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Topological quantum numbers are distinguished from quantum numbers based on symmetry because they are insensitive to the imperfections of the systems in which they are observed. They have become very important in precision measurements in recent years, and provide the best measurements of voltage and electrical resistance. This book describes the theory of such quantum numbers, starting with Dirac's argument for the quantization of electric charge, and continuing with discussions on the helium superfluids, flux quantization and the Josephson effect in superconductors, the quantum Hall effect, solids and liquid crystals, and topological phase transitions. The accompanying reprints include some of the classic experimental and theoretical papers in this area.Physicists — both experimental and theoretical — who are interested in the topic will find this book an invaluable reference.
Topological quantum numbers are distinguished from quantum numbers based on symmetry because they are insensitive to the imperfections of the systems in which they are observed. They have become very important in precision measurements in recent years, and provide the best measurements of voltage and electrical resistance. This book describes the theory of such quantum numbers, starting with Dirac's argument for the quantization of electric charge, and continuing with discussions on the helium superfluids, flux quantization and the Josephson effect in superconductors, the quantum Hall effect, solids and liquid crystals, and topological phase transitions. The accompanying reprints include some of the classic experimental and theoretical papers in this area.Physicists ? both experimental and theoretical ? who are interested in the topic will find this book an invaluable reference.
The New Physics is a sweeping survey of developments in physics up to the present day. All of the major topics at the frontiers of the subject have been covered in this collection of reviews. Whether the reader wants to know about the ultimate building blocks of matter; the structure, origin and evolution of the Universe; quantum gravity; low temperature physics; optics and lasers; chaos or quantum mechanics; this widely acclaimed book contains a clear explanation by one of the top scientists working in the field. Aimed at scientists and laymen alike, the articles are profusely illustrated throughout with colour photographs and clear explanatory diagrams, and have been meticulously edited to ensure they will appeal to a wide range of readers. In this single volume, Paul Davies, renowned for his ability to communicate advanced topics to the non-specialist, has gathered an exciting collection of reviews by many of the world's top physicists.
"Unabridged republication of the second edition of the work, originally published in the Pure and applied physics series by Academic Press, Inc., New York, in 1972"--Title page verso.
On the 40th anniversary of the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless Theory (BKT), this informative volume looks back at some of the developments and achievements and varied physics applications which ensued from the beautiful BKT vortex-unbinding seminal idea.During the last four decades, BKT theory, which is undeniably one of the most important developments in condensed matter and theoretical physics of the second half of the twentieth century, has expanded widely. It has been used and extended from many different theoretical and experimental perspectives. New and unexpected features have been uncovered from the BKT theory. Since its inception, apart from applications in condensed matter physics...
This book covers the theoretical foundations of advanced mean field methods, explores the relation between the different approaches, examines the quality of the approximation obtained, and demonstrates their application to various areas of probabilistic modeling. A major problem in modern probabilistic modeling is the huge computational complexity involved in typical calculations with multivariate probability distributions when the number of random variables is large. Because exact computations are infeasible in such cases and Monte Carlo sampling techniques may reach their limits, there is a need for methods that allow for efficient approximate computations. One of the simplest approximatio...
Originally published in 1979, this book discusses how the physical and chemical properties of disordered systems such as liquids, glasses, alloys, amorphous semiconductors, polymer solutions and magnetic materials can be explained by theories based on a variety of mathematical models, including random assemblies of hard spheres, tetrahedrally-bonded networks and lattices of 'spins'. The text describes these models and the various mathematical theories by which the observable properties are derived. Techniques and concepts such as the mean field and coherent approximations, graphical summation, percolation, scaling and the renormalisation group are explained and applied. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in theoretical and experimental physics.
The contributions in the book are devoted to the memory of Michael E Fisher, and hence include many personal memories from people whose work was influenced by him. Also, the book is a collection of articles from leaders in the field of phase transitions and critical phenomena, to celebrate 50 years of the renormalization group and the 1972 paper by Wilson and Fisher. Many of the articles review, in tutorial form, the progress in the fields of phase transitions and the renormalization group.
This book explains the tools and concepts needed for a research-level understanding of the subject, for graduate students in condensed matter physics.
Quantum field theory provides the theoretical backbone to most modern physics. This book is designed to bring quantum field theory to a wider audience of physicists. It is packed with worked examples, witty diagrams, and applications intended to introduce a new audience to this revolutionary theory.