This book explores the relationship between group theory and physics, emphasizing symmetry and its applications. With a pedagogical approach refined over 30 years, it integrates theory and practical applications to enhance student understanding. Essential problem sets reinforce learning, particularly in semiconductor physics and carbon-based nanostructures.
This book fills a gap between many of the basic solid state physics and materials sciencebooks that are currently available. It is written for a mixed audience of electricalengineering and applied physics students who have some knowledge of elementaryundergraduate quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics. This book, based on asuccessful course taught at MIT, is divided pedagogically into three parts: (I) ElectronicStructure, (II) Transport Properties, and (III) Optical Properties. Each topic is explainedin the context of bulk materials and then extended to low-dimensional materials whereapplicable. Problem sets review the content of each chapter to help students to understandthe material described in each of the chapters more deeply and to prepare them to masterthe next chapters.
This concise, class-tested book was refined over the authors’ 30 years as instructors at MIT and the University Federal of Minas Gerais (UFMG) in Brazil. The approach centers on the conviction that teaching group theory along with applications helps students to learn, understand and use it for their own needs. Thus, the theoretical background is confined to introductory chapters. Subsequent chapters develop new theory alongside applications so that students can retain new concepts, build on concepts already learned, and see interrelations between topics. Essential problem sets between chapters aid retention of new material and consolidate material learned in previous chapters.
After a short introduction and a brief review of the relation between carbon nanotubes, graphite and other forms of carbon, the synthesis techniques and growth mechanisms for carbon nanotubes are described. This is followed by reviews on nanotube electronic structure, electrical, optical, and mechanical properties, nanotube imaging and spectroscopy, and nanotube applications.