Atomic and Electronic Structure of Solids

This text is a modern treatment of the theory of solids. The core of the book deals with the physics of electron and phonon states in crystals and how they determine the structure and properties of the solid. The discussion uses the single-electron picture as a starting point and covers electronic and optical phenomena, magnetism and superconductivity. There is also an extensive treatment of defects in solids, including point defects, dislocations, surfaces and interfaces. A number of modern topics where the theory of solids applies are also explored, including quasicrystals, amorphous solids, polymers, metal and semiconductor clusters, carbon nanotubes and biological macromolécules. Numerous examples are presented in detail and each chapter is accompanied by problems and suggested further readings. An extensive set of appendices provides the necessary background for deriving all the results discussed in the main body of the text. The level of theoretical treatment is appropriate for first-year graduate students of physics, chemistry and materials science and engineering, but the book will also serve as a reference for scientists and researchers in these fields.