This book is a collection of lecture notes which were presented by invited speakers at the Eleventh School on Theoretical Physics 'Symmetry and Structural Properties of Condensed Matter SSPCM 2014' in Rzeszów (Poland) in September 2014. The main challenge for the lecturers was the objective to present their subject as a review as well as in the form of introduction for beginners. Topics considered in the volume concentrate on: spin dynamics and spin transport in magnetic and non-magnetic s...

This book provides a sound foundation for understanding abstract concepts of phase and reaction equilibria (e.g. partial molar Gibbs energy, fugacity, and activity), and shows how to apply these concepts to solve practical problems using numerous clear examples. It also presents numerical methods necessary for solving real-world problems as well the basic mathematics needed, facilitating its use as a self-study reference work. In the example problems requiring MATHCAD® for the solution, th...

Building up gradually from first principles, this unique introduction to modern thermodynamics integrates classical, statistical and molecular approaches and is especially designed to support students studying chemical and biochemical engineering. In addition to covering traditional problems in engineering thermodynamics in the context of biology and materials chemistry, students are also introduced to the thermodynamics of DNA, proteins, polymers and surfaces. It includes over 80 detailed...

It has been recognised recently that the strange features of the quantum world could be used for new information transmission or processing functions such as quantum cryptography or, more ambitiously, quantum computing. These fascinating perspectives renewed the interest in fundamental quantum properties and lead to important theoretical advances, such as quantum algorithms and quantum error correction codes. On the experimental side, remarkable advances have been achieved in quantum optic...

Enthusiasm for research on the quantum Hall effect (QHE) is unbounded. The QHE is one of the most fascinating and beautiful phenomena in all branches of physics. Tremendous theoretical and experimental developments are still being made in this sphere. Composite bosons, composite fermions and anyons were among distinguishing ideas in the original edition.In the 2nd edition, fantastic phenomena associated with the interlayer phase coherence in the bilayer system were extensively desc...

By year 1911 radioactivity had been discovered for over a decade, but its origin remained a mystery. Rutherford's discovery of the nucleus and the subsequent discovery of the neutron by Chadwick started the field of subatomic physics — a quest for understanding the fundamental constituents of matter.This book reviews the important achievements in subatomic physics in the past century. The chapters are divided into two parts: nuclear physics and particle physics. Written by renowned authors...

Diseases, the second volume in the four volume set, The Mouse in Biomedical Research, departs from the first edition, by discussing specific disease causing microorganisms, rather than the format used in the first edition which discussed infectious diseases affecting specific organs and tissues. As such, the volume consists of 26 chapters subdivided into RNA viruses and DNA viruses, as well as bacterial, mycotic, and parasitic infections. These chapters not only provide updates on pathogen...

Nano-optics is the study of optical phenomena and techniques on the nanometer scale, that is, near or beyond the diffraction limit of light. It is an emerging field of study, motivated by the rapid advance of nanoscience and nanotechnology which require adequate tools and strategies for fabrication, manipulation and characterization at this scale. In this 2006 text the authors provide a comprehensive overview of the theoretical and experimental concepts necessary to understand and work in ...

First published in 2006, this book has become the standard reference on nano-optics. Now in its second edition, the text has been thoroughly updated to take into account new developments and research directions. While the overall structure and pedagogical style of the book remain unchanged, all existing chapters have been expanded and a new chapter has been added. Adopting a broad perspective, the authors provide a detailed overview of the theoretical and experimental concepts that are nee...

This comprehensive book presents all aspects of acoustic metamaterials and phononic crystals. The emphasis is on acoustic wave propagation phenomena at interfaces such as refraction, especially unusual refractive properties and negative refraction. A thorough discussion of the mechanisms leading to such refractive phenomena includes local resonances in metamaterials and scattering in phononic crystals.

The aim of this book is to present review articles describing the latest theoretical and experimental developments in the field of cold atoms and molecules. Our hope is that this series will promote research by both highlighting recent breakthroughs and by outlining some of the most promising research directions in the field.

The thesis covers a broad range of electronic, optical and opto-electronic devices and various predicted physical effects. In particular, it examines the quantum interference transistor effect in graphene nanorings; tunable spin-filtering and spin-dependent negative differential resistance in composite heterostructures based on graphene and ferromagnetic materials; optical and novel electro-optical bistability and hysteresis in compound systems and the real-time control of radiation patter...