Product Description
This new edition of the classic text incorporates the many advances in knowledge about liquid crystals that have taken place since its initial publication in 1974. This new version's topicality and breadth of coverage will ensure that it remains an indispensable guide for researchers and graduate students in mechanics and engineering, and in chemical, solid state, and statistical physics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Bible for liquid crystals!
Like every book by de Gennes, this book is a classic! This latest edition in a "must have" text for everyone even remotely associated with liquid crystals. The text is written in a self contained fashion, but the mathematics and physics is of advanced level, and to fully appreciate the content one must have some grip on statistical mechanics, tensor and vector algebra, electromagnetism and continuum physics. Thus it is ideal for physicists, a rewarding challenge for chemists and starting researchers.

To get a simple understanding of liquid crystals (without chemical and mathematical equations), a text by Peter J. Collins (Liquid Crystals: Nature's delicate phase of matter) is highly recommended. For people interested in synthesis of liquid crystals, this text has almost nothing to offer and maybe another text by Collins is more useful. Another important text on the physics of liquid crystals is by Chandershekar. But bottomline is while you may want to look at other texts for specific needs (synthesis or display devices), The Physics of Liquid Crystals by de Gennes is the book one must have and one must read to make a living in this area. (of course, I will read the whole text too....) ... Read more

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This book is devoted to the theme of crystallographic studies at high pressure, with emphasis on the phenomena characteristic to the compressed state of matter, as well as experimental and theoretical techniques, used to study these phenomena. As a thermodynamic parameter, pressure is remarkable in many ways. It spans in the visible universe over sixty orders of magnitude, from the non-equilibrium pressure of hydrogen in intergalactic space, to the kind of pressure encountered within neutron stars. In laboratory, it provides unique possibility to control structure and properties of materials, dramatically alter electronic properties, break existing, or form new chemical bonds. This agenda naturally encompasses elements of physics (properties, structure and transformations), chemistry (reactions, transport), materials science (new materials) and engineering (mechanical properties); in addition it has direct applications and implications for geology (minerals in deep Earth environments), planetary sciences, biology and medicine (deep sea ecosystems, membranes, protein and nucleic acid folding, origins of life, deactivation of viruses and toxins). Beyond its specificity, high-pressure science finds direct or indirect (e.g. economic) applications in several fields of modern technology, such as mechanical engineering, optoelectronics and spintronics, nanotechnology, pharmaceutical industry and food processing. ... Read more

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Designed as an introduction to solid-state and condensed-matter physics, this textbook is ideal for one-semester graduate and advanced undergraduate courses in materials science.The new third edition includes a chapter on the properties of amorphous solids, and discusses recent progress in such areas as basic crystal structure, superconductivity, diffraction, defects, dislocations, specific heat, phonons, thermal and electrical conductivities, and the field of solid-state studies.Many textual changes have been made to clarify certain points and short sections have been added on low-dimensional semiconducting structures and on magnetic materials.Extra problems have been added and answers to all problems are provided.The presentation is direct and to-the-point, proceeding straight to the core topics in the field. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Excellent introduction to the fundamental concepts
When reading books of solid state physics, apart from the mathematics and quantum mechanics, the overall understanding is much influenced from solid knowledge of the fundamental concepts. This is the book you should read before embarking in deeper study of the physics of solid state. Indeed, this book is a gem; it clarifies all the basics, and is highly satisfactory in breadth and depth. It is also excellent for reviewing. THe book is very actual in the topics selection, concise, pretty self-contained and, above all, thin. It also has a very nice section on amorphous materials that is not commonly found in introductory solid state books. I hope you will enjoy it as much as i did!

Clear, Concise
I also used this book as a physics graduate student.The book is useful for materials physicists who want a more pictorial, textual description before diving into mathematical treatment of the subject material.Or, very useful as a companion to a more rigorous text.

An excellent introductory book!
This book is short, easy to read, yet it gives the reader a simple but clear picture of the solid state. It was used as a reference book for the introductory solid state physics course which I took in my first year ofgraduate study at Harvard. I enjoyed the book a lot.

Excellent introduction
A small and easy to understand text, not too much math ... Read more

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Crystallography and structure theory have recently received increasing interest due to their role in understanding biological structures, high-temperature superconductors, and effects on mineral properties related to changes in temperature and pressure. This book offers a comprehensive account of the wide range of crystallography in many branches of science. The fundamentals, the most frequently used procedures and experimental techniques are all described in a detailed way. A number of appendices are devoted to more specialist aspects. The book is an updated and fully revised new edition with emphasis on the wide range of topical applications and current areas of research. Ample illustrations help clarify the subject matter. To provide a better understanding of the basics of crystallography, a compact disk has been added to this new edition, offering the facilities of modern graphics to simulate experiments, show complex images, and provide a number of exercises. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The best modern textbook for the advanced crystallographer
This is the ideal book to deepen the knowledge one has gained from a beginner's book like Werner Massa's "Crystal Structure Determination" or Jenny Glusker's "Crystal Structure Analysis -- A Primer". Most important aspects of crystallography are explained in an understandable fashion and every serious crystallographer should read this book.It should be pointed out that the second edition (2002) is significantly better then the first, which was already very good.

A must-have for crystallographers
This is the only advanced general survey of topics in xray crystallography. Chapters are written by different authors, and the book feels pasted together. It is now seriously out of date. ... Read more

Product Description
X-ray crystallography provides a unique opportunity to study the arrangement of atoms in a molecule. This book’s modern computer-graphics centered approach facilitates the extrapolation of these valuable observations.

A unified treatment of crystal systems, the book explains how atoms are arranged in crystals using the metric matrix. Featuring two model crystal examples, the text develops theoretical concepts to point and space groups in two dimensions and then extends these ideas to three dimensions.

The book interprets the International Tables for Crystallography to bridge the gap between the crystallographic literature and spatial interatomic relationships. Numerous computer-based exercises are integrated throughout the book, with MATLAB^® starter programs that help reduce the minutiae of programming. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great textbook
This is an excellent textbook--and I emphasize that it is a textbook, rather than a reference book (translation:"information dump") that you might use as a textbook if you hate your students.What's more, nobody can really understand crystallography until they've done some of the math.MatLab is a perfect choice for allowing students to explore crystallographic concepts both mathematically and visually without too much programming.Prof. Julian's starter programs are excellent for making it even less painful for students.A lot of thought went into this book.

Highly recommended, very nice book
I am a Materials Scientist and Electron Microscopist. This is one of the best Crystallography books that are suitable for students and scientists from materials science field. The book covers everything that you need to know about the "Foundations" of Crystallography-lattice, mathematical base, symmetry, point groups, Bravais lattices, reciprocal lattice, international Table for Crystallography, X-ray, as well as how the contents of the unit cell influence the intensity of the diffraction maxima.

Most importantly, the material in the book is given in a logical order with the goal of understanding not only how atoms are arranged in crystals, but also how crystal systems are related to each other.

Indeed, this is a book treating crystallography from a top-down approach-from general to specific. The book manages to convey the theoretical conceptual beauty and its relevance to practice effectively and uses a lot of diagrams to make complicate concepts easy to understand. If you are interested in crystal and crystallography, you will fall in love with this book, which is very nicely written.

Excellent text for fundamental understanding of crystallography
I strongly recommend Prof. Julian's text to anyone interested in a basic understanding of crystallography.The book is very accessible to many levels and types of students interested in symmetry, crystallography, and x-ray analysis.Most crystallography books are loaded with mathematical representations of symmetry, which leaves many students whom lack mathematical vision at a loss of the basic concepts.I believe her method of mixing pertinent pictures and computer simulations with direct explanations allows the readers to form a visual concept foundation within their own minds before dredging through the thicker mathematics.For instance, Prof. Julian displays pictures and motifs of regular patterns (like that seen in nature) throughout the book to describe point and space groups, and then later relates the same symmetry described to the periodicity of atoms.Another positive note to the text is the description and explanation of reciprocal lattice. As stated in the book, reciprocal lattice is essential to crystallography.This topic is very abstract and always confusing to students (and even scientists, myself included).Prof. Julian's explanation and examples provides one of the better explanations of the relationship between direct and reciprocal lattice space.Besides the content of the text, the organization of the text provides a systematic process for the student to be introduced and reminded of the subject matter throughout each chapter.This is successfully achieved through the presentation of learning objectives at the start of each chapter, highlighted definitions throughout the chapter, example problems (with solutions), and a definition list at the end of each chapter.

I believe Prof. Julian achieved her intended goal to "communicate an understanding" of the basic relationship between symmetry and atom arrangement in any crystal.This book will be a valuable addition to any student, engineer, or scientists' bookshelf.

wonderful color and engaging narrative
The best introduction to crystallography I know. Wonderful color throughout the whole textbook and engaging narrative makes the subject easy to understand. MATLAB code makes provide immediate application of the theory and engages students into further explorations of the techniques. Useful additional material available through the textbook's Website http://www.foundations-of-crystallography.com/ ... Read more

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This book presents an analytical theory on the electronic states in low-dimensional systems and finite crystals recently developed by the author based on a differential equation theory approach. This theory gives some exact and general fundamental understandings on the electronic states in ideal low-dimensional systems and finite crystals such as the numbers and the behaviors of electronic states of different types; It provides new insights on some fundamental problems in low-dimensional systems such as surface states, quantum confinement effects etc, some of them are quite different from what are traditionally believed in the solid state physics community.

Product Description
Cloud physics is concerned with those processes which are responsible for the formation of clouds and the release of precipitation. This classic book gives a comprehensive and detailed account of experimental and theoretical research on the microphysical processes of nucleation, condensation, droplet growth, initiation and growth of snow crystals, and the mechanisms of precipitation release. As a textbook it is designed to give the student the necessary background to carry out independent work. As a reference book for the research worker, it provides an integrated account of the major developments in this field. Although written primarily for the atmospheric physicist, it contains much of interest for those in the fields of nucleation phenomena, crystal growth, and aerosol physics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Classic
This is a reprint of the second edition of Mason's classic work that was published in 1971.
There was no mention of this in the Amazon description.
I am pleased to have the book, but it is not a source for up-to-date information on cloud physics. ... Read more

Product Description
Group theory and symmetry are important concepts in solid state physics, but are not widely taught because of the mathematical complexities involved. This book aims to remedy this by using a practical approach which bypasses most of the abstruse detail of formal group theory. The subject is usually developed using abstract entities, but here the author uses concrete examples to aid understanding in his development of the basics of the subject. This makes the book an ideal text for senior undergraduate and graduate students. The book is divided into two parts. Part one introduces the reader to group theoretical techniques and applications via the extensive use of character tables. All topics required for a complete understanding of group theory in the context of solid state physics are covered. The author demonstrates clearly how symmetry arguments can be applied to give detailed insights into the physical properties of crystals. This part ends with a selection of applications which will prove useful to solid state physicists/chemists and materials scientists. Each chapter includes a set of problems with hints and solutions. Part two is self-contained and deals with applications of group theory to the study of the symmetry properties of strongly magnetic crystals. This is a topic usually omitted from group theory texts at this level. Symmetry Principles and Magnetic Symmetry in Solid State Physics is a comprehensive introduction to the subject. It will be of great use to all students of condensed matter and materials science. ... Read more

Product Description
This book contains six sets of lectures by internationally respected researchers on the statistical physics of crystal growth. The emphasis in the papers is on a description of underlying mechanisms and elaboration of simple models that provide a transparent physical picture.Viewed from a novel vantage point, they cover not only very recent developments in the phenomena of shape and growth, but also reflect on old problems that have not always received the attention they deserve.Contributors include P. Nozières, C. Caroli, B. Caroli, B. Roulet, J.S. Langer, Y. Pomeau, M. Ben Amar, L. Sander,J. Krug and H. Spohn. ... Read more

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This volume draws on the expertise of leaders in the field of macromolecular crystallography to illuminate the dramatic developments that are accelerating progress in structural biology. Their contributions span the range of techniques from crystallization through data collection, structure solution and analysis. The book shows how modern high-throughput methods are contributing to a deeper understanding of medical problems.

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The scanning tunneling microscopes and the atomic force microscopy, both capable of imaging and manipulating individual atoms, were crowned with the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1986, and are the cornerstones of nanotechnology today. The first edition of this book has nurtured numerous beginners and experts since 1993.

The second edition includes a number of new developments in the field. Non-contact atomic-force microscopy has demonstrated true atomic resolution. It enables direct observation and mapping of individual chemical bonds. A new chapter about the underlying physics, atomic forces, is added. The chapter on atomic force microscopy is substantially expanded. Spin-polarized STM has enabled the observation of local magnetic phenomena down to atomic scale. A pedagogical presentation of the basic concepts is included. Inelastic scanning tunneling microscopy has shown the capability of studying vibrational modes of individual molecules. The underlying theory and new instrumentation are added. For biological research, to increase the speed of scanning to observe life phenomena in real time is a key. Advanced in this direction is presented as well. The capability of STM to manipulate individual atoms is one of the cornerstones of nanotechnology. The theoretical basis and in particular the relation between tunneling and interaction energy are thoroughly presented, together with experimental facts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great resource for amateur STM designers
This may be a good resource for professionals also - but they'll have to speak for themselves. As an amateur, I found the instrumentation section extremely valuable. It is primarily because of that section that I give the text 5 stars. After plowing through a great many journal papers I eventually found that most of the theory and practice of building an STM had in fact been nicely distilled by Chen. There are some minor mistakes (e.g. discrepencies between the text and some figures), but nothing critical that I could see. A number of disparate but relevant prerequisite topics are addressed in the appendices with moderate success.
If there is a peer or superior alternative to the instrumentation and design aspects of STMs, I would love to hear of it! ... Read more

Product Description
Topological defects have a fascinating attraction in manydifferent branches of physics ranging from cosmology to liquidcrystals and from elementary particles to colloids and biologicalsystems. The experimental and theoretical results on defects inliquid crystals are increasing rapidly, particularly in heterogeneoussystems such as liquidcrystal dispersions and emulsions. Interest isalso driven by the great technological potential of these systems.Microscopic organizationsin systems with defects are much morecomplex than in uniform systems, meaning that molecular level theoriesrapidly become inadequate. Computer simulations thus become anindispensable tool for studying topological defects in liquidcrystals, starting from microscopic molecular interactions. These havematured over the last years to successfullycapture such features asorder parameter gradients both in the core of defects and far from it.Further simulations can incorporate the role of bulk elasticity,surface interactions, external electromagnetic fields. The bookprovides an up to date coverage of these issues and also considers anumber of outstanding open problems whichcan now be tackled.Emphasis ison the use of computer simulations to test and tocomplement theoretical predictions, explain experimental observations,and suggest new experiments. ... Read more

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Ice is one of the most abundant and environmentally important materials on Earth, and its unique and intriguing physical properties present fascinating areas of study for a wide variety of researchers. This book is about the physics of ice, by which is meant the properties of the material itself and the ways in which these properties are interpreted in terms of water molecules and crystalline structure. Although ice has a simple crystal structure its hydrogen bonding results in unique properties, which continue to be the subject of active research. In Physics of Ice, the physical principles underlying the properties of ice are carefully developed at a level aimed at pure and applied researchers in the field.Importanttopics like current understandings of the electrical, mechanical and surface properties, and the occurrence of many different crystalline phases are developed in a coherent way for the first time. An extensive reference list and numerous illustrations add to the usefullness and readability of the text. ... Read more

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Presents a variety of experiments and concepts including the phenomena of capillarity and wetting, fractals, small volumes and large surface surfaces, collids, surfactants and fluid membranes, polymers, and liquid crystals. DLC: Soft condensed matter. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent compilation of topics in Soft Matter!
Soft Matter Physics is an excellent compilation of chapters on different aspects of soft matter, written by the experts in their respective areas. In more ways than one, this text complements the texts of Chaikin & Lubensky as well as the one by Witten, and can be used wfor classroom teaching.

F. Brochard_Wyart's chapter on droplets describes some really elegant and simple experiments to introduce diverse concepts related to wetting and capillarity. A greater depth and detail about this area is found in a recently published treatize on Capillarity and Wetting Phenomenon, that she co-authored with David Quere and PG deGennes. The second chapter on fractals by Daoud and Van Damme presents introductory ideas of the mathematics of self-similarity, fractals, and random walks. Next follows an insightful foray into colloidal matter where J. C. Daniel and R. Andibert discuss the central role of interaction forces in describing the stability and aggregation behavior of colloids. The following two chapters focus on surfactants, where C Taupin and G. Porte examine the physiochemistry and the phase behavior of surfactant molecules.

F Candau then talks about the polymers formed by self-assembly and L Monnerie follows it up with description of the physical properties of covalently linked polymers. Thereafter comes a chapter by Tom Witten, which beautifully strings together the concepts of fractals, random walks, phase behavior into a discussion on the behavior of polymers in solution. This chapter is written in his trademark elegance, so apparent in his own treatize on soft matter, titled Structured Fluids. The last chapter on Liquid Crystals by J. Prost and C. E. Williams dwells on the characteristic properties of the nematic, smectic and columnar phases. With PG de Gennes, J. Prost is co-author on detailed text on liquid crystals.

It is only befitting that the forward to this text is written by PG de Gennes himself, for besides his fundamental contributionsto the field, he has shaped and influenced the research of all the contributors and of readers worldwide. I recommend this book to one and all, and I am sure that even if your research area is constrained to topics described in any one chapter, you will find the reading of the rest text as purposeful and illuminating. ... Read more

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A complete account of the theory of the diffraction of x-rays by crystals with particular reference to the processes of determining the structures of protein molecules, this book is aimed primarily at structural biologists and biochemists but will also be valuable to those entering the field with a background in physical sciences or chemistry. It may be used at any post-school level, and develops from first principles all relevant mathematics, diffraction and wave theory, assuming no mathematical knowledge beyond integral calculus.

The book covers a host of important topics in the area, including:
- The practical aspects of sample preparation and x-ray data collection, using both laboratory and synchrotron sources
- Data analysis at both theoretical and practical levels
- The important role played by the Patterson function in structure analysis by both molecular replacement and experimental phasing approaches
-Methods for improving the resulting electron density map
- The theoretical basis of methods used in refinement of protein crystal structures
- In-depth explanation of the crucial task of defining the binding sites of ligands and drug molecules
- The complementary roles of other diffraction methods which reveal further detail of great functional importance in a crystal structure. ... Read more

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Based on invited reviews presented at the 257th WE-Heraeus-Seminar, devoted to the topic 'Particle Scattering, X-Ray Diffraction, and Microstructure of Solids and Liquids.' Focuses on recent progress in theoretical and experimental investigations and studies of the microstructure of solids and classical and quantum crystals and liquids. ... Read more

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This book gives a systematic overview on the scientificfundamentals of crystal growth from the classical phenomenologicaldescription to the recent theoretical contributions of statisticalphysics such as studies on surface roughening and on the patternformation in the diffusion-limited growth.

The book emphasizes physical concepts as well as mathematical details,and is intended to serve as lecture notes for postgraduate courses. ... Read more

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International Tables for Crystallography Volume D: PhysicalProperties of Crystals is concerned with the influence ofsymmetry on the physical and tensor properties of crystals and ontheir structural phase transitions. This role is very important inmany different disciplines of the science of materials such ascrystallography, elasticity, solid-state physics, magnetism, optics,ferroelectricity and mineralogy. Part 1 introduces the mathematical properties of tensors and of grouprepresentations and gives their independent components for each of thecrystallographic groups. The software included in the accompanying CDROM enables the irreducible representations of finite point groups inthree dimensions (the 32 crystallographic groups and the groups of thequasicrystalline phases) and the independent components of a tensor ofany rank for each of these groups to be determined. Part 2 is devotedto the symmetry aspects of excitations in reciprocal space: phonons,electrons, Raman scattering and Brillouin scattering. Part 3 dealswith the symmetry aspects of structural phase transitions and oftwinning. A prominent feature is the joint description of twinning anddomain structures, which are usually presented in completely separateways in handbooks of physics and mineralogy. The theory of structural phase transitions relates the symmetrycharacteristics of the transitions to their physical ones. Theapplication of the symmetry principles that derive from this theory isillustrated by the tables on the CD ROM. The CD ROM also containstables of tensor properties at any group--subgroup phasetransition. ... Read more