1st Edition
Nanoscale Quantum Materials Musings on the Ultra-Small World
In the past four decades, there has been growing interest in the exciting new topic of physics in low dimensions. Thousands of original ideas have been proposed in the literature, and some are confirmed experimentally, along with several Nobel prizes which have been awarded in this field. While there are several books available, almost all are technical and accessible only to expert researchers.
This book provides an accessible introduction to the field, with less emphasis on technical details. Whilst this book does not provide a traditional history of nano-science, instead it uses simple explanations and case studies as vehicles to explain key discoveries and the importance of them, enabling readers without a background in the area to gain an understanding of some aspects of nanoscale physics. It will be of interest to researchers working in condensed matter physics, in addition to engineers and advanced students in those disciplines. It also remains accessible to ‘physics enthusiasts’ from other academic disciplines, as technical details are contained within boxes and footnotes which can be skipped for a general reading of the book.
Features:
- Provides an accessible introduction to a technical subject
- Contains exciting developments from the cutting-edge science being conducted in the area
- Authored by a recognised expert in the field
Chapter 1. Introduction: From giants to dwarfs
Chapter 2. Down to low dimensions
Chapter 3. The quantum dot: In the abyss of no dimensions
Chapter 4. Quantum rings: Dynamic unity of polar opposites
Chapter 5. Graphene: Carbon and its nests
Chapter 6. Some remarkable episodes in the nanoscale
Chapter 7. Epilog and the road ahead.
Biography
Dr. Chakraborty is a retired professor of physics from the University of Manitoba, Canada. He was also the Canada Research Chair in Nanoscale Physics (2003 – 2017). He has published more than 200 papers in prestigious journals. He has authored several books and is a fellow of the American Physical Society.
Tapash Chakraborty’s volume—subtitled “Musings on the Ultra-Small World”—is quite different from previous textbooks dealing with quantum materials. The author’s general strategy is to explain the basic principles of various phenomena as plainly as he can without resorting to complicated equations. However, some familiarity with the fundamentals of quantum mechanics and condensed-matter physics is essential to appreciate the book in its entirety.
Nanoscale Quantum Materials is an excellent, carefully written and highly valuable textbook that should be recommended to graduate students in physics, engineering, optics and materials science who want to have a fresh look at nanoscale objects. This book will also be of interest and value to everyone curious about the foundational problems of quantum mechanics and their fascinating applications.
- Review by Christian Brosseau, Optica Fellow and professor of physics, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Brest, France
