Dynamics of Ordering Processes in Condensed Matter


Book Description

The International Symposium on Dynamics of Ordering Processes in Condensed Matter was held at the Kansai Seminar House, Kyoto, for four days, from 27 to 30 August 1987, under the auspices of the Physical Soci ety of Japan. The symposium was financially supported by the four orga nizations and 45 companies listed on other pages in this volume. We are very grateful to all of them and particularly to the greatest sponsor, the Commemorative Association for the Japan World Exposition 1970. A total Df 22 invited lectures and 48 poster presentations were given and 110 participants attended from seven nations. An objective of the Symposium was to review and extend our present understanding of the dynamics of ordering processes in condensed matters, (for example, alloys, polymers and fluids), that are brought to an un stable state by sudden change of such external parameters as temperature and pressure. A second objective, no less important, was to identify new fields of science that might be investigated by similar, but sometimes more sophisticated, concepts and tactics. An emphasis was laid on those universal aspects of the laws governing the ordering processes which transcended the detailed differences among the substances used. The 71 lectures reproduced in this volume bear witness to the success of the Symposium in meeting amply the first objective and, to a lesser extent, the second.




Dynamical Processes in Condensed Matter, Volume 63


Book Description

Featuring the work of an international group of scholars, this volume covers the transport properties and Soliton models of Polyacetylene, development and application of the theory of Brownian Motion, the fading of memory during the regression of structural fluctuations, the breakdown of the Kramers Theory as a problem of correct modeling, and more.




Principles of Condensed Matter Physics


Book Description

Now in paperback, this book provides an overview of the physics of condensed matter systems. Assuming a familiarity with the basics of quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics, the book establishes a general framework for describing condensed phases of matter, based on symmetries and conservation laws. It explores the role of spatial dimensionality and microscopic interactions in determining the nature of phase transitions, as well as discussing the structure and properties of materials with different symmetries. Particular attention is given to critical phenomena and renormalization group methods. The properties of liquids, liquid crystals, quasicrystals, crystalline solids, magnetically ordered systems and amorphous solids are investigated in terms of their symmetry, generalised rigidity, hydrodynamics and topological defect structure. In addition to serving as a course text, this book is an essential reference for students and researchers in physics, applied physics, chemistry, materials science and engineering, who are interested in modern condensed matter physics.




Dissipative Phenomena in Condensed Matter


Book Description

A reference and text, Dissipative Phenomena treats the broadly applicable area of nonequilibrium statistical physics and concentrates the modelling and characterization of dissipative phenomena. A variety of examples from diverse disciplines, such as condensed matter physics, materials science, metallurgy, chemical physics, are discussed. Dattagupta employs a broad framework of stochastic processes and master equation techniques to obtain models for a range of experimentally relevant phenomena such as classical and quantum Brownian motion, spin dynamics, kinetics of phase ordering, relaxation in glasses, and dissipative tunnelling. This book will serve as a graduate/research level textbook since it offers considerable utility to experimentalists, computational physicists and theorists.




Condensed Matter Field Theory


Book Description

This primer is aimed at elevating graduate students of condensed matter theory to a level where they can engage in independent research. Topics covered include second quantisation, path and functional field integration, mean-field theory and collective phenomena.




Directions In Condensed Matter Physics: Memorial Volume In Honor Of Shang-keng Ma


Book Description

This volume collects several in-depth articles giving lucid discussions on new developments in statistical and condensed matter physics. Many, though not all, contributors had been in touch with the late S-K Ma. Written by some of the world's experts and originators of new ideas in the field, this book is a must for all researchers in theoretical physics. Most of the articles should be accessible to diligent graduate students and experienced readers will gain from the wealth of materials contained herein.




Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports


Book Description

Lists citations with abstracts for aerospace related reports obtained from world wide sources and announces documents that have recently been entered into the NASA Scientific and Technical Information Database.




Computer Simulation Studies in Condensed-Matter Physics XVIII


Book Description

This status report features the most recent developments in the field, spanning a wide range of topical areas in the computer simulation of condensed matter/materials physics. Both established and new topics are included, ranging from the statistical mechanics of classical magnetic spin models to electronic structure calculations, quantum simulations, and simulations of soft condensed matter.




The Monte Carlo Method in Condensed Matter Physics


Book Description

The Monte Carlo method is now widely used and commonly accepted as an important and useful tool in solid state physics and related fields. It is broadly recognized that the technique of "computer simulation" is complementary to both analytical theory and experiment, and can significantly contribute to ad vancing the understanding of various scientific problems. Widespread applications of the Monte Carlo method to various fields of the statistical mechanics of condensed matter physics have already been reviewed in two previously published books, namely Monte Carlo Methods in Statistical Physics (Topics Curro Phys. , Vol. 7, 1st edn. 1979, 2ndedn. 1986) and Applications of the Monte Carlo Method in Statistical Physics (Topics Curro Phys. , Vol. 36, 1st edn. 1984, 2nd edn. 1987). Meanwhile the field has continued its rapid growth and expansion, and applications to new fields have appeared that were not treated at all in the above two books (e. g. studies of irreversible growth phenomena, cellular automata, interfaces, and quantum problems on lattices). Also, new methodic aspects have emerged, such as aspects of efficient use of vector com puters or parallel computers, more efficient analysis of simulated systems con figurations, and methods to reduce critical slowing down at i>hase transitions. Taken together with the extensive activity in certain traditional areas of research (simulation of classical and quantum fluids, of macromolecular materials, of spin glasses and quadrupolar glasses, etc.




CO2-microemulsions with additives


Book Description

Improved building insulation is an important part of today´s efforts on energy saving. Here, nano-insulation materials promise especially low thermal conductivity. Therefore, an easy and cost-efficient production of these materials is an aim of present material research. One approach towards these materials is the expansion and fixation of polymerisable microemulsions of supercritical blowing agents. However, the nano-sized bubbles are found to undergo undesired coarsening processes. In order to reduce the increasing interfacial tension emerging during expansion and therewith the coarsening it was suggested to add low-molecular hydrophobic substances to the supercritical microemulsion. And indeed, the addition of cyclohexane to a microemulsion of the type brine – CO2 – fluorinated surfactants was found to reduce the fluorinated surfactant content – a measure for the interfacial tension - considerably. In this work a systematic small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) contrast variation was performed and the data were analysed by model-independent Fourier analysis. It was found that a concentration gradient of cyclohexane inside the CO2/cyclohexane microemulsion droplets forms. Interestingly, the analysis reveals a depletion zone close to the amphiphilic film which presumably develops due to the known repulsive interactions of cyclohexane and the fluorinated surfactant tails. Using a specially designed high pressure SANS cell to perform stroboscopic pressure jumps, the influence of cyclohexane on pressure-induced elongation of microemulsion droplets as well as the early state of foaming after expansion was studied. Here, the pressure-dependent thermodynamic stability of such microemulsions allows for a fast repeatability of the pressure cycles. It turned out that cyclohexane systematically slows down the structural changes in all processes. Parallel pressure jump experiments with poly-(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) particles revealed that hydration and dehydration kinetics can be studied with the same experimental setup. The first kinetic experiments which combine a CO2-microemulsion mixed with PNIPAM particles indicate that PNIPAM acts as a stabiliser for the microemulsion and further reduces the thermodynamic driving force of the demixing process.