In this book, a modern unified theory of dispersion forces on atoms and bodies is presented which covers a broad range of different aspects and scenarios. Macroscopic quantum electrodynamics is applied within the context of dispersion forces. In contrast to the normal-mode quantum electrodynamics traditionally used to study dispersion forces, the new approach allows to consider realistic material properties including absorption and is flexible enough to be applied to a broad range of geome...

This book deals with a new class of materials, quantum rings. Innovative recent advances in experimental and theoretical physics of quantum rings are based on the most advanced state-of-the-art fabrication and characterization techniques as well as theoretical methods. The experimental efforts allow to obtain a new class of semiconductor quantum rings formed by capping self-organized quantum dots grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Novel optical and magnetic properties of quantum rings are as...

This book provides a state-of-the art overview of a highly interesting emerging research field in solid state physics/nanomaterials science, topological structures in ferroic materials. Topological structures in ferroic materials have received strongly increasing attention in the last few years. Such structures include domain walls, skyrmions and vortices, which can form in ferroelectric, magnetic, ferroelastic or multiferroic materials. These topological structures can have completely dif...

In this thesis, magnetism and transport phenomena in spin-charge coupled systems on frustrated lattices are theoretically investigated, focusing on Ising-spin Kondo lattice models and using a combination of Monte Carlo simulation and other techniques such as variational calculations and perturbation theory. The emphasis of the study is on how the cooperation of spin-charge coupling and geometrical frustration affects the thermodynamic properties of the Kondo lattice models; it presents the...

This brief reviews current research on magnetic skyrmions, with emphasis on formation mechanisms, observation techniques, and materials design strategies. The response of skyrmions, both static and dynamical, to various electromagnetic fields is also covered in detail.Recent progress in magnetic imaging techniques has enabled the observation of skyrmions in real space, as well as the analysis of their ordering manner and the details of their internal structure. In metallic systems,...

A concise description of models and quantitative parameters in structural chemistry and their interrelations, with 280 tables and >3000 references giving the most up-to-date experimental data on energy characteristics of atoms, molecules and crystals (ionisation potentials, electron affinities, bond energies, heats of phase transitions, band and lattice energies), optical properties (refractive index, polarisability), spectroscopic characteristics and geometrical parameters (bond distances...

This book provides an up-to-date review of nanometer-scale magnetism and focuses on the investigation of the basic properties of magnetic nanostructures. It describes a wide range of physical aspects together with theoretical and experimental methods. A broad overview of the latest developments in this emerging and fascinating field of nanostructured materials is given with emphasis on the practical understanding and operation of submicron devices based on nanostructured magnetic materials...

The investigation of nanosized ferroelectric films and ferroelectric nanocrystals has attracted much attention during the past 15 – 20 years. There is interest in the fundamental and applied aspects. The theoretical basis is connected with the development of the Landau-Ginzburg-Devonshire (LGD) mean field and the first principles theories to the ultrathin ferroelectric films with thickness in the vicinity of critical size. Important potential applications are possible nanosize ferroelectri...

This research monograph presents the latest results related to the characterization of low dimensional systems. Low-angle polarized neutron scattering and X-ray scattering at grazing incidence are used as the two main techniques to explore various physical phenomena of these systems. Special focus is put on systems like thin film transition metal and rare-earth layers, oxide heterostructures, hybrid systems, self-assembled nanostructures and self-diffusion.Readers will gain in-dept...

The second edition deals with all essential aspects of non-relativistic quantum physics up to the quantisation of fields. In contrast to common textbooks of quantum mechanics, modern experiments are described both for the purpose of foundation of the theory and in relation to recent applications. Links are made to important research fields and applications such as elementary particle physics, solid state physics and nuclear magnetic resonance in medicine, biology and material science. Spec...

This volume expands and updates the coverage in the authors' popular 1992 book, Electron Microdiffraction. As the title implies, the focus of the book has changed from electron microdiffraction and convergent beam electron diffraction to all forms of advanced transmission electron microscopy. Special attention is given to electron diffraction and imaging, including high-resolution TEM and STEM imaging, and the application of these methods to crystals, their defects, and nanostruct...

This thesis presents various characteristics of 122-type iron pnictide (FeSC) such as crystal and electronic structure, carrier-doping effect, and impurity-scattering effect, using transport, magnetization, specific heat, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and optical spectral measurements. Most notably the measurement on the magnetic fluctuation in the material successfully explains already known unusual electronic properties, i.e., superconducting gap symmetry, anisotropy of in-plane resi...