Filling a gap in the literature for a brief course in solid state physics, this is a clear and concise introduction that not only describes all the basic phenomena and concepts, but also discusses such advanced issues as magnetism and superconductivity. This textbook assumes only basic mathematical knowledge on the part of the reader and includes more than 100 discussion questions and some 70 problems, with solutions as well as further supplementary material available free to lecturers from the Wiley-VCH website.

Table of Contents

Preface 1 Chemical Bonding in Solids 2 Crystal Structures 3 Mechanical Properties 4 Thermal Properties of the Lattice 5 Electronic Properties of Metals: Classical Approach 6 Electronic Properties of Metals: Quantum Mechanical Approach 7 Semiconductors 8 Magnetism 9 Dielectrics 10 Superconductivity 11 Finite Solids and Nanostructures Appendix References Further Reading Physical Constants and Energy Equivalents

Author Biography

Philip Hofmann studied physics at the Free University, Berlin and did his PhD research at the Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max Planck Society, also in Berlin. He stayed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA, as a Feodor Lynen Fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. In 1998, he moved to the University of Aarhus, Denmark, where he is associated with the Synchrotron Radiation Source and the Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO). His research is primarily focused on the electronic structure of solids and their surfaces.