Phase Transitions In Soft Condensed Matter

This volume comprises the proceedings of a NATO Advanced Study Institute held in Geilo, Norway, between 4 - 14 April 1989. This Institute was the tenth in a series held at Geilo on the subject of phase transitions. It was the first to be concerned with the growing area of soft condensed matter, which is neither ordinary solids nor ordinary liquids, but somewhere in between. The Institute brought together many lecturers, students and active researchers in the field from a wide range of NATO and some non-NATO countries, with financial support principally from the NATO Scientific Affairs Division but also from Institutt for energiteknikk, the Nor wegian Research Council for Science and the Humanities (NAVF), The Nordic Institute for Theoretical Atomic Physics (NORDITA), the Norwegian Physical Society and VISTA, a reserach cooperation between the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters and Den norske stats oljeselskap a.s (STATOIL). The organizing committee would like to thank all these contributors for their help in promoting an exciting and rewarding meeting, and in doing so are confident that they echo the appreciation also of all the participants. 50ft condensed matter is characterized by weak interactions between polyatomic constituents, by important·thermal fluctuations effects, by mechanical softness and by a rich range of behaviours. The main emphasis at this Institute was on the fundamental collective physics, but prepar ation techniques and industrial applications were also considered.

Intended for readers with some prior knowledge of condensed-matter physics, this text emphasises the basic physics behind spontaneous structural changes in crystals. Starting with the relevant thermodynamic principles, the author discusses the nature of order variables and their collective motion in a crystal lattice. He also goes on to describe experimental methods for modulated crystal structures and gives examples of structural changes in representative systems. Both a graduate text and reference work.

Quantum Phase Transitions is the first book to describe in detail the fundamental changes that can occur in the macroscopic nature of matter at zero temperature due to small variations in a given external parameter. The subject plays a central role in the study of the electrical and magnetic properties of numerous important solid state materials. The author begins by developing the theory of quantum phase transitions in the simplest possible class of non-disordered, interacting systems - the quantum Ising and rotor models. Particular attention is paid to their non-zero temperature dynamic and transport properties in the vicinity of the quantum critical point. Several other quantum phase transitions of increasing complexity are then discussed and clarified. Throughout, the author interweaves experimental results with presentation of theoretical models, and well over 500 references are included. The book will be of great interest to graduate students and researchers in condensed matter physics.

Quantum phase transitions (QPTs) offer wonderful examples of the radical macroscopic effects inherent in quantum physics: phase changes between different forms of matter driven by quantum rather than thermal fluctuations, typically at very low temperatures. QPTs provide new insight into outstanding problems such as high-temperature superconductivit

This unique book aims to expose the reader to a wide range of phenomena occurring when soft matter systems are put under the influence of an external electric field. The book shows how an electric field can be used to affect objects at the submicron scale, and how it controls the phase behavior of liquids and polymers. The main focus is on the basic underlying mechanisms. Some technological applications are dealt with as well. Book chapters are arranged in a logical order, from OC simpleOCO systems to more complicated ones. In addition, each topic is covered by the mixed bag of theory, experiment and simulation; and this will give the reader a broad perspective of the underlying physical phenomena."

Observation, Prediction and Simulation of Phase Transitions in Complex Fluids presents an overview of the phase transitions that occur in a variety of soft-matter systems: colloidal suspensions of spherical or rod-like particles and their mixtures, directed polymers and polymer blends, colloid--polymer mixtures, and liquid-forming mesogens. This modern and fascinating branch of condensed matter physics is presented from three complementary viewpoints. The first section, written by experimentalists, emphasises the observation of basic phenomena (by light scattering, for example). The second section, written by theoreticians, focuses on the necessary theoretical tools (density functional theory, path integrals, free energy expansions). The third section is devoted to the results of modern simulation techniques (Gibbs ensemble, free energy calculations, configurational bias Monte Carlo). The interplay between the disciplines is clearly illustrated. For all those interested in modern research in equilibrium statistical mechanics.

This text offers an introduction to the properties and behaviour of soft matter. It begins with a treatment of the underlying principles, then discusses how the properties of certain substances and systems are treated within this framework.

This book treats the problem of phase transitions, emphasizing the generality and universality of the methods and models used. The course is basically concentrated on the problems of vacuum degeneration in macroscopic systems and a fundamental concept of quasiaverages by Bogolubov playing a special role in the theory of phase transitions and critical phenomena. An analysis of the connection between phase transition and spontaneous symmetry breaking in a macroscopic system allows a unique description of both first- and second-order phase transitions.The unique features of this book are:(i) a unique approach of describing first — as well as second-order phase transitions, based on the Bogolubov concept of quasi-averages.(ii) a detailed presentation of the material and at the same time a review of modern problems.(iii) a general character of developed ideas that could be applied to various particular systems of condensed matter physics, nuclear physics and high-energy physics.