This textbook by Stephen Blundell covers the modern theory behind the magnetic properties of solids. The book is intended for final-year undergraduate and master’s students in the natural sciences and provides a clear overview of magnetic properties from fundamental principles. It connects to current research topics and experimental techniques.
Contents
The quantum-mechanical nature of magnetism forms the basis for innovation in magnetic materials, used for permanent magnets, sensors, and information systems. The book discusses key concepts such as symmetry breaking, order parameters, excitations, frustration, and reduced dimensionality.
Starting from elementary electromagnetism and quantum mechanics, it explains how magnetic moments arise and how they are influenced by their crystalline environment. It covers various interactions between magnetic moments, as well as the complex magnetic properties of metals and systems with competing interactions or lower dimensions.
The theoretical framework is applied in practice to real systems. The book includes extensive illustrations and appendices on fundamental principles.
Product details
- Author: Stephen Blundell (Department of Physics, University of Oxford)
- Series: Oxford Master Series in Condensed Matter Physics 4
- Publisher: Oxford University Press
- Publication date: 2001-10-04
- Number of pages: 272
- ISBN: 9780198505921
- Topic: Condensed matter physics (liquid state and solid state physics)
- BISAC: SCIENCE / Physics / Condensed Matter
About the author
Dr Stephen Blundell works at the University of Oxford, Department of Physics, Clarendon Laboratory. Contact: Tel. 01865/272347, Fax 01865/272400, Email: s.blundell@physics.ox.ac.uk