Features
- Cover Type: Hard Cover with 480 pages
- Published by: Oxford University Press, USA July 19, 2007
- Written in: English
- ISBN 10 Number: 0198567774
- ISBN 13 Number: 978-0198567776
-
Book Dimensions:
9.2 x 6 x 1.2 inches
- Weighs: 2 pounds
Product Review
` very timely including the big picture and how to explain it. ' Marjorie Senechal, Smith College Northampton, Massachusetts
` a valuable aid for newcomers to the field of aperiodic crystals as well as in teaching solid state physics and chemistry and crystallography.' Walter Steurer, ETH Zurich
Product Description
Until the 1970s all materials studied consisted of periodic arrays of unit cells, or were amorphous. In the last decades a new class of solid state matter, called aperiodic crystals, has been found. It is a long range ordered structure, but without lattice periodicity. It is found in a wide range of materials: organic and anorganic compounds, minerals (including a substantial portion of the earths crust), and metallic alloys, under various pressures and temperatures. Because of the lack of periodicity the usual techniques for the study of structure and physical properties no longer work, and new techniques have to be developed. This book deals with the characterisation of the structure, the structure determination and the study of the physical properties, especially dynamical and electronic properties of aperiodic crystals. The treatment is based on a description in a space with more dimensions than three, the so-called superspace. This allows us to generalise the standard crystallography and to look differently at the dynamics. The three main classes of aperiodic crystals, modulated phases, incommensurate composites and quasicrystals are treated from a unified point of view, which stresses similarities of the various systems. The book assumes as a prerequisite a knowledge of the fundamental techniques of crystallography and the theory of condensed matter, and covers the literature at the forefront of the field.
Reader ReviewsThis book covers most of the quasicrystal research to date, with comprehensive references. However, one thing that really really irks me is sloppy notation, in the sense that the exact SAME notation is used to define two different entities, ON the exact same page!An example would be to use n2 to define a particular coordinate, and then using n2 again to define a second different coordinate, where these 2 coordinates are then subsequently required to construct a "clear picture". Also, there are omissions of important assumptions, which are stated with a simple line stating what it is, causing confusion why certain things are stated as is, one has to trace back to the original work for that important constraint which could have alleviated frustration on the reader. For a experienced crystallographer, this book is a great resource, but not so for a novice trying to enter the field and get a CLEAR working knowledge on how to implement the theory without having to consult previous references for KEY details. One plus is that numerous examples are given, which may be why the author has taken certain liberties like so.
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