Atomic and Molecular Physics: A primer

Description

This book is a self-contained undergraduate textbook in solid state physics. Most excellent existing textbooks in this area are aimed at advanced students and/or have an encyclopaedic content, therefore, they are often overwhelmingly difficult and/or too wide for undergraduates. On the contrary, this book is designed to accompany a one-semester, second or third-year course aimed at a tutorial introduction to solid state physics. The book is highly accessible and focuses on a selected set of topics (basically, the physics of phonons and electrons in crystals), whilst also providing substantial, in-depth coverage of the subject. Emphasis is given to the underlying physical basis or principle for each topic, although applications are covered when it is possible to link them to fundamental physical concepts in a simple way. The author has taught undergraduate condensed matter physics for 17 years, and the book is based on this experience. Various pedagogical features are used in each chapter, including conceptual layout sections (defining the syllabus of each chapter), extensive use of figures (used to illustrate concepts, or to sketch experimental setups, or to present paradigmatic results) and highlights on the most important equations, definitions, and concepts. Key Features Fills a gap for a self-contained undergraduate textbook in solid state physicsTailored for a one-semester courseFocuses on a selected set of topics (basically, the physics of phonons and electrons in crystals), whilst also providing substantial, in-depth coverage of the subjectEmphasises phenomenology rather than mathematics/formalismUses various pedagogical features, including end-of-chapter exercises with solutions   PRELIMS.pdf Foreword Acknowledgements Author biography Luciano Colombo Presentation of the ‘Primer series’ Introduction to: ‘Atomic and Molecular Physics: a primer’ List of symbols CH001.pdf Chapter 1 The overall picture 1.1 The atomistic structure of matter 1.1.1 Do atoms exist? 1.1.2 What are atoms made of? 1.1.3 The nuclear atom 1.2 The quantum nature of physical laws 1.2.1 Atomic spectra: failure of classical physics 1.2.2 A necessary digression 1.2.3 Back to atomic spectra: the Bohr model 1.3 The dual nature of physical phenomena 1.3.1 Wave–matter duality 1.3.2 A constitutive equation for matter waves References CH002.pdf Chapter 2 Essential quantum mechanics 2.1 The wavefunction 2.1.1 Definition 2.1.2 Properties 2.2 Quantum operators 2.2.1 Definition 2.2.2 Building a quantum operator 2.2.3 Eigenfunctions and eigenvectors 2.3 Time evolution 2.3.1 The Schrödinger equation 2.3.2 Stationary states 2.3.3 Non-stationary states 2.3.4 Reconciling quantum and classical physics 2.4 Systems of identical particles 2.4.1 Wavefunction symmetry 2.4.2 Pauli principle 2.5 Matrix notation 2.6 Perturbation theory 2.6.1 The concept of ‘perturbation’ 2.6.2 Time-independent perturbations 2.6.3 Time-dependent perturbations References CH003.pdf Chapter 3 One-electron atoms 3.1 The hydrogen atom 3.1.1 Problem definition and some useful approximations 3.1.2 Stationary states: the wavefunctions 3.1.3 Stationary states: the energy spectrum 3.1.4 Classifying the electronic shells 3.1.5 Atomic orbitals 3.2 Hydrogenic atoms 3.3 Magnetic moments and interactions 3.3.1 The action of a uniform magnetic field: the Zeeman effect 3.3.2 The action of a non-uniform magnetic field: the electron spin 3.4 Spin–orbit interaction 3.5 Other relativistic effects 3.6 Classifying the fine structure levels: the spectroscopic notation 3.7 Anomalous Zeeman and Paschen–Back effects 3.8 The action of an electric field References CH004.pdf Chapter 4 Interaction of one-electron atoms with radiation 4.1 Emission and absorption of radiation 4.1.1 Problem definition and some useful approximations 4.1.2 Emission and absorption 4.1.3 Einstein coefficients 4.1.4 Population analysis 4.2 Microscopic theory of Einstein coefficients 4.3 Electric dipole selection rules for hydrogenic states 4.4 Forbidden transitions 4.5 The LASER References CH005.pdf Chapter 5 Multi-electron atoms 5.1 Singlet–triplet states and exchange forces 5.2 A first step: the helium atom 5.2.1 The ground state 5.2.2 The excited states and the exchange interactions 5.2.3 The total wavefunction and the selection rules 5.2.4 The Heisenberg picture 5.3 The central-field approximation 5.3.1 The self-consistent-field method 5.3.2 Including spin-related features 5.4 The periodic system of the elements 5.5 Beyond the central-field approximation 5.5.1 Hartree, Hartree–Fock, and configuration interaction methods 5.5.2 The vector model: L–S and J–J coupling schemes 5.6 Selection rules 5.7 The action of an external magnetic field References CH006.pdf Chapter 6 Molecules: general features 6.1 What is a molecule? 6.2 The Born–Oppenheimer approximation 6.3 Molecular bonding 6.3.1 Ionic bonding: the NaCl molecule 6.3.2 Covalent bonding: the H2 molecule References CH007.pdf Chapter 7 Molecular vibrations and rotations 7.1 Molecular motions in diatomic molecules 7.1.1 Rotational spectra 7.1.2 Vibrational spectra 7.1.3 Roto-vibrational spectra 7.2 Rayleigh and Raman scattering 7.3 Nuclear motions in polyatomic molecules 7.3.1 Rotations 7.3.2 Vibrations References CH008.pdf Chapter 8 Electronic structure of molecules 8.1 Problem definition 8.2 Molecular orbitals 8.3 Electronic configurations 8.3.1 The role of symmetry 8.3.2 Diatomic molecules 8.3.3 Polyatomic molecules 8.3.4 Orbital hybridisation 8.4 Electronic transitions: the Franck–Condon principle References CH009.pdf Chapter 9 What is missing in this ‘Primer’ APP1.pdf Chapter Defining the mathematical problem Determining the Φ-functions Determining the Θ-functions Determining the R-functions References APP2.pdf Chapter APP3.pdf Chapter References APP4.pdf Chapter APP5.pdf Chapter APP6.pdf Chapter References APP7.pdf Chapter References APP8.pdf Chapter References