This is the second edition of a well-received book. It provides an up-to-date, concise review of essential topics in the physics of matter, from atoms and molecules to solids, including elements of statistical mechanics. It features over 160 completely revised and enhanced figures illustrating the main physical concepts and the fundamental experimental facts, and discusses selected experiments, mainly in spectroscopy and thermodynamics, within the general framework of the adiabatic separation of the motions of electrons and nuclei. The book focuses on what can be described in terms of independent-particle models, providing the mathematical derivations in sufficient detail for readers to grasp the relevant physics involved. The final section offers a glimpse of more advanced topics, including magnetism and superconductivity, sparking readers’ curiosity to further explore the latest developments in the physics of matter.
Author(s): Nicola Manini
Edition: 2
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG
Year: 2020
Language: English
Pages: 298
Preface
Contents
1 Introductory Concepts
1.1 Basic Ingredients
1.1.1 Typical Scales
1.1.2 Perspectives on the Structure of Matter (Contains Spoilers)
1.2 Spectra and Broadening
2 Atoms
2.1 One-Electron Atom/Ions
2.1.1 The Energy Spectrum
2.1.2 The Angular Wavefunction
2.1.3 The Radial Wavefunction
2.1.4 Orbital Angular Momentum and Magnetic Dipole Moment|
2.1.5 The Stern-Gerlach Experiment
2.1.6 Electron Spin
2.1.7 Fine Structure
2.1.8 Nuclear Spin and Hyperfine Structure
2.1.9 Electronic Transitions, Selection Rules
2.1.10 Spectra in a Magnetic Field
2.2 Many-Electron Atoms
2.2.1 Identical Particles
2.2.2 The Independent-Particles Approximation
2.2.3 Independent Electrons in Atoms
2.2.4 The 2-Electron Atom
2.2.5 The Hartree-Fock Method
2.2.6 Electronic Structure Across the Periodic Table
2.2.7 Fundamentals of Spectroscopy
2.2.8 Core Levels and Spectra
2.2.9 Optical Spectra
2.2.10 Electric-Dipole Selection Rules
3 Molecules
3.1 The Adiabatic Separation
3.2 Chemical and Non-chemical Bonding
3.2.1 H2+
3.2.2 Covalent and Ionic Bonding
3.2.3 Weak Non-chemical Bonds
3.2.4 A Classification of Bonding
3.3 Intramolecular Dynamics and Spectra
3.3.1 Rotational and Rovibrational Spectra
3.3.2 Electronic Excitations
3.3.3 Zero-Point Effects
4 Statistical Physics
4.1 Introductory Concepts
4.1.1 Probability and Statistics
4.1.2 Quantum Statistics and the Density Operator
4.2 Equilibrium Ensembles
4.2.1 Connection to Thermodynamics
4.2.2 Entropy and the Second Principle
4.3 Ideal Systems
4.3.1 The High-Temperature Limit
4.3.2 Low-Temperature Fermi and Bose Gases
4.4 Matter-Radiation Interaction
4.4.1 The Laser
5 Solids
5.1 The Microscopic Structure of Solids
5.1.1 Lattices and Crystal Structures
5.1.2 The Reciprocal Lattice
5.1.3 Diffraction Experiments
5.2 Electrons in Crystals
5.2.1 Models of Bands in Crystals
5.2.2 Filling of the Bands: Metals and Insulators
5.2.3 Spectra of Electrons in Solids
5.3 The Vibrations of Crystals
5.3.1 The Normal Modes of Vibration
5.3.2 Thermal Properties of Phonons
5.3.3 Other Phonon Effects
Appendix A Conclusions and Outlook
Appendix B Applications: Light Sources and Lighting
B.1 Incandescent Light Sources
B.2 Fluorescent Lamps
B.3 Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs)
Appendix C Elements of Quantum Mechanics
C.1 Bras, Kets and Probability
C.1.1 Wavefunction and Averages
C.2 Position, Momentum, and Translations
C.2.1 Compatible and Incompatible Observables
C.3 Schrödinger's Equation
C.4 Symmetry
C.5 Variational Methods
C.5.1 One State
C.5.2 Two States
C.6 The Schrödinger Equation in Real Space
C.7 Exact Solutions of Schrödinger's Equation
C.7.1 A Free Particle
C.7.2 A Particle Confined in an Infinitely Deep Square Well
C.7.3 The Linear Harmonic Oscillator
C.8 Angular Momentum
C.8.1 The Coupling of Angular Momenta
C.8.2 Coupled Magnetic Moments
C.9 Perturbation Theory
C.10 Interaction of Charged Particles and Electromagnetic Radiation
Appendix Solutions to Problems
Appendix References
Index
