Semiconductor Surfaces and Interfaces deals with structural and electronic properties of semiconductor surfaces and interfaces. The first part introduces the general aspects of space-charge layers, of clean-surface and adatom-induced surfaces states, and of interface states. It is followed by a presentation of experimental results on clean and adatom-covered surfaces which are explained in terms of simple physical and chemical concepts. Where available, results of more refined calculations are considered. This third edition has been thoroughly revised and updated. In particular it now includes an extensive discussion of the band lineup at semiconductor interfaces. The unifying concept is the continuum of interface-induced gap states. ... Read more

Book Description

Since 1995, the noncontact atomic force microscope (NC-AFM) has achieved remarkable progress. Based on nanomechanical methods, the NC-AFM detects the weak attractive force between the tip of a cantilever and a sample surface. This method has the following characteristics: it has true atomic resolution; it can measure atomic force interactions, i.e. it can be used in so-called atomic force spectroscopy (AFS); it can also be used to study insulators; and it can measure mechanical responses such as elastic deformation. This is the first book that deals with all of the emerging NC-AFM issues.

FROM THE REVIEWS:

MATERIALS TODAY "This book gives a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art of this dynamic force microscopy technique in 20 chapters, each written by experts in the field. It covers the theoretical basis, as well as applications to semiconducting surfaces, ionic crystals, metal oxides, and organic molecular systems including thin films, polymers, and nucleic acids . . . There are unsolved questions about the mechanisms responsible for atomic resolution but, as this well-written book displays, there has been tremendous progress in basic understanding of the technique and fascinating new applications continue to arise . . . With an increased understanding of NC-AFM, as demonstrated in this book, we are certain to see further progress in the near future." ... Read more

Book Description

Humans first used carbon as chars from firewood in ritual paintings and primitive metallurgical processes. Natural forms of carbon have been known since antiquity, yet the knowledge of the carbon element in chemistry and its technical applications on a larger scale are a relatively recent development. The industrial revolution in Europe two centuries ago led the way to the numerous applications of these graphitic forms that are still used today.
Graphite and Precursors features short tutorial articles on different topics related to the science and technology of carbons intended for engineers, students of Materials Science and scientists who are seeking a fundamental understanding without "reinventing the wheel." This first volume of the World of Carbon book series focuses on graphite and its precursors, including its origin and various implications. The basic properties of hexagonal graphite are developed, and several theoretical and experimental approaches explain why this crystall ... Read more

Reviews (1)

No buckyballs?!
Dusty old carbon. How interesting could this be? Well, right under our noses, there is a surprising amount of structure in carbon's graphite form. This book goes into some detail about the different possible forms of carbon, and the band structure.

Various chapters study mechanical and surface properties. Plus, you can learn about the amorphous and non-crystalline properties.

What is not covered here are Buckyballs. C60. Discovered in soot several years ago. Some of you are possibly interested in that, more than graphite. You might have to turn to later books in this series. ... Read more

Book Description

Over the last 25 years, the performances of semiconductor devices have improved greatly; this book describes the science and technology that have made these advances possible. While mainstream silicon memory and microprocessor chips still work with uniform silicon as the starting point, the whole of both electronic and optical communication relies on multilayer semiconductor structures.The book provides a unified overview of the quantum physics behind these devices, advances with materials and technology, and the devices themselves; it is suitable as a text for undergraduates and graduates in physics, materials sciences, or electronics, as well as researchers in the field. ... Read more

Book Description

In the eighties, a group of theoretical physicists introduced several models for certain disordered systems, called 'spin glasses'. These models are simple and rather canonical random structures, that physicists studied by non-rigorous methods. They predicted spectacular behaviors, previously unknown in probability theory. They believe these behaviors occur in many models of considerable interest for several branches of science (statistical physics, neural networks and computer science).

This book introduces in a rigorous manner this exciting new area to the mathematically minded reader. It requires no knowledge whatsoever of any physics, and contains proofs in complete detail of much of what is rigorously known on spin glasses at the time of writing. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

very good but...
the book is great, very well written. and many people were waiting for the first
rigorous text providing the reader with a global view of the subject.
there's just a problem of bad timing: due to the fast rate at which radically new results appeared recently and will keep appearing in the next several months, the book is already old before hitting the market. ... Read more

Book Description

John Bardeen was an unassuming man, a humble, soft-spoken Midwesterner whose life was filled with simple pastimes like a Sunday picnic with the family or a good game of golf. He was also a giant of modern physics, an extraordinary hero of twentieth century science. His seminal work earned him the distinction of being the only person ever to win two Nobel Prizes in physics -- both awarded for discoveries that were breathtaking in scope and responsible for advancing the course of human history.

Bardeen ranks among the most imaginative and inspired scientists of our time. But his genius was quiet and unobtrusive, hidden behind the façade of an average man, which perhaps why we know so little about him. As exuberantly talented as Albert Einstein, Bardeen had no desire to mug for the cameras or prove himself eccentric. Easily equal to the intellect of Richard Feynman, Bardeen was simply not irreverent and offbeat. As eccentricity and outsize personalities have come to symbolize the true nature of genius and creativity, Bardeen remains cloaked in obscurity.

Without Bardeen's first Nobel Prize-winning discovery -- the transistor -- the electronics revolution, which brought us desktop computers, supercomputers, and microelectronics, would still be the stuff of science fiction. His second great breakthrough -- the prevailing theory of electrical superconductivity which for years had stumped Einstein, Feynman, and many others -- promises to revolutionize twenty-first century technology with super-fast "mag-lev trains," supercolliding atom smashers, and other fantastic technological wonders.

Yet despite these achievements, this astonishing, though decidedly modest, Midwesterner was often overlooked by both the media as well as the public, simply because he differed radically from the popular stereotype of genius. Through an exploration of his science as well as his life, a fresh and thoroughly engaging portrait of genius and the nature of creativity emerges. This fascinating biography provides a whole new perspective on what it truly means to be a genius. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Overall, a Fine Portrait
I should really write two reviews. One with a rating of four stars, and one with five. Then the average will be 4.5, which I feel is the right rating. I have only two complaints. First, the discussion of minority carrier injection was not clear to me. I went back to the April 1992 issue of "Physics Today." There, the discussion is done just right,the importance of holes is clear. Second, the issue of "genius" and it's identification and cultivation in chapter 17 did not appeal to me. In my opinion, if we were to conclude with a jumping off point from Bardeen's life, it would be to address the question "why is he so unknown today?" That would have been a good epilogue. It's a good question. In W. H. Cropper's book "Great Physicists: etc." Bardeen is not mentioned. A real shame. Bardeen easily ranks with the physicists in that book.

But there really is so much to enjoy in this book. Although born in Wisconsin, and not Minnesota, Bardeen would have been so comfortable in Garrison Keillor's world. Bardeen seems straight out of Lake Wobegone and names like Clarence Bunsen and Florian Krebsbach kept coming to mind. Here was a loyal, moral, dedicated man, focused on his life and work, but needing few words to talk about it. Together with Brattain and Schockley (sort of), Bardeen invents the transistor, comes home to his wife, who is cooking dinner, and says to her, "we discovered something today." Wife Jane says, "that's great." After unraveling one of the greatest puzzles in all of physics, Bardeen says to Charles Slichter, "well, I think we've figured out superconductivity." Wonderful, News from Lake Wobegone stuff. (Hoddeson and Daitch's discussion of superconductivity is quite good, by the way.)

But that's the fun part. In the physics world, there are so few Bardeens. Not just in terms of intellect, but also in terms of generosity, humility, broad and inclusive vision, and overall respect and like for colleagues. I particularly liked the relationship between Bardeen and Brattain. Some physicists can only work alone, but for those who prefer collaboration, finding a partner like Brattain makes every workday fun and exciting.

Chapter 15 on Bardeen's work with charge density waves was also interesting, if dark. This chapter is an important lesson to those who believe science is the absolute collection of truths and facts. In reality, science is filled with that we do not understand and, as a result, consists of differing opinions and views, just like any other field. It was disheartening, but realistic, I feel, to read that disagreement can also include hurtful disrespect from colleagues/competitors, but Bardeen always maintained the highest levels of professionalism.

It was also disheartening to read in the acknowledgements that Betsy Bardeen Greytak had passed away. ...P>Other than physicsits, I'm not sure what audience will appreciate this book. But it will be interesting for all those, like myself, who have read, enjoyed, and mostly understood the "popular" Richard Feynman books and biographies.

The truth about genius
John Bardeen was one of the most important and prolific physicists of the twentieth century, on par with the likes of Niels Bohr and Richard Feynman, but the general public hardly knows his name. In this eloquent and entertaining biography, Lillian Hoddeson and Vicki Daitch capture the true essence of this quiet, gentle genius. They bring forth aspects of the warm, genuiune man behind the science that gave humanity the transistor and solved the almost intractable problem of superconductivity. Bardeen was a giant of 20th century science, and "True Genius" is the definitive story of his life.

Diamond of many facets
I read the brief "Publishers Weekly" review for True Genius, as well as the more cryptic but more positive comments of others. From the very first sentence I knew that the "Publishers Weekly" review would be superficial, and maybe even wrong, which then is of what help to a reader and potential book customer? Living in the U.S. democracy, how can we not be curious and not read about the Founders? Similarly, how can we be immersed in all the new electronics (computers, cell phones, DVD and CD machines, MRI's, digital machinery---in fact, Si here, Si there, Si everywhere) and not be curious about how all this happened, what sort of ingenious mind, or minds, might be at the beginning of it all? Imagine the calamity on the planet if the transistor vanished for a day. Does that help in understanding the scale of a Bardeen, of "True Genius"! I knew John Bardeen for 40 years (as my teacher, friend, colleague) and still I learned something further from Hoddeson and Daitch and the material they unearthed for "True Genius", a fascinating biography (a different kind of story). Hoddeson and Daitch do not disappoint in their biography of Bardeen and in elucidating over many chapters his kind of genius, which "Publishers Weekly" doesn't seem to appreciate. Genius is a diamond of many facets, and Hoddeson and Daitch reveal a Bardeen facet. It isn't the last chapter of "True Genius" that matters. It's the whole book, all the chapters, that reveal an American hero---if you will, a genius.

Nick Holonyak, Jr.
John Bardeen Chair Professor of
Electrical and Computer
Engineering and Physics, and
Center for Advanced Study
Professor of Electrical and
Computer Engineering
University of Illinois
Urbana, IL ... Read more

Book Description

In this upper-level text, Professor Tanner introduces the reader to the behavior of electrons in solids, starting with the simplest possible model. Unlike other solid state physics texts, this book does not begin with complex crystallography, but instead builds up from the simplest possible model of a free electron in a box and introduces higher levels of complexity only when the simple model is inadequate. The approach is to introduce the subject through its historical development, and to show how quantum mechanics is necessary for an understanding of the properties of electrons in solids. The author also includes an examination of the consequences of collective behavior in the phenomena of magnetism and superconductivity. Examples and problems are included for practice. ... Read more

Book Description

At the time of its publication this classic text, co-written by the Nobel Laureate Max Born, represented the definitive account of the subject and in many ways it still does. The book begins with a general discussion of the statistical mechanics of ideal lattices, leading to the electric polarizability and to the scattering of light. It then provides detailed discussions of long lattice waves, thermal properties, and optical properties. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

THE ORIGIN OF THE BORN-OPPENHEIMER APPROACH
This is not only the first, but still one of the best, explicit formulation of the Born-Oppenheimer approach, which stands as the basis for most of the quantum chemistry.

this book really sucked
i dont want to because this book sucked so ba ... Read more

Book Description

This classic companion to undergraduate practical work in physics describes the purposeful, critical approach that should be made to all physics experiments. It covers the statistical treatment of data and experimental methods, and gives advice on keeping efficient records, calculations, and scientific writing. The new edition features treatment of the c2 distribution, a section on atomic clocks, worked examples based on spreadsheets, and additional exercises. Existing examples and references have been brought up to date. The text is liberally illustrated with examples and exercises, with solutions to the latter. Although intended for undergraduates, Practical Physics will be of interest to researchers, not only in physics, but in other sciences as well. ... Read more

Book Description

This book is an introductory text to the physics of Bose-Einstein condensation.This phenomenon, first predicted by Einstein in 1925 has been realized experimentally in 1995 in a remarkable series of experiments whose importance has been recognized by the award of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics. The condensate is actually a new state of matter, where quantum-mechanical wave functions of atoms behave as coherent matter waves in the same way as coherent light waves in the case of a laser. The authors provide a theoretical presentation of the main concepts underlying the physics of dilute atomic gases in conditions of extremely low temperatures where quantum effects play a crucial role. The main effort is devoted to discussion of the relevant theoretical aspects exhibited by these systms, such as the concept of order parameter, long range order, superfluidity and coherence. The mathematical formalism is presented in a form convenient for practical use. The book develops the theory of Bose gases starting from the pioneering Bogoliubov approach and gives special emphasis to the new physical features exhibited by non-uniform gases which are produced in the recent experiments with magnetic and optical traps. These features include the determination of the equilibrium profiles, the collective oscillations, the mechanism of the expansion of the gas after releasing the trap, the interference patterns obtained by overlapping two condensates, the rotational properties revealing the effects of superfluidity the Josephson-like phenomena assocaited with the coherence of the phase, the beyond mean field phenomena exhibited by quantum gases in conditions of reduced dimensionality. The book also discusses the alaogies and differences with the physics of ""classical"" superfluids like liquid helium and introduces some of the major features of trapped Fermi gases at low temperature, pointing out the consequences of superfluidity. ... Read more

Book Description

Intended for undergraduate courses in physics for students in biological physics, life sciences, biophysics, physiology, medical physics, and biomedical engineering, this book is an introduction to electricity and magnetism with examples and problems from the medical and biological sciences; it covers standard topics of electrostatic fields and potentials, electric currents, electrochemistry and bioelectricity, and electromagnetism.

This new edition of a classic set of books, originally published in 1974 from the authors' typescript, has been edited, updated, corrected, indexed, and typeset. It will satisfy the growing need for a working knowledge of the physical sciences among students and practitioners in the medical and biological sciences. The books can be used as supplements to standard introductory physics courses, as texts for medical schools, medical physics courses, and biology departments, and as a reference for practitioners.Chapters include problems and references.

The authors are recognized experts in the field. Benedek was the recipient of the 1995 Irving Langmuir Prize from the American Physical Society's Division of Chemical Physics, and the 1994 Biological Physics Prize from the American Physical Society.

FROM THE REVIEWS:

PHYSICS TODAY "These are classic books, and anyone planning to include bio-physical examples in a calculus-level course should study them carefully...The authors are to be congratulated for their work, and I commend AIP Press and Springer-Verlag for making the books available again." ... Read more

Book Description

Graduate-level monograph develops theoretical ideas in a relatively informal manner. Nuclear scattering, nuclear scattering by crystals, scattering by liquids, neutron optics, polarization analysis, much more. Problem examples at chapter ends. Prerequisites are some familiarity with basic concepts of quantum mechanics and solid state physics. 1978 edition. Solutions. Bibliography. Appendixes.
... Read more

Reviews (2)

A beautiful account of complex theory in simple terms
An excellent book for learning the basics of neutron scattering, which in the process teaches much about modern methods of quantum theory applied to condensed matter. Squires provides the simplest and most concise treatment of this material I have ever seen.

Excellent book for learning the basics of neutron scattering
This book provides a fairly comprehensive overview of the basic theory of neutron scattering, offering some experimental examples. Much of the mathematical rigor associated with formal scattering theory is dispensed with, making it a good introductory level reference. ... Read more

Book Description

This is a complete introduction to the theory of waves and oscillations as encountered by physics and engineering students. It discusses both the mathematical theory and the physics of phenomena such as waves in fluids, electromagnetic waves, and discrete coupled oscillators in mechanics and electronics.The author gives a description of the mathematics of complex amplitudes and introduces forced and free oscillations and normal modes of resonance. Chapters cover wave guides, barrier penetration, and electromagnetic transmission. One section, devoted solely to surface waves, includes a discussion on light scattering and the determination of surface tension and viscosity, plasma oscillations, and feedback oscillations.Ideas and equations are displayed for easy reference, and sets of exercises follow each chapter. ... Read more

Book Description

This volume contains a selection of important papers by P-G de Gennes (1991 Nobel Prize Winner in Physics) which have had a long lasting impact on our understanding of condensed matter (solid state physics, liquid crystals, polymers, interfaces, wetting and adhesion). A typical example is the original article on "reptation" of polymer chains. The author has added some "after thoughts" following the main papers explaining their successes or weaknesses, and the current views on each special problem. ... Read more

Book Description

Why programmable atoms are the ultimate killer app.

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 companies ranging from Levi Strauss to IBM and the Defense Department, solid-state physicists in laboratories at MIT, Harvard, Sun Microsystems, and elsewhere are currently creating arrays of microscopic devices called "quantum dots" that are capable of acting like programmable atoms. They can be configured electronically to replicate the properties of any known atom and then can be changed, as fast as an electrical signal can travel, to have the properties of a different atom. Soon it will be possible not only to engineer into solid matter such unnatural properties as variable magnetism, programmable flavors, or centuple bonds far stronger than diamond, but also to change these properties at will.

Wil McCarthy visits the laboratories and talks with the researchers who are developing this extraordinary technology; describes how they are learning to control its electronic, optical, thermal, magnetic, and mechanical properties; and tells us where all this will lead. The possibilities are truly magical. ... 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