Physical Acoustics in the Solid State

Professor Bruno Lüthi (auth.)9783540721932, 3540721932

Suitable for researchers and graduate students in physics and material science, “Physical Acoustics in the Solid State” reviews the modern aspects in the field, including many experimental results, especially those involving ultrasonics. Practically all fields of solid-state physics are covered: metals, semiconductors, magnetism, superconductivity, different kinds of phase transitions, low-dimensional systems, and the quantum Hall effect. After a review of the relevant experimental techniques and an introduction to the theory of elasticity, emphasizing the symmetry aspects, applications in the various fields of condensed matter physics are presented. Also treated are Brillouin-scattering results and results from thermodynamic investigations, such as thermal expansion and specific heat.

Table of contents :
Front Matter….Pages I-XIII
Introduction….Pages 1-3
Experimental Techniques….Pages 5-26
Elasticity….Pages 27-46
Thermodynamics and Phase Transitions….Pages 47-65
Acoustic Waves in the Presence of Magnetic Ions….Pages 67-92
Ultrasonics at Magnetic Phase Transitions….Pages 93-108
Ultrasonics at Structural Transitions….Pages 109-155
Metals and Semiconductors….Pages 157-179
Unstable Moment Compounds….Pages 181-222
Ultrasonics in Superconductors….Pages 223-268
Coupling to Collective Excitations….Pages 269-287
Ultrasonics in Low Dimensional Spin and Electronic Peierls-Systems….Pages 289-325
Symmetry Effects with Sound Waves….Pages 327-350
Ultrasonic Propagation in Tunneling Systems….Pages 351-359
Conclusion and Outlook….Pages 361-361
Back Matter….Pages 363-420